DNS Server Search Order failure??

[Kim]

My Home Office network has stopped working. It comprises
an XP-Pro notebook and a Win98SE desktop, both connecting
via a router and cable modem to the internet.

Both PC's can still see and access the net just fine, so
presumably the network h/w in both PC's is OK. The
problem is that they cant see each other as shown in
Network Places. This was all working fine up to two
weeks ago, when it just appeared to stop!

Each PC pings to itself (127.0.0.1) OK.
Each PC pings to the default Gateway OK.
A ping from each PC to the other times out.

When I run the 'Network Diagnostics' on the XP Notebook,
it reports a failure on its network card. The detail
shows failures (ie timeouts) on the pings to 61.9.192.14
and 61.9.192.15, and the text is 'DNS Server Search Order
failed'.

Any suggestions as to the meaning of these messages and
the best course of action to get the network working?

Many thanks,

Kim

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

In article >, "Kim"
> wrote:
>My Home Office network has stopped working. It comprises
>an XP-Pro notebook and a Win98SE desktop, both connecting
>via a router and cable modem to the internet.
>
>Both PC's can still see and access the net just fine, so
>presumably the network h/w in both PC's is OK. The
>problem is that they cant see each other as shown in
>Network Places. This was all working fine up to two
>weeks ago, when it just appeared to stop!
>
>Each PC pings to itself (127.0.0.1) OK.
>Each PC pings to the default Gateway OK.
>A ping from each PC to the other times out.
>
>When I run the 'Network Diagnostics' on the XP Notebook,
>it reports a failure on its network card. The detail
>shows failures (ie timeouts) on the pings to 61.9.192.14
>and 61.9.192.15, and the text is 'DNS Server Search Order
>failed'.
>
>Any suggestions as to the meaning of these messages and
>the best course of action to get the network working?
>
>Many thanks,
>
>Kim

DNS isn't the problem, Kim. In a network with XP-Pro and Win98SE, DNS
is only used for Internet access. It has no role in getting the
computers to see each other.

Those DNS addresses are valid ones belonging to bigpond.net.au. The
fact that you can access the Internet proves that they're working.
They've apparently been programmed not to respond to pings, which is a
security measure that many Internet service providers take. I can't
ping them from my computer, either.

These tips should help you get everything working:

1. Permanently disable XP's built-in Internet Connection Firewall on
local area network connections -- it's for use only on a direct modem
connection to the Internet. Disable and un-install all other
firewalls while troubleshooting. Details here:

Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/ic_firewall.htm

2. Use only one protocol for File and Printer Sharing. If the network
needs more than one protocol, unbind File and Printer Sharing from all
but one of them. Details here:

Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm

3. Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers.
Details here:

Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT)
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot/netbt.htm

4. Run "ipconfig /all" on XP and look at the "Node Type" at the
beginning of the output. If it says "Peer-to-Peer" (which should
actually be "Point-to-Point") that's the problem. It means that the
computer only uses a WINS server, which isn't available on a
peer-to-peer network for NetBIOS name resolution.

If that's the case, run the registry editor, open this key:

HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parame ters

and delete these values if they're present:

NodeType
DhcpNodeType

Reboot, then try network access again.

If that doesn't fix it, open that registry key again, create a DWORD
value called "NodeType", and set it to 1 for "Broadcast" or 4 for
"Mixed".

For details, see these Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

Default Node Type for Microsoft Clients
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;160177

TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314053
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

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