Question about Disabling Workstation Service

I have a two computer LAN, Sharing a PPPOE DSL connection Through a Dlink router.

With the workstation service enabled i have a 90 second boot time. Whenever I disable the workstation service on either computer, They both boot up like lightning. The only problem is I can't share files that way. Is there a resolution to this without turnging on the workstation services?

 

I think running IPX/SPX may do the job for you. Not positive but I think it will handle redirection without workstation service. Worth a try anyway.

OTOH, how often do you boot the PCs?

Something else you might try is using LMHosts with workstation service running. Its been a while but I think if you #PRE the workstations, that may reduce your boot time quite a bit.

 

The reason you are having aweful timing on boot time, is due to the routing services broadcasting packages out onto the Internet looking for the LMHOST list from adjacent routers (Called routing services). While your router does give your systems ample information, the machines thirst for more knowledge is not quenched by your D-Link. Newt, I definetly enjoy your posts which are complete and right to the point. On this instance I disagree to certain extend the use of IPX/SPX on a local area network because of security. Like NetBUIE these routing protocols are both suseptible to poisoning from the Internet rendering the firewall/router a dead bolt. Because the router only uses IP, TCP, FTP and telnet the rule sets on them have no knowledge of IPX/SPX (this unfortunately are set by default on low end or SOHO routers). Therefore the router would have no idea what to do with the packet from the Internet with IPX/SPX on it and it will allow them in as default because the machines would send the packages out to the Internet first. Since the packages generated on the Internal LAN, it will then consider any packages with IPX/SPX heading a trusted package. I definetly agree with you on the LMHOST recourse for RAMDISK's conundrum. I would not allow PPPOE as a protocol on the systems, instead use TCP/IP on them and allow the router to encapsulate the PPPOE once packages have reached it. In another words if you are using the software from your ISP on the systems, unload it and uninstal it.
Hope that helps.

 

I agree that IPX/SPX is a potential security issue but not sure how significant. Because it certainly will route. Unless the SOHO router piece can be set like a regular router to disallow the traffic crossing in either direction and I'm really not sure about that. Never had a need to check. Also no idea how much Novell-style hacking is going on.

NetBeui on the other hand will not pass a router so none out and certainly none in from the internet. But it won't work real well without all the usual Microsoft services so I didn't suggest it. Don't think it'd have been a cure in this case.

My real feeling here is the 90 seconds at boot time is just not worth trying to "fix" but OTOH, it ain't me that's waiting.

RAMDISK - something I hadn't though to ask earlier but what IP address and netmask are you using? 192.168.x.x with 255.255.255.0 should be fairly quick but if you went with something like 10.x.x.x and 255.0.0.0 your stuff would feel the need to check a huge amount of potential locations on your LAN and would slow down a little until it figured out there were only 2 or 3 live addresses.