Can't browse to SBS 2003 Server

Hello Everyone,

A couple things here:
Our network consists of one 2003 SBS domain controller and five clients running XP Pro. They all run into an unmanaged switch which runs thru a small router for cable internet to company. There is also Panda Antivirus running from the server to all workstations.

Problems:
I cant browse to the SBS 2003 Server in our domain from any client. It isn't listed in network neighborhood.

From the server I can't use network neighborhood and browse to clients because it says I don't have permission, even though I am logged in under Administrator.

I can use explorer and type \\dellserver\ and I can see all folders on server but just can't browse there. Also all mapped drives are working but if I want to create new mapped drive then I can't browse to it, I have to type in correct path.

There is currently no error logs that show on the server that would be cause for concern either.

The server provides DNS and DHCP to our company and the IP addresses are statically configured for each workstation in DHCP. I can't seem to pin down the cause of it and it used to work without a problem, as in you could browse to the server and browse from the server to clients without issues.

Any ideas would be wonderful, I have only been an Administrator for about 2 years and this one has be confused.

Thanks,

Jonathan

 

Can you post the output of a ipconfig /all run on one of the client PCs.

Also can you drill down to the server via the "entire network" item?

 

I have a feeling those workstations are not domain members. Maybe you can shed some light on that.

 

Reggie B,

I can post the ipconfig/all tommorrow when I am back at the office. When you go into the entire network it shows all clients and no server listed. You can use the search active directory and find the server in AD.

Also Scott,

If they weren't members of the domain, then they wouldn't be able to login to the domain, right? They log in and share all mapped drives and shared network printers.

Thanks for you responses and I will get you the info you requested and I look forward to your replies.

Jonathan

 

I think this may be a name resolution issue. I hope so as the problem may be difficult to track down if it is not. What do you get if you try accessing the server via both the IP address and the full DNS name.

For example, if dellserver is at 10.0.0.1, and the domain is domain.local. I'd be asking you to try:

\\10.0.0.1

and

\\dellserver.domain.local

 

Hello Reggie,

If I go into explorer and try by \\10.0.0.30(our server address) it brings up all folders, printers, etc on the server. The same for when I type: dellserver.tsjdtrucking.local.

So I don't know. Also, why when I have an account as Administrator then why would I not have access to other computers thru network neighborhood?

I am still working on it, let me know what you think and I will put the results of ipconfig/all up shortly.

Thanks,
Jonathan

 

This leads me to believe these machines are not authenticating on the Domain.

When you look at ipconfig /all on the desktops is the first DNS address your servers address?

When you log on to the desktops is there three lines on the log in screen?
User Name
Password
Domain

 

Hello Scott,

When you look at ipconfig/all the DNS server that is listed is 10.0.0.30 which is our dellserver.

Also when you log in it shows:

Username
Password
Log on to: TSJDDELL

Then the other option of log on to is this computer locally. On log on to why does it show TSJDDELL as domain instead of DellServer?

I was thinking along the lines of something in AD or DNS but I can't seem to find where it is.

Thanks for your help and I look forward to your response.\

Jonathan

 

What ever the local DNS name is should be what you see in that drop down in the log in window. If it's not there then the clients have never been joined to the domain.

If you go to My Computer / properties/ computer name/ there should be no info for workgroup and show the domain name under domain.
If the domian option isn't there then you have XP home and your double wammy messed up (insert adjective here)

 

Dellserver is your Server computer name I assume.

Is TSJDDELL your domain name?

 

The domain name would be TSJDDELL, that is what is listed as the domain when we log onto the network. The computer name would be dellserver.tsjdtrucking.local, correct?

All clients run XP Pro and are not in a workgroup, they were joined to the domain. I am thinking like they were joined to dellserver.tsjdtrucking.local when you were asked to enter the domain name and you had to enter the administrator information to allow it. They wouldn't join the domain you listed unless they had a connection with it, would they?

 

So is the Domain name TSJDDELL or TSJDTRUCKING?

 

Scott,

Let me talk back to you on the board tommorrow when I am looking at the server. Be back in touch.

Thanks.

 

Ok I think that I am half way in my right mind now since I had some sleep.

Under System properties, my computer name is dellserver.tsjdtrucking.local and my domain is tsjdtrucking.local. So why does it show logging into TSJDDELL when you log on from client?

 

Whats the compter name of the local machine.

How about going to the cmd prompt and do a ipconfig /all >ipconfig.txt
Then retrieve the ipconfig.txt document from C:\ and post what you get.

 

Here is the text file:

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : dellserver

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : TSJDTRUCKING.local

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : dellserver.tsjdtrucking.local



Ethernet adapter Server Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : dellserver.tsjdtrucking.local

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Network Connection

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-72-7C-13-5E

DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.30

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.0.0.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.100

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.30

Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.30

 

Splendid - we have an IPCONFIG to work with.

From what you've posted so far, it appears that your NetBIOS namespace is out of sync with your DNS name space. NetBIOS names are single word network names like "Computer1" and "Domain ". DNS names are hierarchical and have a multiword structure like "computer1.domain.local" and "companyname.local ".

DNS names are managed on the network by the DNS service working on the server. WINS is a service that specifically manages NetBIOS names. As you are running WINS (as the ipconfig output indicates), I expect that your WINS service database is either corrupt or populated with names from a previous network incarnation.

You are getting problems because the permissions system is expecting names that are consistent with the DNS server entries, and your systems are passing it alternative NetBIOS names.

I suggest you try clearing out your WINS database and let it regenerate. See this link for instructions.

Troubleshooting WINS databases

 

I still want to see ipconfig /all text files for the Desktops.
Thats where I think the problem is.

 

IPCONFIG/ALL from one of the clients.

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : tsjd-dispatch

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : TSJDTRUCKING.local

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : TSJDTRUCKING.local



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-30-1B-2A-54-1B

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.42

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.0.0.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.100

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.30

 

I don't see anything obvious.
Might want to look at the error logs.

I would change that subnet mask if I were you. Unless you have over 10,000 machines on your network.

255.255.255.0