Craig, For what it is worth. . . . (FWIW?) 1. No - I do not think this is off topic. STN is a networking solution - and it is nice to have some background information on the network that is most likely to be connected to the STN box. This is important information - that can help clear up confusion and perhaps solve someone's problem BEFORE it gets to this list. 2. I think you are somewhere between 99.99999 and 100% right on the money. (I'd have to dust off those same books - or go raid the technet CD's!) 3. Why does it take so long - As far as I can tell, there is a convoluted series of numbers - (possibly related to a fibbonocci series, on it's mother's side!), that I am not sure even Microsoft understands completely - the doc's get awfully fuzzy there.... For myself - I keep an NT4.0 server up 24/7 running both WINS and DNS (and, nice of M$) you can make M$'s WINS and DNS servers communicate their findings to each other - so my Linux/Unix boxes can use DNS to find NT boxes. In my case - a particular instance of a machine -always- has the same name, (and in most cases, the same IP address), so there is less confusion. (i.e. I might have some "test" hardware with removable HD's, one for this, one for that, one for Wintel, one for Linux, etc. each configuration on that box has a "standard" name I always use for that configuration.) Also - about once a week (or two or three...) I take down the entire network and reboot everything. Like a good vacuuming, it helps keep the "dust bunnies" (grin!) to a minimum. Good post. Jim Craig Smith wrote: > Hi gang > > Regarding Windows Networking (Again, kind of off topic) > A few (Ok, a lot) of words from my imperfect memory. > > In a windows networking environment there is a master browser and a > backup browser. A machine that is booted up will try to contact the > master browser and tell it that it is alive and well, every few minutes > after its booted, gradually dropping to every 15 or so minutes. If it > doesn't find a master browser then it becomes it. Then, Every 15 minutes > (Depending on time machine was last rebooted) the master browser updates > the backup browser with a list of all machines on a network. If there is > no backup browser then the master browser is both. When you open > network neighborhood in windows, it pulls the list of computers on the > network from the backup browser. Now, that list can be up to 51 minutes > old (Where that number comes from I don't remember, something about the > copying of the lists), but if you can't contact the backup browser, you > pull it from a local cache on your machine. To complicate matters, any > machine on a network can be a master browser or backup browser, but if a > machine that is higher ranked than either of the current pair is turned > on, it will take over and boot the other ones down the line, Master > becomes backup, backup becomes plain machine. For example a NT server > or Workstation machine vs a 95 or 98 box. > > > Overall, when you have mixed machines all over the network going up and > down as your testing and rebooting and crashing, it creates total havok > on these lists, and information may not come through for days. There is > no solution, but some things can help. > > - A pair of dedicated NT servers. (Or 2000 if you want), means that they > are always up and running. Not practical in a home environment > - 2 machines that have your most powerfully ranked OS running all the > time. > OS rankings is something like WFWG, 95, 98, ME, NT Workstation, 2000 > Pro, NT Server, 2000 Server, fill in any blanks where appropriate. > - Turn off Master browser for all machines that are not supposed to be > doing it, especially ones that are disconnected or rebooted a lot. In > the Control panel under networking, change the properties for File > and Printer sharing, and turn Browse Master to Disabled. > > In my home network there are several machines, my machine is 2000 > Pro,its the master browser, there is a 98SE file server that does the > backup browser work, and various 95 and 98 clients, all of which have > the browse mastering disabled. This reduces the time for ghost machines > to stay in network neighboorhood to between 1 and about 20 minutes. > Which is not great, but better than waiting days. > > If anybody has any corrections to the above information, especially > concerning the ordering of what machine becomes browse master, please > step in and correct me, as this is all from memories, and they are > pretty stale. > > Also, if anybody wants more info, I can dust off some of my books and > pull some information. Your local library would love a visit as well. > :-) > > Fallox ============================================================ GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! http://click.topica.com/aaabh5bz8Rp2bAfyICc/NextCard ============================================================ -- Visit http://www.ShareTheNet.com for info about ShareTheNet Visit http://www.topica.com/lists/sharethenet for info about this list To Unsubscribe send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________________________ T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less. Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose. http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01
