OT- Strange Laptop/ Workstation Connection Issue

[Dave Nickason]

We have a Win2k laptop that we use frequently on the SBS lan. It
synchronizes files from a workstation and two servers, to be available
offline when the user is away from the office. Often, while connected to
the lan, the laptop reports that it is no longer connected and is working
offline. I originally thought that this was a nic issue, and that the
laptop was losing its network connection. However, I just realized that it
is only losing its connection to the Windows XP workstation. The server
connections don't get dropped, and other lan resources such as printers work
fine.

When the connection is lost, I can browse all of the files on the XP
workstation from the notebook by typing at a Run line "\\ipaddress\c$.
However, if I type "\\computername\c$ it fails to connect. Both of these
computers are set up properly in AD, can ping each other by name and IP, and
an nslookup of the workstation from the notebook returns all the correct
information. It appears that I can access the workstation normally by name
from other computers on the lan, even at the time it is refusing connections
by name from the laptop. It doesn't appear to be a permission issue since
everything works fine by IP.

Sometimes rebooting the laptop will restore the connection, but not always.
It appears that the problem is with the workstation, not the laptop, so that
makes sense. However, the workstation has no network issues at all, other
than this. These are both relatively new computers, with all the
appropriate patches, current service packs, etc.

This might relate to a problem that several posters in this group have
reported, where laptops connected to SBS networks start working offline for
no apparent reason. Anyone have any idea what this could be?

[Susan Bradley, CPA aka "Ebitz" SBS Rocks [MVP]]

Make sure "enable netbios" in the WINS section of that XP is checked.... XP SP1
right? I've heard of XP "falling off" after SP1 had been installed.

[Dave Nickason]

Thanks Susan. Unfortunately, enabling netbios didn't help. Both machines
were set to use the netbios setting from the dhcp server, and I changed them
both to "enable." No difference. It's amazing - when the laptop boots, it
connects fine. Then, a few seconds later, it switches to "working offline."
If you dbl-click the offline icon, the window comes up and says the other
machine is not available. Closing the window makes it connect and
synchronize, then a few seconds later it's offline again.

You very well may be right about SP1, although this seems to have worsened
lately, and we've had SP1 installed for a while now.

"Susan Bradley, CPA aka "Ebitz" SBS Rocks [MVP]" <sbra...@pacbell.net>
wrote in message news:3DD06B47...@pacbell.net...

[Susan Bradley, CPA aka "Ebitz" SBS Rocks [MVP]]

I'll google around and see if I can find more stuff.... pull of SP1 and see if
it makes a difference

[Susan Bradley, CPA aka "Ebitz" SBS Rocks [MVP]]

Hey... you did it not me... all we really do out here is confirm that
1. you are not crazy it is indeed happening to others
2. we give you hope that it can be fixed

We are kinda like psychiatrists and bartenders out here....

Dave Nickason wrote:

> With more troubleshooting, I discovered that in addition to being able to
> connect by IP but not by name, I can connect by \\computername.domain.local,
> but not just \\computername. The laptop can connect to every other
> workstation on the network, other than the user's own workstation. And,
> every workstation can connect to the user's workstation, even while the
> laptop can't.
>
> What I did was to run the "Repair" option on the workstation LAN settings,
> and do the same thing on the laptop. This clears all of the cached network
> information. This seems to be working now. I got the procedure for the
> win2k laptop from "Q289256 A Description of the Repair Option on a Local
> Area Network or High-Speed Internet Connection."
>
> Susan, thank you for your help!

>
> "Susan Bradley, CPA aka "Ebitz" SBS Rocks [MVP]" <sbra...@pacbell.net>

> wrote in message news:3DD08A86...@pacbell.net...

[Dave Nickason]

With more troubleshooting, I discovered that in addition to being able to
connect by IP but not by name, I can connect by \\computername.domain.local,
but not just \\computername. The laptop can connect to every other
workstation on the network, other than the user's own workstation. And,
every workstation can connect to the user's workstation, even while the
laptop can't.

What I did was to run the "Repair" option on the workstation LAN settings,
and do the same thing on the laptop. This clears all of the cached network
information. This seems to be working now. I got the procedure for the
win2k laptop from "Q289256 A Description of the Repair Option on a Local
Area Network or High-Speed Internet Connection."

Susan, thank you for your help!

"Susan Bradley, CPA aka "Ebitz" SBS Rocks [MVP]" <sbra...@pacbell.net>

wrote in message news:3DD08A86...@pacbell.net...