Cannot Name resolve on WAN Remote side might be a WINS or DHCP Issue

[jeff.breedlove]

I am currently programming two c2611 routers. I have both routers configured and in place. I have a computer hooked off of a Fast Ethernet Switch on the Remote side with a IP address of 172.18.1.10. I am able to ping the IP of the computer all day long, but when I go to network neighborhood to view the rest of the network or try to access email through Outlook I can't see it. I think their might be a DHCP or a WINS problem on the remote side or some setting isn't configured correctly on the local side. I can ping all devices on the local side, but it will not see my machine name. Any suggestions or ideas on this one? Is there something I missed in the programming of the routers?

Sincerely,

Jeff Breedlove

[scottmac]

You may need to configure the remote router Ethernet interface with "IP Helper."

Just aim the IP Helper at the address of your WINS server.

Good Luck

Scott

[jeff.breedlove]

Scott,

I tried the IP Helper command on the interface and that didn't solve the isse.

[andrew.butterworth]

Jeff

A bit 'off-topic' here I think..... but I'll try to help ;o)

If its Windows 9x or NT 4.0 then it is most likely a WINS issue. Use the Microsoft-supplied 'NBTSTAT.EXE' utility to verify whether name-resolution is working (i.e. use 'NBTSTAT -a hostname') - if it isn't then make sure WINS is configured correctly and that the remote machine is correcly registering with the WINS Server. If you get a valid response then it may be down to a Master Browser issue.....................

With Microsoft Networking you will have various Master Browsers available on your network - simply put you will have a single Domain Master Browser (the PDC), this is responsible for replicating the 'Browse list' amongst all Master Browsers within your domain. You will also have Backup Browsers that can take over should a Master Browser fail. For every IP network or subnet you will also have a Master Browser and Backup Browsers.

Hope this is of some help - check out Microsofts web site, there is a white paper on how the whole IP stack works and how MS Networking fits in with it.

[rfroom]

Definitely sounds like a WINS issue. I would strongly suggest looking into why WINS is not working correctly to resolve host names. For a test, you may want to correct some entries in a LMHOST file to see if name resolution is the only issue. You can use variance of ip helper-address to correct the problem, but I strongly suggest getting WINS to work.

A sniffer trace may yield some insight as well.

[nicholas_sankey]

Just one more option you could try and thats the IP name server command. Try it see if it works.

[scottmac]

Are the machines / resources on the local side also set to use the WINS? Have they been manually set, or set through a DHCP option?

In order for WINS to make the proper referral, all resources must also register with the WINS ... unless they register, WINS doesn't know anything about 'em. I'm thinking that if the WINS information is distributed via DHCP option, and since most servers / resources are statically assigned, that perhaps the WINS assignment on the resources haven't been set, so they haven't registered, and the remote can't see 'em.

Local hosts would be able to see the usual broadcast announcements, so it wouldn't be an issue on the local side.

I'm a little rusty on the MS services side of the house, so I could be off on some of the details.

Good Luck

Scott

[mfaust]

See "VLAN in Windows NT" last updated 6/17/02.

[wvaux]

couple things you may want to look at that coincides with the other two responses:

1. hard code DNS and WINS into the computer in question.

2. Make sure the "Ip Name Serv" in the router is configured for your DNS server.

and 3. Verify your default gateway on the router at the remote site to be sure all traffic flows out the Serial interface.

Can you ping the remote ethernet interface of the router which has DNS and WINS hanging off of it?