On Nov 15, 3:21 am, "Steve Winograd [MVP]" <bc0705***@comcast.net>
wrote:
> In article
> <a9048174-796e-4e4f-9445-b6d656e7f***@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
>
> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >What command can I execute to find which PC is acting as the WINS
> >server in my LAN?
>
> If a network connection has been configured to use a WINS server,
> "ipconfig/all" will show the server's IP address.
>
> At the risk of stating what you already know: a typical workgroup
> network doesn't have a WINS server.  WINS usually requires a computer
> running a server operating system.

> On Nov 15, 3:21 am, "Steve Winograd [MVP]" <bc0705***@comcast.net>
> wrote:
>
> > In article
> > <a9048174-796e-4e4f-9445-b6d656e7f***@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
>
> > tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >What command can I execute to find which PC is acting as the WINS
> > >server in my LAN?
>
> > If a network connection has been configured to use a WINS server,
> > "ipconfig/all" will show the server's IP address.
>
> > At the risk of stating what you already know: a typical workgroup
> > network doesn't have a WINS server.  WINS usually requires a computer
> > running a server operating system.
>
> The \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts files on each PC do not
> contain static IPs because the router is the DHCP server. What allows
> me to ping by hostname if there is no WINS server available? I must be
> missing something in the way NetBIOS works.

> On Nov 15, 8:32 am, tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On Nov 15, 3:21 am, "Steve Winograd [MVP]" <bc0705***@comcast.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> In article
>>> <a9048174-796e-4e4f-9445-b6d656e7f***@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
>>
>>> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> What command can I execute to find which PC is acting as the WINS
>>>> server in my LAN?
>>
>>> If a network connection has been configured to use a WINS server,
>>> "ipconfig/all" will show the server's IP address.
>>
>>> At the risk of stating what you already know: a typical workgroup
>>> network doesn't have a WINS server.  WINS usually requires a
>>> computer running a server operating system.
>>
>> The \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts files on each PC do not
>> contain static IPs because the router is the DHCP server. What allows
>> me to ping by hostname if there is no WINS server available? I must
>> be missing something in the way NetBIOS works.
>
>
> I downloaded the nblookup tool and these are the results I get when I
> execute it. It's telling me that each PC is an acting WINS server

> and
> I don't understand how that can be true. BTW, I should mention all the
> PCs in the LAN are Windows XP Home SP2.
>
> C:\Temp>nblookup -s pc1
>
> pc1 resolved to 192.168.0.106
> Default Server: 192.168.0.106
>
> Recursion is on
>
> Querying WINS Server: 192.168.0.106
> NetBIOS Name: pc1
> Suffix: 20
>
> Name returned: PC1
> Record type: Unique
> IP Address: 192.168.0.106
>
> ...
>
> C:\Temp>nblookup -s pc2
>
> pc2 resolved to 192.168.0.105
> Default Server: 192.168.0.105
>
> Recursion is on
>
> Querying WINS Server: 192.168.0.105
> NetBIOS Name: pc2
> Suffix: 20
>
> Name returned: PC2
> Record type: Unique
> IP Address: 192.168.0.105

>> > >What command can I execute to find which PC is acting as the WINS
>> > >server in my LAN?
>>
>> > If a network connection has been configured to use a WINS server,
>> > "ipconfig/all" will show the server's IP address.
>>
>> > At the risk of stating what you already know: a typical workgroup
>> > network doesn't have a WINS server.  WINS usually requires a computer
>> > running a server operating system.
>>
>> The \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts files on each PC do not
>> contain static IPs because the router is the DHCP server. What allows
>> me to ping by hostname if there is no WINS server available? I must be
>> missing something in the way NetBIOS works.
>
>I downloaded the nblookup tool and these are the results I get when I
>execute it. It's telling me that each PC is an acting WINS server and
>I don't understand how that can be true. BTW, I should mention all the
>PCs in the LAN are Windows XP Home SP2.
>
>C:\Temp>nblookup -s pc1
>
>pc1 resolved to 192.168.0.106
>Default Server: 192.168.0.106
>
>Recursion is on
>
>Querying WINS Server: 192.168.0.106
>NetBIOS Name: pc1
>Suffix: 20
>
>Name returned: PC1
>Record type: Unique
>IP Address: 192.168.0.106
>
>...
>
>C:\Temp>nblookup -s pc2
>
>pc2 resolved to 192.168.0.105
>Default Server: 192.168.0.105
>
>Recursion is on
>
>Querying WINS Server: 192.168.0.105
>NetBIOS Name: pc2
>Suffix: 20
>
>Name returned: PC2
>Record type: Unique
>IP Address: 192.168.0.105

On Nov 15, 4:12 pm, "Steve Winograd [MVP]" <bc0705***@comcast.net>
wrote:
> In article
> <1e032aaa-044b-4c94-83e2-3f9c39395***@b32g2000hsa.googlegroups.com>,
>
>
>
>
>
> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> > >What command can I execute to find which PC is acting as the WINS
> >> > >server in my LAN?
>
> >> > If a network connection has been configured to use a WINS server,
> >> > "ipconfig/all" will show the server's IP address.
>
> >> > At the risk of stating what you already know: a typical workgroup
> >> > network doesn't have a WINS server.  WINS usually requires a computer
> >> > running a server operating system.
>
> >> The \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts files on each PC do not
> >> contain static IPs because the router is the DHCP server. What allows
> >> me to ping by hostname if there is no WINS server available? I must be
> >> missing something in the way NetBIOS works.
>
> >I downloaded the nblookup tool and these are the results I get when I
> >execute it. It's telling me that each PC is an acting WINS server and
> >I don't understand how that can be true. BTW, I should mention all the
> >PCs in the LAN are Windows XP Home SP2.
>
> >C:\Temp>nblookup -s pc1
>
> >pc1 resolved to 192.168.0.106
> >Default Server: 192.168.0.106
>
> >Recursion is on
>
> >Querying WINS Server: 192.168.0.106
> >NetBIOS Name: pc1
> >Suffix: 20
>
> >Name returned: PC1
> >Record type: Unique
> >IP Address: 192.168.0.106
>
> >...
>
> >C:\Temp>nblookup -s pc2
>
> >pc2 resolved to 192.168.0.105
> >Default Server: 192.168.0.105
>
> >Recursion is on
>
> >Querying WINS Server: 192.168.0.105
> >NetBIOS Name: pc2
> >Suffix: 20
>
> >Name returned: PC2
> >Record type: Unique
> >IP Address: 192.168.0.105
>
> I think that the results from running the NBLookup tool on your
> network are misleading.  There is no WINS server in a Windows XP
> workgroup network like yours.  I suspect that the WINS server that the
> NBLookup identifies is the computer that was able to resolve the
> computer name that you queried.  In a workgroup, that name resolution
> is done using NetBIOS over TCP/IP, not using WINS.
>
> With no WINS server, you can assign static IP addresses to all of the
> computers and create an LMHosts file (not a Hosts file) on each
> computer that specifies the mapping of NetBIOS names to IP addresses.
>
> But neither WINS nor LMHosts should be necessary on a workgroup
> network, unless the network has multiple IP subnets.
>
> Why are you asking about WINS in the first place?  If something isn't
> working right, there's probably a better solution.
> --
> Best Wishes,
> Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see.  I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Programhttp://mvp.support.microsoft.com- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> <snipped for length>
>
>
>
> > I just couldn't figure out how the ping by hostname was bale to work
>
> Did you read the link I posted?
>
> > when:
> > 1. I'm using DHCP to acquire IPs from the router
> > 2. The IPs are not in the hosts file
> > 3. The IPs are not in the lmhost file
> > 4. I didn't assign a PC to act as a WINS server
> > 5. Only one PC of the four PCs in the LAN has the Computer Browser
> > service running
>
> Then it's going to be the master browser. If you don't have a WINS server I
> suggest you set computer browser to automatic on all your computers.
>
>
>
> > My TCP/IP settings for each PC has "Use NetBIOS from DHCP server"
> > selected. This must be the key to being able to ping by hostname?
>
> Actually, it means NetBIOS over TCP/IP is *enabled* on that computer because
> you have a DHCP configured address, basically. Your router is not doing this
> name resolution for you
>
> If you don't have WINS or an internal DNS server and can ping a
> computer/node by name, it's simply working via broadcast. Is that clearer
> now?
>
> > The router being a Linksys BEFSR1 v3 router.
>
> Not relevant, tho.

> On Nov 15, 6:44 pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwe***@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
>> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> <snipped for length>
>>
>>
>>
>>> I just couldn't figure out how the ping by hostname was bale to work
>>
>> Did you read the link I posted?
>>
>>> when:
>>> 1. I'm using DHCP to acquire IPs from the router
>>> 2. The IPs are not in the hosts file
>>> 3. The IPs are not in the lmhost file
>>> 4. I didn't assign a PC to act as a WINS server
>>> 5. Only one PC of the four PCs in the LAN has the Computer Browser
>>> service running
>>
>> Then it's going to be the master browser. If you don't have a WINS
>> server I suggest you set computer browser to automatic on all your
>> computers.
>>
>>
>>
>>> My TCP/IP settings for each PC has "Use NetBIOS from DHCP server"
>>> selected. This must be the key to being able to ping by hostname?
>>
>> Actually, it means NetBIOS over TCP/IP is *enabled* on that computer
>> because you have a DHCP configured address, basically. Your router
>> is not doing this name resolution for you
>>
>> If you don't have WINS or an internal DNS server and can ping a
>> computer/node by name, it's simply working via broadcast. Is that
>> clearer now?
>>
>>> The router being a Linksys BEFSR1 v3 router.
>>
>> Not relevant, tho.
>
> Gotcha, Thanks

> On Nov 15, 3:21 am, "Steve Winograd [MVP]" <bc0705***@comcast.net>
> wrote:
>> In article
>> <a9048174-796e-4e4f-9445-b6d656e7f***@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
>>
>> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> What command can I execute to find which PC is acting as the WINS
>>> server in my LAN?
>>
>> If a network connection has been configured to use a WINS server,
>> "ipconfig/all" will show the server's IP address.
>>
>> At the risk of stating what you already know: a typical workgroup
>> network doesn't have a WINS server.  WINS usually requires a computer
>> running a server operating system.
>
> The \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts files on each PC do not
> contain static IPs because the router is the DHCP server.

news:e4L6Dm8JIHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On Nov 15, 3:21 am, "Steve Winograd [MVP]" <bc0705***@comcast.net>
>> wrote:
>>> In article
>>> <a9048174-796e-4e4f-9445-b6d656e7f***@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
>>>
>>> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> What command can I execute to find which PC is acting as the WINS
>>>> server in my LAN?
>>>
>>> If a network connection has been configured to use a WINS server,
>>> "ipconfig/all" will show the server's IP address.
>>>
>>> At the risk of stating what you already know: a typical workgroup
>>> network doesn't have a WINS server.  WINS usually requires a computer
>>> running a server operating system.
>>
>> The \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts files on each PC do not
>> contain static IPs because the router is the DHCP server.
>
> That's apples to oranges.....and note that hosts isn't for NetBIOS. That's
> LMHOSTS.
>
>> What allows
>> me to ping by hostname if there is no WINS server available? I must be
>> missing something in the way NetBIOS works.
>
> NetBIOS is broadcast based. Without a WINS server (which you don't
> normally have in a workgroup), your workstations are all participating in
> browser elections and hollering at each other over the network. "Hey, have
> you seen SERVER1? Oh, over there? Thanks."
>
> WINS essentially shuts them up and says, "just check here when you want
> NetBIOS name resolution." Your WINS server is usually your master
> browser - when you have WINS, you can even stop & disable the computer
> browser service on all the workstations. Without WINS, you need it
> running.
>

> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwe***@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote in
> message news:e4L6Dm8JIHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> On Nov 15, 3:21 am, "Steve Winograd [MVP]" <bc0705***@comcast.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>> In article
>>>> <a9048174-796e-4e4f-9445-b6d656e7f***@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
>>>>
>>>> tek <kevind***@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>> What command can I execute to find which PC is acting as the WINS
>>>>> server in my LAN?
>>>>
>>>> If a network connection has been configured to use a WINS server,
>>>> "ipconfig/all" will show the server's IP address.
>>>>
>>>> At the risk of stating what you already know: a typical workgroup
>>>> network doesn't have a WINS server.  WINS usually requires a
>>>> computer running a server operating system.
>>>
>>> The \windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts files on each PC do not
>>> contain static IPs because the router is the DHCP server.
>>
>> That's apples to oranges.....and note that hosts isn't for NetBIOS.
>> That's LMHOSTS.
>>
>>> What allows
>>> me to ping by hostname if there is no WINS server available? I must
>>> be missing something in the way NetBIOS works.
>>
>> NetBIOS is broadcast based. Without a WINS server (which you don't
>> normally have in a workgroup), your workstations are all
>> participating in browser elections and hollering at each other over
>> the network. "Hey, have you seen SERVER1? Oh, over there? Thanks."
>>
>> WINS essentially shuts them up and says, "just check here when you
>> want NetBIOS name resolution." Your WINS server is usually your
>> master browser - when you have WINS, you can even stop & disable the
>> computer browser service on all the workstations. Without WINS, you
>> need it running.
>>
>
>
> Hi, all.
>
> I'd just like to add some clarification, if I may :-)
>
> The default name resolution sequence for windows XP is:
>
> 1) DNS:
>    check local DNS cache;
>    check hosts file;
>    query DNS server ( if configured);
>
> if that fails, revert back to
>
> 2)NetBIOS:
>   Check Netbios name cache;
>   check LMHOSTS file;
>   Query WINS server ( if configured );
>   Try Netbios broadcasts.
>
> On a win2k or above domain, the DNS server will be where it succeeds.
> In a serverless workgroup, it will fall all the way down to the
> method of last resort, Netbios broadcasts.
> Here, all machines listen out for broadcasts containing their name,
> and respond to the broadcaster with their IP address.
>
> The exact priority within netbios ( wins / brodcast ) can be changed
> using a parameter called NodeType.
> What I described was the default, which is generally fine.
>
> For name resolution, the browser does not come into it.
> You can shut the browser system totally down on all the machines, and
> Netbios broadcast name resolution will still work.
>
> The browser's job is to maintain a list of machine names only, not IP
> addresses.
> This is only used to populate the 'browse list', which you see when
> you 'show workgroup computers', or do a 'net view'.
> It also uses Netbios broadcasts to operate.
>
> Hope this is illuminating!
>
> Best Regards,
> Ron Lowe