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Speed up "browser service" contact time after re-boot or network switch ?

Author
24 Oct 2006 7:39 AM
Wolfgang Hercker
After booting my wired-LAN-connected notebook it lasts (sometimes) a rather long time (up to 15 minutes) until
my notebook gets visible in the LAN network resp. the exiting other computers are visible in the notebooks network
neighborhood.

Is there way to speed up the browser contacting ?

I assume that there must be a way to force the notebook immediately after network changes to investigate
other computers.

Is there a parameter / Registry tweak for this ?

Wolfgang

Author
24 Oct 2006 10:05 AM
Richard G. Harper
I suspect this is a master browser issue - in a workgroup setting, since
there are no domain controllers to keep a list of available workstations on
the network one computer will become the master browser and maintain a list
of workstations.  When a computer is started up or shut down an election
will be forced to select a new master browser:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/188001
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q102878/
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/2000/server/reskit/en-us/cnet/cnfi_brs_oynw.asp

There's no way to speed the process up other than to designate one computer
as the master browser and disable browse master on the others but then you
run the risk of browsing not working at all if the master browser is off.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User]  rghar***@gmail.com
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all.  Private mail is usually not replied to.
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Show quoteHide quote
"Wolfgang Hercker" <w.herc***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:453dc342$0$18850$9b4e6d93@newsspool4.arcor-online.net...
> After booting my wired-LAN-connected notebook it lasts (sometimes) a
> rather long time (up to 15 minutes) until
> my notebook gets visible in the LAN network resp. the exiting other
> computers are visible in the notebooks network
> neighborhood.
>
> Is there way to speed up the browser contacting ?
>
> I assume that there must be a way to force the notebook immediately after
> network changes to investigate
> other computers.
>
> Is there a parameter / Registry tweak for this ?
>
> Wolfgang
>
Author
24 Oct 2006 8:04 PM
Doug Sherman [MVP]
The computer browser service relies on broadcasts which increases the
possibility of collisions and dropped packets.  This frequently causes
latency and delays in compiling a browse list:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/188001/en-us

One of the things you can do is reduce the possibility of delay-causing
elections by turning off the Computer Browser service on all but one of your
computers.  This may not be practical unless you have a computer which is
always on.  Another solution is to switch to static IP addresses and lmhosts
files.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

"Wolfgang Hercker" <w.herc***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:453dc342$0$18850$9b4e6d93@newsspool4.arcor-online.net...
> After booting my wired-LAN-connected notebook it lasts (sometimes) a
rather long time (up to 15 minutes) until
> my notebook gets visible in the LAN network resp. the exiting other
computers are visible in the notebooks network
> neighborhood.
>
> Is there way to speed up the browser contacting ?
>
> I assume that there must be a way to force the notebook immediately after
network changes to investigate
Show quoteHide quote
> other computers.
>
> Is there a parameter / Registry tweak for this ?
>
> Wolfgang
>
Author
25 Oct 2006 6:35 AM
John Wunderlich
w.herc***@hotmail.com (Wolfgang Hercker) wrote in
Show quoteHide quote
news:453dc342$0$18850$9b4e6d93@newsspool4.arcor-online.net:

> After booting my wired-LAN-connected notebook it lasts (sometimes)
> a rather long time (up to 15 minutes) until my notebook gets
> visible in the LAN network resp. the exiting other computers are
> visible in the notebooks network neighborhood.
>
> Is there way to speed up the browser contacting ?
>
> I assume that there must be a way to force the notebook
> immediately after network changes to investigate other computers.
>
> Is there a parameter / Registry tweak for this ?
>

The delay you speak of is normal for Windows Networking.

If you want to speed up the registration on your local subnet, you
can issue the command:
   browstat forceannounce <network> <domain>
from a command window.  This will force all computers on the subnet
to announce themselves to the master browser on the subnet.

If you have a WINS server and are talking about registering across
subnets, then you have to wait until your subnet's browse master
announces the local list to the WINS server.  This is done on a
rather slow schedule to keep the WINS server from being swamped with
announcements on a large network.

Browstat.exe is available at:
<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=49AE8576-9BB9-4126-9761-BA8011FABF38&displaylang=en>

More information here:
"Troubleshooting the Microsoft Computer Browser Service"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/188305/>

HTH,
  John