Network File Sharing Woes

[ILFT1]

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I have a 7 computer network, comprised of windows 98se, XP, and Linux Ubuntu machines. One of the machines (a win 98se one, we will call it bob for simplicity) cannot see the shared documents on any of the other machines in the network, and no other machine, (not even bob) can see bob's shared documents. In fact bob doesn't even show up as a computer in the workgroup (any workgroup for that matter) EXCEPT to Bob itself. Bob can see itself as a computer on the network, but when bob goes to look at itself, it doesn't see any shared documents EVEN THOUGH there ARE documents set to be shared on Bob.
 
Whenever I try to access another computer on the network from "Bob" I get the error:
 
 
 \\(whoever) is not accessable.
 
 The computer or sharename could not be found. Make sure you typed it correctly, and try again.
 
 
Now I'm not stupid, lol, I know that all the machines need to be in the same workgroup, and they are. I know all the machines need to have to have sharing enabled, and they do. I know that "bob's" network card and cable are good because Bob can get on the internet through the same card/cable (I'm on DSL). I know the hub that "Bob" is plugged into is good because there are other machines on the hub and they do not have this problem. I know the socket on the hub is good because I switched Bob from that socket to another, re-started Bob and another machine that I used to try and "see" bob with and there was no change.
 
I have tried disabling and re-enabling sharing on Bob to no avail, I have un-installed and re-installed the drivers with no change.

Any ideas?

[Rob Pomeroy]

Is any of your machines set up as a WINS server (preferably one of the Linux boxes)?  In Bob's networks settings, point the WINS setting to that server.

[ILFT1]

Nope, none of them are set up as WINS servers. I don't even know how to set up a WINS server (lol, and I said I wasn't stupid ). The Linux boxes are bual-booters, so they are not on frequently enough to be used as a WINS server. The only machine that is on often enough to be workable is a Windows XP professional PC. How would I set this up as a WINS server?

I also use DHCP (assigned by my router) will this conflict?

[Rob Pomeroy]

Hmm.  Does Bob have any kind of software firewall running?

[ILFT1]

Yes, it does have a software firewall (norton personal firewall 2005). However it is not the problem. I have the same firewall on two other machies which do not have this problem. However, to alieviate any question about the firewall ('cause it is a valid question after all) I dis-abled it and re-started Bob (verifying that the firewall was still off after the re-start, it was but I still had to dis-able internet security after the re-start) and another machine (well, actually, I started up another machine for the first time today to be exact). No change. Bob cannot see the other computers and no other computers can see Bob.

Poor Bob. lol

[Rob Pomeroy]

WIth Bob's firewall turned off, go to one of the other PCs and use the "find computer" feature, typing in Bob's name.  It is possible for a computer to be found even though its shares do not appear in the Network Neighborhood browse list.

With so many computers about, why not consider setting up a permanent Linux box running Samba as a WINS server?  That can really help with collection of browse lists.  One central WINS list which all of your other computers point to, to find WINS information.

[ILFT1]

Well, the "find computer" works one way. I can see Bob's shared doc's from my machine. But trying the same thing the other way around does not work. Bob does a search for my machine and cannot find it. The spelling was verified to be correct and I tried to get Bob to see another machine in the network but Bob couldn't see it either.

As for setting up a linux box as a server, that would be nice. But it costs money. I have a spare 300 mghz computer that I could set up Knoppix on I suppose (I'm currently out of HDDs). But having that on 24/7 would cost money for the juice it used. I will think about it.

I hope we can cure the disease though, and not just the symptoms.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Your server would probably draw no more than 100 watts most of the time.  That's 2.4 kilowatt hours a day at roughly 10 cents per kilowatt hour.  i.e.  24 cents a day.  Not a budget breaker alone, I wouldn't have thought.  

The shares Bob can't see - have you tried switching off the firewalls on those PCs and then doing the "find computer"?

FYI the protocol we're dealing with is called NETBIOS and it runs on ports 137 to 139.  You'll need those open on all machines on your LAN for browsing to work properly - but don't expose those ports beyond your router.

[ILFT1]

Wow, that little huh? I hadn't run the numbers but thats not at all bad.

I can't believe I forgot to disable the firewall on the my machine when trying to get to it from Bob. However, even with the firewall on my machine disabled AND the firewall on Bob disabled, Bob still cannot see this computer.

[Rob Pomeroy]

There is a slightly inelegant solution.  You could use an LMHOSTS file.  Works like a hosts file: IP address and WINS name.  Not possible if any of the machines are using DHCP of course.

Alternatively you could try and thrash out the problem a bit further.  I think it's probably to do with browser election - that is, the fight that goes on between Win boxes to decide who will be "in charge" of the browse lists.  If you have one computer that is ALWAYS on, then you can force this issue.  On the computer that's "it", set HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\MaintainServerList to YES.  Set it to NO on all the others.

[ILFT1]

Well for the first solution, I am using DHCP, and would like to keep that feature. So I suppose that one is out.

As for the registry key solution, I have a machine that is on befre all the others 90% of the time. What are the possible problems I would encounter if I were to set that machine to be "it"? What would happen if that machine were NOT on before all the others?

[Rob Pomeroy]

The order of booting isn't the issue - if you take that option, you won't be able to guarantee seeing any shares without the master browser online.

One last thing to try before you take the plunge with registry tweaking.  On all PCs make sure that NETBIOS is enabled over TCP/IP.  You'll find that setting on the advanced settings-->WINS for your network connection-->TCP/IP.