Intermittent Disconnection of Client Computers from Domain Server
- by dilip nagle
The Background:
I have Windows 2008 server Enterprise Version with 25 user cal licences. It has a domain and all users and a network shared HP printer in it.
The Server has two network cards and both these cards as well as all client machines are on IP addressing scheme of 192.168.1.* with subnetmask 255.255.255.0.
Of the two network cards viz. 192.168.1.231 and 192.168.1.233, only 192.168.1.231 is registered with DNS.
In 192.168.1.233(i.e. 2nd network card) has default getway as 192.168.1.231 and dns address as 192.168.1.231.
The Server has three hard disks with capacities as 500gb, 500gb and 1TB and are partitioned as (C,D,E), (F,G) and (K) with partition K having all user data into various Shared Folders.
Each of these folders(On Partition K), are mapped onto each user's computer as per the right of access given to them.
The Problem:
The Server was installed about 6 months ago and till date not even once, the Server has Hung or has given any problem.
All the Clients computers are able to run the web based software from their computers via ip address, e.g. http://192.168.1.231/webERP/default.aspx.
However, occassionally, when any client computer tries to browse network mappings, it hangs. Again, there is no fixed pattern. This may happen after running smoothly for say 3 days.
On each Client's machine, the network settings are as follows:
IP Address: 192.168.1.* where * is 1,2,3 ....
Sunnetmask: 255.255.255.0
defauly getway: 192.168.1.231 Which is a server card and DNS address.
preferred DNS Server: 192.168.1.231
In Advanced Tab under Wins:
LMHostLookup is Unticked and default is radio buttoned.
Ideally, I would have loved to have Disabled NETBIOS over TCP/IP but some network printers do not get accessed if this option is enabled(ie. Radio Buttoned). Bacause Disabling Netbios will drastically reduce traffic of NETBIOS broadcasting to all the computers on the net to do naming resolution.
On Server, I have WINs Running which I have Scavanged Records, verified Database Integrity etc, removed Tombstoned Records etc.
The Critical Errors shown only once a day when the server is statred are 4224(WINS) and
12923 - Server Licencing failed to Update DNS Record.
I fail to understand as why do client machines HANG when they try to browse mapped network shared folders on K Drive.
Kindly Advice
