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Network/Server Connection

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8 replies

by bbowling

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I am having a problem were a PC looses network connection to some servers. You can see the server in Network Neighborhood. The main servers are the Exchange 5.5 and the Lotus Notes servers. The error is server not found. We use DHCP to assign IP addresses. If I run ipconfig/release and ipconfig/renew the connection is good again. I do not have the problem with the static machines. I have installed another DHCP server with no help. I have made changes to the options in DHCP with no help. My network uses Win2000 Controllers only. The systems having the problems are mainly Win 2000 pro but I have seen some NT 4.0 system have the same problem. I also have a WINS server on the Network.

8 replies

by magetower

1- Do you use lease expirations on DHCP?

2- If so do the problems happen around the time the lease expires?

These just happen to be the first things that come to mind as it sounds like the systems are failing to renew leases on their own. Especially since you are able to manually renew.

by bbowling

I use 12 days on DHCP. I have changed it a few times. I also tried no expiration. No the problem does not happen around lease expiration. It seems to be at any time of the lease period.

by sfo farmer

It sounds like a WINS issue. Try this as a work around: On one of your DHCP clients, manually define your WINS server through network neighborhood properties. I've had a similar problem with Notes servers and clients pulling their WINS info from DHCP.

See if you can resolve the servers names when it occours again with NSLookup if it does and you still get a server not found look at WINS.

To isolate the problem wether WINS or DNS try adding a lmhost file entry for one of the servers: If this then works look at WINS
Add an entry to your hosts file- if this works the problem is most likely DNS.

Check your event logs on your servers and clients and look for browsing errors (like browser elections every few minutes).

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