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10 Connection Limit on XP

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Hi,
My question is similar to:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6287-0.html?forumID=47&threadID=169651

However, I could not get our problem fixed in the manner LukCD suggested.
I followed LukCAD’s instructions by going to our server (Win 2000 Pro) and making setting “Number of previous logons to cache” to zero. I did not make this change to the client PCs which are Win XP Pro.

I could still only get 11 PCs to connect to the two USB connected printers (same result as before the above change). The remaining two PCs gave me “Unable to open printer” msg from Start | Printers and Settings.
I have a couple of questions:
1. Do I also also need to make above changes to each client XP Pro PC?
2. Or is the problem that we have 2000 Pro for a print server?
3. Or is Server 2003 needed?
Thank you,
Ken

Topic

Reply To: 10 Connection Limit on XP

In reply to 10 Connection Limit on XP

Well if the previous suggetions dont work then getting a print server such as a direct jet or the like will be the simplest solution. Being USB you will have to double check that it can be used on a USB JetDirect/Print Server. I had a USB HP deskjet that would not work with the box.

If you are not locked into using a specific vendor, shop around and you should be able to get a pretty good deal on one. Hp JetDirects are going to be more expensive usually so might look for a Linksys or someother similar brand you are comfortable with.

hth

Jason

Reply To: 10 Connection Limit on XP

In reply to 10 Connection Limit on XP

It all depends on the version & settings in your 2K Server as to the maximum number of supported computers. Even then you may have an upper limit that will require a license for each additional computer connected.

But as I’m taking this as a direct peer to peer network without a domain being setup I think you’ll be stuck with the 10 concurrent connections but if you where to change it to a Domain you could then set an upper limit on the number of concurrently connected computers.

NB This will only work if the USB printers are connected directly to the Server as if they are connected to XP Boxes the 10 limit still applies and can not be by passed. You could try a USB Network Printing adapter with a Linux embedded OS and that should cure your problem but it would mean that the printers would be close together which may not be what is required.

If you need to spread the printers out you could try two USB Network Printing adapters and fit them in different parts of the building. If they are different model printers for different jobs that are not required by all the users you could limit the users access to one printer for some and to the other printer for the remaining users. It really depends on how the network is setup and where the printers are.

Col

Reply To: 10 Connection Limit on XP

In reply to 10 Connection Limit on XP

There has been this limitation since NT4 Workstation. The Windows user operating systems (NT4 Workstation, 2000 Professional, XP) have a hard-coded limit of 10 concurrent connected users when connecting to shared items like a shared folder and/or shared printer. This limit is enforced on the machine that is sharing the object.
So, in using a 2000 Pro machine as a print server, this print server is where the 10 user limit is enforced. Not on the connecting clients.
Now, there’s no way to bypass this.
There’s no Registry hack, Group Policy modification, or configuration that you can do to get more than 10 concurrent connections.
Microsoft has done this so people will buy up the Server-based products (NT4 Server, 2000 Server, 2003 Server). Those OS versions do NOT have this concurrent client connection limit. If the personal OS versions didn’t have the limit, then why even bother buying a Server product??? That’s the logic, anyway.
This is not due to the TCP/IP half-open connection limit that XP has.
This is also not anything to do with IIS. In fact, if you run IIS on a NT4 Workstation, 2000 Professional, or XP machine, it also suffers from this same problem. A FTP server running in IIS on one of these operating system versions has a max concurrent connected user limit of 10.
So:
1) no client-side changes will fix this.
2) yes, this is why you are experiencing this.
3) get 2000 Server (any version) or 2003 Server (any version) and you won’t have this problem.

Reply To: 10 Connection Limit on XP

In reply to 10 Connection Limit on XP

Put them on print servers. Make sure the printer is compatable with the print server.

Lee

Reply To: 10 Connection Limit on XP

In reply to 10 Connection Limit on XP

there is a windows resolution, not authorised, but very usable,,,

http://www.LvlLord.de tcpip.sys patching utility. Not my own creation but I like how it works.

It’s not tcpip.sys

In reply to Reply To: 10 Connection Limit on XP

That has nothing to do with the share limit.

But someone SHOULD crack the share limit, whatever enforces it in XP.

The price going from XP to Server is astronomical. Win2K3 + 25 CALs costs more than most small workgroup servers themselves! On top of the CALs, you’re already paying for XP licenses, and it gets worse if you want to add Terminal Services, etc.

Oh yes, I’ve run into this same 10 connection dilemma on a network recently as well, and it makes me feel like I’m being extorted.

With this kind of ridiculous pricing from MS, I have no qualms pirating their products. I’m seriously considering learning Linux and migrating my low-budget SOHO clients to Linux servers, rather than anything else from MS ever again.

[Author]

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