DHCP & Domains

And other random info. Yes Properties for "Client for MS Networks" has "Log onto Domain" Checked and domain is spelled correctly. - TCP/IP properties between systems that work and don't work are the same. - File and Print sharing is not installed (On any win98 clients) - And Client for MS networks is set as Primary network logon. - Network topology

1 - Switch (3com 3300)
3 - 10/100 3com Hubs
2 - Subnets (All Clients and DC's on 1 net - Member server on other net)

First, I would check the DHCP server to see that there are enought addresses available in the scope. Second, remove and reinstall all networking components. Third, if you are using a Ghost image, the networking components could be corrupted or need to be updated. Try another image and see if the same problem exists, if maybe you need a software patch from Microsoft.

I ran into similar problems with roving users that could get a lease at some sites and not others. Turned out to be some bad IPs in the router table at the sites where the lease could be gotten. The table was fixed by the network guru's remotely.

Try to check the dhcp scope.
If you change or move machines frequently or
buyed a lot of new machines substituting older,the ip addresses aren't released until leasing expired, so using dhcp will not work, but there is no problem (no duplicated ip) using manual configuration.
Try to manually delete active leasings from dhcp and restart pc.
If you changed recently ip address or subnet on one of DC try to check wins tables searching for wrong ip addresses, first tombstone and then delete them.
Check if lmhosts file are in use with right or wrong informations.
Are nt service packs installed on dhcp server?
Who is the master browser on that subnet?
Try modify PDC registry to force it to be master browser.
In win 98 network properties the "workgroup" name is the same of nt domain name? (no sense in this but sometime it cause troubles).
All the necessary informations (default gateway, wins addresses, wins node type, ecc) are correctly configured in dhcp scope or having all the machines in the same phisical lan they are finding each others by broadcast?
Hope it can help. Good luck.

Check to make sure that you have sufficient IP addresses for all of your clients. Reserve IP addresses only for your servers. Since you have a small network what you can do is to decrease the lease time for the IP addresses.

This might be a long shot but, you could check the following Technet document : Q141858

This relates to a registry key that can cause similar problems to your description above..

Hope this helps..

Some of these will be silly but can you access any of the machines running win 98 from the PDC, (ping, net use, net send, vnc)or any other program you might have. Make sure no one has added any dial up settings. If they have and hard coated any winsor dns on the pc it will use those for resolution. Have you tried hard coating the wins and dns(if you use one) on the 98 machines. Have you tried reserving Ip addresses in DHCP. Also make sure you have this file for Windows sockets 2.0 Vdhcp.386 4.10.2012 06/22/98 01:12pm 56,175 bytes. Any mor einfo would be helpful.

Hi,

most Admins had the idea to have an second DHCP Server, for faulttolerance, with an deactivated scope. This is working fine just to the moment where SP4 for NT was released.

The second DHCP Server is now responding to the Clients even if it has no scope. The client gets no IP-Adress, because the secondary DHCP Server (the one with the deactivated Scope) is answering "no lease available". When the client starts a scond time, it functions very well and somtimes not !
This is a problem in SP4, Sp5, Sp6 and SP6a for NT 4.0. Deactivating the Scope is not enaugh, the service must be stopped on the secondary Server.

i think that you need to reinstall the network, please chek in the network properties that the client For microsoft Network is enabled, also in the Clinet for M n,put in the option windows NT domain, the correct domain.

are you using the tcp/ip?Because if you are using you need to check the option in the IP.
Obtain the IP addres Automaticaly
also check the option
Logon and restore network connection.

I using windows 95(Clients) and windows 2000 profesional (Client) and the windows Nt(server)

Good luck

If you also have Novell client and IPX/SPX installed on the client, take them out.

Also, Control Panel --> Passwords --> All users use same setting should be unchecked. And the other setting should be checked.

In Control Panel --> System --> Access Control --> try User Level, instead of Share Level.

If none of them did it, try the following also.
1. Open "Regedit".
2. Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Network
and
3. Add a new DWord value called DisablePwdCaching and set it to 1.
4. Reboot.

HTH.

If you also have Novell client and IPX/SPX installed on the client, take them out.

Also, Control Panel --> Passwords --> All users use same setting should be unchecked. And the other setting should be checked.

In Control Panel --> System --> Access Control --> try User Level, instead of Share Level.

If none of them did it, try the following also.
1. Open "Regedit".
2. Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Network
and
3. Add a new DWord value called DisablePwdCaching and set it to 1.
4. Reboot.

HTH.

Here is my shot.
Why are you using both DHCP and WINS services? I would just stop using WINS altogether and just go with DNS - it really works better. Also, the problem lies with your connectivity. Check first to see what speed you are connecting with and your actual speed on the cable. Next make sure you are using CAT V cable. CAT IV does work only when it wants to (I tried). Next check the switch and hubs to see if they are cascaded; there could be a time out issue here too. But who knows...This should get you started, Good Luck!

Check the cables make sure its cat5 if YOU crmiped them then make sure you did 568A or 568B.
Next make sure that on the indentification tab in the network control panel you entered as the workgorup name the name of your domain.

Earthworm... I know you are probably going crazy with this one.. it looks like you have covered all the bases, but I was wondering if you have rebooted your PDC during any of this? I had similar "weird" DHCP problems that were solved with a reboot of the DHCP server. It was kinda like the server forgot what it was supposed to do, and the reboot put everything back in place. Good Luck!

Just an FYI; I work on a new Sony Vaio yesturday that was running Windows 98se and was using a wireless nic and DHCP and that was also logging into our NT domain. That laptop did not give me the option to change the domain during the logon process. In fact it would even default back to the user being "Valued Sony Customer". But if we put in a correct user name that had domain privileges and there correct NT password it logged us onto the domain with all the required access.

Thanks for all the great recomendations, sorry I have had to reject them all so far, but please continue, I try every suggestion before rejecting. Apparently your just really going to have to work for these points. Thanks again for the responses.

Point value changed by question poster.

If the problem is with login scripts that check the users that are logging into these machines. Do they have the scripts created for them? Ar you using the same login to verify the problem isn't user related? Have you checked to make sure the primary logon is for an NT Domain. Have you manually created the account for these machines on your BDC???

I am not sure if you tried this, I got a little lost reading all the responses, but why not un-install the DHCP from the PDC and install it on the BDC? This would give you a new install on a separate domain controller.

have you tried deleting the nic and doing a freash reinstall of the drivers etc. failing this swoping the card for a known working card from a machine which is logging on to your network.

I have seen this once or twice before with W98 never with NT4 or W2k.
Although I've never dug into the issue too far the solution was to add file sharing which would mysteriously fix the logon problem after which I was able to remove file sharingwith no continuation of the problem.
My best guess is that something is either out of kilter in the tcp configuration or a necessary reg entry or component is missing.
At least in our case the problem goes away.

EW, This may seem silly and would understand a rejected answer, but since you somewhat recently "took over" this network, it might be helpful if you verified how the licensing is set up, i.e. by server, or by seat and ensure that your server has adequate licensing enabled or installed. Ran into same sort of scenario, customer had 25 licenses, added PC 26 and 27, sometimes they could, sometimes they could not, but IP address always. Just a quick thought!

Here's my small amount of experience 2-cents-worth. I know you don't think it is an issue with WINS, but just be sure, try setting it up with DHCP, but with static WINS addresses. I know that this is not a solution, but it may help you to troubleshoot.

You mentioned in one of the info boxes that you have reserved the first 100 ip address's for fixed addresses and 100 through 255 for dhcp. 255 is a broadcast address. if dhcp is handing out that ip you will have problems with finding a domain serverjust for starters. Overall you will have a variety of eratic behavior on the machine that gets assigned that ip. Reset your dhcp address pool to not include any address ending with 0 or 255.

I figured it out. For those that are interested:

DHCP was configured incorrectly for the WINS server. In fact the only Scope Options set for DHCP was the Router option, and Domain Name. After correctly configuring the WINS Server, and NBT NodeType, I was able to remove the Hard coded Wins Server address on the Clients, and Use DHCP Correctly.

Thank you all for your responses. They were much appreciated.

Actually I guess colang@tiscalinet.it got it correct in the long list of things mentioned in that post, but I had already rejected it. So If colang@tiscalinet.it happens to read this message post a new answer and I will accept it. Sorry.

Other than that the question is closed.

Two more longshots:
1)Do any of these machines have DUN installed?
2)if your 10/100 hubs are office-connect hubs then I would expect odd behaviour. (although not like this) I would try inserting a basic 10t hub in the dhcp servers network path andplug the unit under test into that. (bypass the 3c hubs and switch.

I'm glad to hear you found your answer. FYI though, DHCP is not smart enough to know not to hand out the 255 address. I have had to correct this error on 2 different systems. Does the the 254 address still generate an error? That doesn't good to me.Based on your comments that should have been a legit ip address. For what its worth...........

I have in mind two more ideas:
A: DHCP.
If you change name or renew or move or substitute a lot of machines in a scope you can easily have it full.
EG: 255 address, 200 pcs, ok. substitute or change name to 100 pc and only the first 55 will obtain ip address until old leasing expires. delete all leasings in the scope.
B: Wins.
reading further in your answers you say had a trouble with PDC denying access to 75% clients like they cannot find it.
Perhaps in wins you have some wrong address.Some pc finds PDC by broadcasts (like the ones with manual ip with no wins configured?).
Some others use wins and have bad resolution for PDC.
Check with NBTSTAT -c which server is indicated as offering domain services.
Tombstone and delete servers entries in wins tales, then reboot servers. They will register again in wins.
Another chance is check dns. If it have a wrong entry about a server and exchange informations with wins (wins lookup) it can sometimes register wrong informations in wins.
Try also to estabilish to which server both good and bad clients are authenticating themselves.
If you can find which clients are on one and which are on the other (by server manager)you can find where are the wrong one.
Ping servers by name and by ip. If one of them is wrong you are authenticating by broadcast.

Hope it can help better.

Good Luck

This question was closed by the author