Server 2003 can ping by host name but can only browse shares by IP

domain-name-systemnetwork-sharewindows-server-2003

So I have Windows Server 2003 and I'm running into a weird issue.

Using XP or Win 7 machines I cannot browse the shares using the servers hostname

\\SERVER\

I get this error

"The network location cannot be reached. For information about network troubleshooting, see Windows Help."

I can however ping the server by name fine and I can remote desktop into it by name fine also.

I can also connect to the shares using the server ip address

\\IP-ADDRESS\

and that works fine.

Also I can browse the shares fine by name from within other servers, just not on client XP and Win 7 machines.

Does anyone have any idea?

EDIT

\\server.domain.name also works and allows me to browse the shares.

and all other servers are working fine with \\server connection, only one server is giving me issue, and it's a recent problem it has worked fine in the past.

Best Answer

You are running into a problem with NetBIOS name resolution. You have two options for resolving these types of issues, either remove all NetBIOS configuration from your network and clients and properly configure your DNS, or fix your NetBIOS and WINS configuration.

It seems as though your network is already set up to use NetBIOS. If you want to continue down that path, you should be aware of how it works. If your clients and servers are on the same subnet, the browser service on the client needs to be running in order to discover hosts by NetBIOS name. In addition, the network adapter on the client needs to have NetBIOS over TCP/IP enabled. If the client and server are on different IP subnets, you need a WINS server to do the NetBIOS name to IP lookup.

The reason that you can ping by host name without specifying the FQDN is most likely that you have a default DNS suffix specified on your network adapter, either manually configured or received from the DHCP server.

You should review NetBIOS, NetBT, WINS and DNS functionality.

NetBIOS Name resolution: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738412(v=ws.10).aspx

WINS: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc784707(v=ws.10).aspx

WINS and DNS: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc750589.aspx

NetBT: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/119493

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