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    Hi all just a quick one I hope,

    Installed WHS on a spare server chassis I had added a few hard drives got it all configured, hooked it up to my router, got all the ports fowarded correctly, set up a domain name and I thought I was ready to go. How wrong I was.

    I was able to install the connector software on a XP Home Edition SP3 machine after finding the server manually but it still had the name SERVER so thats working. I then installed the connector software on a Vista Ultimate machine same method that now backs up and is fine then I come to a Vista Basic machine try the same thing as what I did on the other machines yet it doesn't find it and the only message I have is 'This operation could not be competed at this time, please try again later. If this problem persists please contact Windows Home Server support.'

    The server is in the workgroup Skynet, XP machine is in MSHOME and Basic is in WORKGROUP, I know they are all meant to be in the same thing but they can still find eachother and I can RDC from the Basic to the server :S

    Any help appreciated.

    Chris. 
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 11:24 AM

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    Server has node type unknown, which means, NetBIOS over TCP/IP may be off.
    Since your router does not act as true DNS server (only forwards queries properly for external domains to the DNS server of ISP), DNS name resolution fails.
    Normally name resolution by broadcast would jump in, but only in the same physical subnet. Maybe the router catches a part away here, so enabling NetBIOS over TCP/IP on the server could help.
    Also the TCP/IP v6 configuration could cause some issues, so maybe disabling this protocol for the network adapter on the Vista client would solve your problem.

    If not, there is still the workaround to add a record pointing to the WHS to the hosts file on the client in Windows\system32\drivers\etc using notepad.
    This is not supported and risky to cause later issues, especially since your server does not use a fixed IP address. So as soon as the circumstances are causing a change of the server IP address, this entry in the hosts file may cause trouble.

    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 1:13 PM
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    Hello,
    it's often name resolution or network topology causing such problems.
    Are all machines in the same subnet, or is one connected via wireless LAN, the others are connected wired?
    Please give us the output of
    ipconfig /all
    issued in a command line of both the not functioning client and the server (or compare the output of the not functioning client with the output of a functioning client yourself).

    Can you ping your Windows Home Server by name and by IP address from the not functioning client?

    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 12:05 PM
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    Client that works - Wireless Connection

    Windows IP Configuration

       Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Christopher-PC
       Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
       Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
       IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
       WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

    Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

       Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
       Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Belkin Wireless G Desktop Card
       Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-17-3F-D3-8E-3D
       DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
       Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
       Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b1f1:1b1b:7a9f:f31a%17(Preferred)
       IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.11(Preferred)
       Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
       Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 02 November 2008 10:48:22
       Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 03 November 2008 10:48:23
       Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled


     

    Client that doesnt work- Wireless Connection

    Windows IP Configuration

       Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Fujitsu-Siemens
       Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
       Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
       IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
       WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

    Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

       Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
       Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR5007EG Wireless Network Adapt

       Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-44-68-74-B1
       DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
       Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
       Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b4f3:f1b1:9292:85d9%9(Preferred)
       IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3(Preferred)
       Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
       Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 02 November 2008 10:48:31
       Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 03 November 2008 10:48:30
       Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 151000644
       DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

    Server - Wired to router

    Windows IP Configuration

       Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : SERVER
       Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
       Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
       IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
       WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

    Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

       Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
       Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connection
       Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-76-27-4F-36
       DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
       Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
       IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.6
       Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
       Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
       Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 02 November 2008 02:28:19
       Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 03 November 2008 02:28:19


     

    • Edited by Chrispy192 Sunday, November 2, 2008 12:18 PM
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 12:14 PM
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    Well, the name length seems to be near the maximum for NetBIOS names, which is 15 characters in a Microsoft environment.
    So I assume, this is not the reason.
    What about the pings?
    Please take a look into the event logs of the server and the client.
    Also try to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on all machines:
    • Goto Control Panel / Network (on Vista to Network and Sharing Center and there click Manage Network Connections)
    • Select the  connection you are using, right click on it.
    • Select Properties.
    • Double click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) - on Vista TCP/IP version 4
    • Click on Advanced and select the WINS tab.
    • Check the NetBIOS over TCP/IP radio button.
    • Click OK until the dialogs are closed.
    • Reboot the systems.
    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 12:33 PM
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    By the way in the network section of vista I can't see the server however on the other systems I can :S
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 1:04 PM
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    Server has node type unknown, which means, NetBIOS over TCP/IP may be off.
    Since your router does not act as true DNS server (only forwards queries properly for external domains to the DNS server of ISP), DNS name resolution fails.
    Normally name resolution by broadcast would jump in, but only in the same physical subnet. Maybe the router catches a part away here, so enabling NetBIOS over TCP/IP on the server could help.
    Also the TCP/IP v6 configuration could cause some issues, so maybe disabling this protocol for the network adapter on the Vista client would solve your problem.

    If not, there is still the workaround to add a record pointing to the WHS to the hosts file on the client in Windows\system32\drivers\etc using notepad.
    This is not supported and risky to cause later issues, especially since your server does not use a fixed IP address. So as soon as the circumstances are causing a change of the server IP address, this entry in the hosts file may cause trouble.

    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 1:13 PM
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    I've tried what you suggested and it's still not working :(
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 1:23 PM
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    Chrispy192 said:

    I've tried what you suggested and it's still not working :(


    First, did you reboot all of your clients and your server?  Did you ping your server, both by name and IP address?  If so, what were the results?  Also, which of Olaf's suggestions did you try that didn't work (he made several, including the hosts file, which should always "work" when done properly)?
    Sunday, November 2, 2008 2:39 PM
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    Yes but my point is Vista isn't seeing the server in the Networked Devices, I have also tried to edit the hosts file but it says it cant save it back to where it was becuase it doesn't exist :S
    Monday, November 3, 2008 10:15 AM
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    To edit the hosts in Vista right click Notepad in start menu and select Run as Administrator.
    Then use the File/Open dialog to open the hosts file.
    Now you will be able to save it.
    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Monday, November 3, 2008 10:19 AM
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    Whoop! Sorted, I changed the host file and added the ip address and the network name of the server, saved it then ran discovery.exe and found the server, its backing up now as I speak!

    Thanks Olaf your a genius

    • Edited by Chrispy192 Monday, November 3, 2008 10:27 AM
    Monday, November 3, 2008 10:22 AM
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    Great. But keep in mind, that you did this change. Especially, if your WHS gets his IP address assigned by the DHCP server in router, the IP address may change occasionally, so that the static association in the hosts file may not be correct any more at that time.
    Good luck
    Olaf
    Monday, November 3, 2008 10:27 AM
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    I've set a static ip address for the router, internal ip only, but that should do the trick unless it gets changed.
    Monday, November 3, 2008 10:36 AM
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    Chrispy192 said:

    I've set a static ip address for the router, internal ip only, but that should do the trick unless it gets changed.



    for the router or for the server?
    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Monday, November 3, 2008 10:39 AM
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    router my isp ip is dynamic so every time the router connects it changes but the internal ip for the server will stay the same.
    Monday, November 3, 2008 10:58 AM
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    Well, I spoke about the address for your server.
    The router assigns an address to the server via DHCP protocol internally.
    Usually this IP address is renewed and reassigned to the same machine.
    Some situations (i.e. a power outage or swapping the router hardware) can cause, that the address the server gets will be another one, maybe instead of 192.168.0.6 one, which is currently used by a client PC.
    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Monday, November 3, 2008 11:15 AM
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