FLUCTUATING DEVICE NAMES

I have a windows workgroup, with 4 PC's running WindowsXP with DHCP, a
couple of network printers (with fixed IP addresses) and a NAS with DHCP.

The LAN rounting is via a Netgear 16-port switch to a Netgear 4-port
modem/router.

In the list of attached devices in the router's web page (192.168.nnn.1) I
see all the devices listed.

BUT ..... the names of the PC's seem to fluctuate. Each time I refresh the
list of attached devices, the IP and MAC addresses stay the same, and the
names of the printers and the NAS stay the same ............
........ but the names of the individual PC's are randomly switching between
UNKNOWN and the PC's name as configured in Control Panel->System on the PC.

Any thoughts? Is this a problem with the PC's / WindowsXP?
Is it a problem with either the router or the switch?
Or .... could it be another problem?
(I'm having problems accessing the NAS, and can't map network drives to it
from the PC's)


I'm asking primarily because after switching the NAS off and on (with a
relocation in between), none of the PC's will now reconnect to the NAS. So
I'm trying to figure out whether the fluctuating name issue is likely
related to my NAS problem or is a red herring?

TIA

Richard

On Aug 20, 11:06*pm, "Richard" <(none)> wrote:
> I have a windows workgroup, with 4 PC's running WindowsXP with DHCP, a
> couple of network printers (with fixed IP addresses) and a NAS with DHCP.
>
> The LAN rounting is via a Netgear 16-port switch to a Netgear 4-port
> modem/router.
>
> In the list of attached devices in the router's web page (192.168.nnn.1) I
> see all the devices listed.
>
> BUT ..... the names of the PC's seem to fluctuate. *Each time I refreshthe
> list of attached devices, the IP and MAC addresses stay the same, and the
> names of the printers and the NAS stay the same ............
> ....... but the names of the individual PC's are randomly switching between
> UNKNOWN and the PC's name as configured in Control Panel->System on the PC.
>
> Any thoughts? * Is this a problem with the PC's / WindowsXP?
> Is it a problem with either the router or the switch?
> Or .... could it be another problem?
> (I'm having problems accessing the NAS, and can't map network drives to it
> from the PC's)
>
> I'm asking primarily because after switching the NAS off and on (with a
> relocation in between), none of the PC's will now reconnect to the NAS. *So
> I'm trying to figure out whether the fluctuating name issue is likely
> related to my NAS problem or is a red herring?
>
> TIA
>
> Richard

Check the software firewall / anti-virus. Some of these type of
software can block the name resolution because they block 'NetBIOS
name resolution" protocols. This is the block the spread of the
Internet worm type viruses.

"Richard" <(none)> wrote in news:48ac9562$2@newsgate.x-privat.org:

> I have a windows workgroup, with 4 PC's running WindowsXP with
> DHCP, a couple of network printers (with fixed IP addresses) and a
> NAS with DHCP.
>
> The LAN rounting is via a Netgear 16-port switch to a Netgear
> 4-port modem/router.
>
> In the list of attached devices in the router's web page
> (192.168.nnn.1) I see all the devices listed.
>
> BUT ..... the names of the PC's seem to fluctuate. Each time I
> refresh the list of attached devices, the IP and MAC addresses
> stay the same, and the names of the printers and the NAS stay the
> same ............ ....... but the names of the individual PC's are
> randomly switching between UNKNOWN and the PC's name as configured
> in Control Panel->System on the PC.
>
> Any thoughts? Is this a problem with the PC's / WindowsXP?
> Is it a problem with either the router or the switch?
> Or .... could it be another problem?
> (I'm having problems accessing the NAS, and can't map network
> drives to it from the PC's)
>
>
> I'm asking primarily because after switching the NAS off and on
> (with a relocation in between), none of the PC's will now
> reconnect to the NAS. So I'm trying to figure out whether the
> fluctuating name issue is likely related to my NAS problem or is a
> red herring?

A lot of details are missing...

I think it unlikely that there is a problem with your router or switch.
I wouldn't worry too much about the UNKNOWNs popping up.

Since your NAS is really a server, it really *should* be configured
with a fixed IP address -- either by configuring the NAS that way or by
configuring your Router to always assign its MAC address the same IP
address (within subnet but outside the normal DHCP range). This allows
you the option to connect to it either via IP address explicitly or by
adding an entry to the Hosts or LmHosts table on your PCs thus
eliminating one layer of potential problems.

To map network drives to the NAS, the NAS must support either NetBIOS-
over-TCPIP (NetBT) or SMB protocol. Make sure it does and it is
enabled if appropriate.

Try connecting/mapping to the NAS using a command window and entering:

net use * \\<ip address of NAS>\<sharename>

The error message from this command might help further troubleshoot
your problem.

HTH,
John

"John Wunderlich" <jwunderlich@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9B0188B8165D9wunderpsdrscray@138.126.254.2 10...
> "Richard" <(none)> wrote in news:48ac9562$2@newsgate.x-privat.org:
<...snip...>

> Since your NAS is really a server, it really *should* be configured
> with a fixed IP address -- either by configuring the NAS that way or by
> configuring your Router to always assign its MAC address the same IP
> address (within subnet but outside the normal DHCP range).
Which I would like to do. However, I am unable to call up the NAS's web
page (should be http://192.168.nnn.xxx) where I could change the IP to fixed
address. There is also a NAS 'management' program on the PC, but this is
failing to update the IP address.

My next step will be to reset the NAS to factory defaults, and see if I can
reconfigure from there. If I can't, then I'll have to see if I can replace
it under warranty.

<...snip...>
> To map network drives to the NAS, the NAS must support either NetBIOS-
> over-TCPIP (NetBT) or SMB protocol. Make sure it does and it is
> enabled if appropriate.
It does map; or rather it used to.

> Try connecting/mapping to the NAS using a command window and entering:
>
> net use * \\<ip address of NAS>\<sharename>
>
> The error message from this command might help further troubleshoot
> your problem.
I'll give this a try if the reset doesn't work.

Thanks