How to check the status of a host connection

Symptoms: When you attempt to connect to a Windows NT/W2K/XP Workstation system that already has ten connected to it, you may receive the following error message: No more connections can be made to this remote computer at this time because there are already as many connections as the computer can accept or Error 71. The network request was not accepted.

Causes: 1. The maximum access sessions that are permitted to simultaneously connect over the network to Windows NT/W2K/XP host are ten (five for XP Home). This limit includes all transports and resource sharing protocols combined. In other words, one machine may uses more than one session. To find out how many sessions are using, use "net statistics server" command on the host. That will show Sessions Accepted. To check the status of the connection or which machine is connecting, use "nbtstat -s" command on the host.
2. It reaches the user limit.

How to connect to a shared folder using different user accounts

As administrator, you may want to access to a administrative shared folder from a client computer. You can do this by using net use h: \\servername\c$ /user:domain/administrator.

How to enable and disable the network connection

To enable/disable the network connection to local computer, go to administrative tools>services, start/stop server service. To enable/disable the network connection to remote computers, start/stop workstation service. You may want to use task schedule to enable/disable it automatically.

How to enable/disable LAN from command line temporally

You can created a batch file that include ipconfig /release or ipconfig /renew, and use schedule to run it. If you use static IP, you may use netsh instead of ipconfig command. If you want to one way access, you may manage it by using server service and workstation service.

How to fix browsing problem in a mixed OS workgroup

SYMPTOMS: in a peer-to-peer network environment with mixed Windows OS such as win9x, NT, ME, W2K and XP, you may experience one or more of the following behaviors: 1) You cannot access shared folders or files. 2) You cannot browse other computers in the workgroup. 3) You receive the following error message when you double-click the workgroup in My Network Places/Network Neighborhood: Workgroup Name is not accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource.

Resolution: 1) make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is turned on. 2) make sure the Computer Browser service is running on each computer in the workgroup. Note: the Computer Browser service maintains an updated list of computers on the workgroup, and it supplies this list to computers that are designated as browsers. If this service is stopped, the computers may not be seen from My Network Place/Network Neighborhood.

For consultants, refer to browser issue page.

How to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP in a peer-to-peer network

To access pre-2000/XP computers from w9x, NT and ME on a peer-to-peer network, you may need to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on the win2000/XP. To do that, go to the properties of My Network Places>network connection>Properties of TCP/IP>Advanced >WINS, select "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP".

How to obtain the authentication when using cache credentials

Symptom: For some reasons (such as using domain profile when logon locally and accessing to different workgroup/domain or logon different workgroup/domain while trying to establish a remote access connection), you may logon a W2K/XP computer using cache credentials and the computer may be unable to access the network resources. You may receive this error message: System Error: (1311) There are currently no logon servers available to service the logon request when click the network resources.

Resolution: to fix the problem 1) use net use \\computername\sharedfolder /users:username command, When prompting for a passwordm, type the password. 2) If you use XP, elect Connect using a different user name when mapping a network drive. To do that, go to My Computer>Map Network Drive, click Connect using a different user name. and enter the credentials in the universal naming convention (UNC) "Domain\Username" format and password.

How to show or close all network connections

To close all network connections, use net session /delete. To show all network connections, use net session.

How to view a list of current active connections

Q: Is there a way with Win2000 Server that I can view a list of current active connections (i.e. which users are logging onto the network and using which files)?

A: 1. go to MMC>Shared Folders>Sessions. 2. Use cconnect.exe from resource Kits.

How to disable autodisconnection

Symptom: The mapped drive may be disconnected after inactivity for while.

Resolution: you may need to do these two to disable autodisconnection. 1) You may want to disable autodisconnection by using "net server /disconnect:-1" on the server hosting the mapped drives. 2) If you are running W2K/XP client, you may also want to use non-persistent mappings to connect the drives. For example, you use "net use h: \\shared /persistent:no" instead of "net use h: \\shared". Note: The persistent is default.