NetBEUI Not OK - TCP/IP OK Problem

[Martyn Fletcher]

I wondered if anyone has experienced the following problem:

A Network of 3 computers connected via a hub.
Computer 1 Windows 98 SE
Computer 2 Windows 98 First Edition Compaq Presario
Computer 3 Windows 98 First Edition Compaq Presario (Realtek NIC)

All three have NetBEUI bound to NIC + Client for M/S Networks and File Sharing services bound to NetBEUI. All use same workgroup name, all logon at start up and all have shared resources.

Computers 1 & 2 can see and browse each other.
Computer 3 can be seen but not browsed by 1 & 2 a few minutes after 3 is switched on - then 3 disappears from view of 1 & 2.
Computer 3 can see 1 & 2.
Running NET DIAG on 3 or on 1 as a server shows that network connection between 1 & 3 is OK.
I have re-installed NetBEUI and the services on Computer 3.

The only way I can get 3 to be accessible to 1 is to bind TCP/IP on both machines.

Any suggestion would be welcome.

[itsolution]

That realtek nic wouldn't happen to be a Magitronic would it? I had a similar problem with that card. It ran all other protocols fine including NWLInk, but it wouldn't work with Netbeui

[ctaylor]

Have you tried reinstalling the NIC?

There is always a possibility that the NIC driver used in handling the NetBEUI protocol, or perhaps the protocol driver itself did not take correctly. Give it a shot.

Not necessarily relevant, but worth noting: Make sure that the "computer name" for these machines does not include andy spaces between the letters. this will prevent Network Neighborhood from "seeing" these machines.

[Nanea]

I also had the same problem with 4 computer
network. Two of the NIC had realtek chipset
#8029 and 8039. I replaced them with 3com
NICs and never had the problem again. I only had the problem with netbeiu. When I use
TCP/IP, then there are no problems. The other problem that I had suspected was the
hub, because when I turn off (unplug) the
HUB, and Turn it back on, The computers can only access each other for the first 5 minutes.

[Goethe]

NetBeiu - Kill
NetBeiu - Kill
NetBeiu - Kill
NetBeiu - Kill
NetBeiu - Kill
NetBeiu - Kill
NetBeiu - Kill
NetBeiu - Kill

[Martyn Fletcher]

Sorry for the delay in replying - been away!

The NIC is a realtek RTL 8029 and now seems to be giving intermittent problems with TCP/IP as well - I'll try a new NIC probably.

Thanks to all for the advice so far - I'll keep you posted.

[w2nut]

Had problems with a Realtek 8029 also, flaky stuff. Very, very annoying. Got a Netgear instead, and the problems disappeared.

w2nut

[Martyn Fletcher]

Problem was eventually solved by moving existing NIC to another PCI slot. I believe card needed a Master PCI slot?
System network connection is now very stable.

Many thanks for all suggestions.