Cannot access LAN computer using computer name

[GRoston]

All,

I have a LAN in my house. The LAN comprises about six computers, one of which serves as a local server. For experimental purposes, I run a web server on the local server. For years, literally, I have been able to access the web server by typing //LocalServer into the browser's address bar.

A few months back, my desktop computer started behaving strangely: typing //LocalServer in the browser's address bar would return an error. Today, I tried to access my Tortoise SVN server on the local server and it reported that the server could not be found.

But, I know it is there. There is a shared drive, to which I connect without issue. Ping also works. Remote Desktop Connection doesn't - I can only connect when I use the server's local IP address. Also, every other computer in the network can access the server without problems. And no, this is not a virus/malware issue.

Today, I fired up Wireshark to try to get a handle on what's happening. I then typed //LocalServer in the address bar of my browser. What I saw in Wireshark is quite odd, but hopefully diagnostic.

The first packet was a Name Query with protocol type NEtBIOS Name Service call, often called WINS, on 192.168.1.255. This was then followed by s DNA query asking for the address of LocalServer.hsd1.mi.comcast.net. That the hostname was translated into a fully-qualified hostname seems to be the root cause of the problem (and thus does not return a LAN IP address).

Can anyone explain why this may have happened, i.e., what did I do to screw up my machine? More importantly, how can I undo the damage?

Thank you.

 

[Ztruker]

Found this, don't know if it's accurate or not though:

The resolution is when you take away through a Group Policy the ability
to click Start/Run this also removes the ability to browse in explorer
via UNC path.

See Option Three here: Run Command - Enable or Disable

Also, is LocalServer the name of the computer you use as a server? Did you per chance change the name around the time this started happening?

I run a Windows 7 Apache server named Webserver and I have never been able to browse it using the UNC name of //Webserver. What software are you using, Apache or some other?

 

[GRoston]

Rich,

Strange suggestion! I looked into this and it does not seem to be the cause of the problem. Also, the name of the server has never changed.

I did some more digging, this time using Process Monitor, but did not discover anything new. Basically, when I enter //LocalServer into the address bar of my browser, the request gets routed to the IP address that Comcast provides to my router as opposed to the LAN IP address. I am quite certain that the problem lies with my desktop computer and not the server or any of the other computers on my LAN.

 

[Ztruker]

//LocalServer:nnnnn doesn't work for me but //Webserver:nnnnn which is the name of my computer and does work. :nnnnn is the port I have my web server listen on as I don't use the default port 80.

Resolves to http://Webserver:nnnnn

 

[GRoston]

I got fed up with this so I cheated - I added an entry to the hosts file. Problem 'solved'.