Re: using net command with XP shared folder. Strange TCP/IP behavior. by Paul
Paul
Mon Jun 26 11:25:55 CDT 2006
OK, that covers the why and gives us a much better idea of what restrictions
are in place.
I would suggest that you think, at least, about another possible solution:
forget about trying to do this entirely using standard off-the-shelf pieces
of the operating system and just build a custom solution. Bluetooth will
allow you to create a serial port-style connection between the device and
the PC (it will also allow you to build a socket over such a connection, if
that programming model is easier). Why not have a server program running on
the PC which is responsible for performing file share operations for you and
sending the results back via Bluetooth? That is, on the device, you trigger
some code which connects the Bluetooth stack to the PC's stack. You contact
the server program, which you set up to launch automatically when the
Bluetooth connection is made. You then use a custom protocol to send
commands to the server program to get files, write files (maybe), or
whatever, and have the server send the results back over the Bluetooth link.
Since the server program is on the PC network, it can resolve host names
using whatever method you can write code for. This obviously won't, unless
you code another filesystem driver, make a folder on the device
corresponding to the shared folder on the remote server, but it's not clear
to me that this functionality is required.
Paul T.
"minimega" <minimega@libero.it> wrote in message
news:1151315877.917385.7950@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
> Hi Paul,
> I've a "fixed" hardware board, I can't add Ethernet controller or CF
> for WiFi support card, the only hardware I've at disposition is a
> bluetooth module and Microsoft standard Bluetooth stack. I *have* to
> use BT why this is the only way to communicate with other peripheral
> other that serial (or USB) cable.
>
> What I've to do, to respect some (stange) national standards, is to
> read and write files into a shared folder over the network. The problem
> is, this shared folder won't be in the same Desktop PC where the WinCE
> connects to, but can stay on a Server PC or in any other PC in the
> network. Now, WinCE is able to see any PC in the network via TCP/IP
> (ping works with any address in the network) but when I try to map a
> shared folder with net command it doen't work, so I can't solve my
> problem.
>
> I've tired to do the same thing with 2 Desltop PC running Windows XP
> Professional and I get the same result: NetBIOS name resolution doesn't
> works neither with XP. I think this is a lock of the XP RAS Server,
> that can't or don't want to route NetBIOS packet over the entire
> network (this is the explain why NetBIOS works *ONLY* with the
> connected PC but now over all the network). However XP's net command is
> more flexible than the CE one, so is able to resolve names not only
> with NetBIOS way but also with DNS way (that CE don't support), so if I
> use a full domain name the XP Desktop is able to map a shared folder on
> a Server PC via Bluetooth Dial-Up connection made with another XP
> desktop connected with the network.
>
> So, I mean, there are 2 problem (and relative solutions):
> 1) XP RAS Server don't route NetBIOS packet (I've to find a RAS Server
> that does this)
> 2) WinCE net command doesn't use DNS name resolution (I've to find a
> net substituto that support DNS resolution, ore extend net
> functionalities adding DNS support).
>
> I've to say that using a standard X86 board with network adapter
> directly connected to the network I can user net command with any
> computer using only NetBIOS names (so I'm sure that WinCE net support
> is working fine).
>
> Please, can you forward a message to your contacts saying to give a
> watch to this thread and, if they want, post some ideas about this
> problem?
>
> Thanks a lot,
> Massimo
>
> Paul G. Tobey [eMVP] ha scritto:
>
>> Go back to *what* you are trying to do, rather than how you've been
>> trying
>> to do it (attach to a PC using SPP over Bluetooth and map network shares,
>> etc.) It's unclear to me why you'd be trying to use Bluetooth for this
>> task
>> when WiFi seems like a nice secure and much more general way to do
>> things.
>> You have a reason, I hope, so tell us what it is and what the final goal
>> of
>> this project is.
>>
>> No, if I had their private e-mail addresses, I wouldn't send them out (or
>> they wouldn't be very private). You got a couple of support incidents
>> when
>> you bought Platform Builder. If you can't do network connections the
>> right
>> way (and you haven't told us why you can't, so far), it sounds like you
>> should use one.
>>
>> Paul T.
>>
>> "minimega" <minimega@libero.it> wrote in message
>> news:1150801634.181942.176810@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
>> > Hi paul, but let me understand how NetBIOS name resolver works.. If I'm
>> > able to use net command only with the dial-in desktop PC, can be taht
>> > PC doens't route the NetBIOS questions to the ethernet network and
>> > WinCE don't receive any valid information? Can you please post (or send
>> > in private) a mail address of someone that works in networking team
>> > development?
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> > Massimo
>> >
>> > Paul G. Tobey [eMVP] ha scritto:
>> >
>> >> I think that net.exe uses NetBIOS name resolution and that this is the
>> >> *only* resolution that it will use, at least in CE4.2. I don't use
>> >> 5.0
>> >> enough to have noticed whether you can specify an IP address for a
>> >> server
>> >> and map its shares. A WINS server might give you another way to
>> >> resolve
>> >> network names into IP addresses, but I think that will be used as an
>> >> alternative to DNS, not as a NetBIOS name resolver. You'll have to
>> >> run a
>> >> few experiments, I think.
>> >>
>> >> No.
>> >>
>> >> Paul T.
>> >>
>> >> "minimega" <minimega@libero.it> wrote in message
>> >> news:1150457212.058587.148020@f6g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>> >> > Hi Paul, thanks for your support.
>> >> >
>> >> > As you said, propably net command use a different way than DNS to
>> >> > resolve name in address, however how many protocols does WinCE
>> >> > supports? I've included only TCP/IP in my image. What about NetBIOS?
>> >> > How does it works? Do I need a WINS server on the network (that is
>> >> > addressed via IP address...)?
>> >> >
>> >> > Have you got an email address or a blog of someone working in the
>> >> > networking team?
>> >> >
>> >> > Many thanks
>> >> > Massimo
>> >> >
>> >> > Paul G. Tobey [eMVP] ha scritto:
>> >> >
>> >> >> I think it's trying to resolve that as an Internet address, rather
>> >> >> than
>> >> >> as a
>> >> >> SMB server name. Someone from the networking team would have to
>> >> >> answer
>> >> >> exactly. The net command is interpreting the parameter as a
>> >> >> different
>> >> >> sort
>> >> >> of thing than Ping, hence your differing results. Net is assuming
>> >> >> that
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> name is the name of a server, so it's trying to use NetBIOS, I'm
>> >> >> guessing,
>> >> >> name resolution to get the 'address' of the server to start the
>> >> >> conversation. Ping, on the other hand, is assuming that the name
>> >> >> is
>> >> >> an
>> >> >> Internet name, which is resolved with DNS, a completely different
>> >> >> namespace.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> As far as error code definitions, you can use the Error Lookup tool
>> >> >> in
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> eVC Tools menu to get the definition. 87 is, of course, invalid
>> >> >> parameter.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Paul T.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "minimega" <minimega@libero.it> wrote in message
>> >> >> news:1150380676.303757.68400@y41g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...
>> >> >> > Hello to all NG, specially to Paul that in old posts has give
>> >> >> > some
>> >> >> > suggests to similar problems.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > I've this situation: WinCE 4.2 on PXA255 with bluetooth dongle
>> >> >> > and
>> >> >> > TCP/IP services installed, without any Wi-Fi or ethernet device.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > First step: I've to map a network share on a desktop PC running
>> >> >> > 2000/XP
>> >> >> > or 2003 and Microsoft/Widcomm bluetooth stack.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > On WinCE I'm able to discovery BT devices, map SPP port of my XP
>> >> >> > desktop PC, create a new dial-up connection that use the mapped
>> >> >> > virtual
>> >> >> > COM port (set VCOM parameters as 115200,N,8,1), create on XP
>> >> >> > desktop
>> >> >> > PC
>> >> >> > an new incoming connection (RAS and Routing service is enabled
>> >> >> > automatically by OS) using COM6 (the BT incoming port on desktop
>> >> >> > PC)
>> >> >> > and connect WinCE.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > The connection works fine, XP desktop PC gives a qualified IP to
>> >> >> > WinCE
>> >> >> > (from the range specified on TCP/IP properties of Incoming
>> >> >> > Connection
>> >> >> > profile) and from WinCE I can ping XP desktop PC either via IP
>> >> >> > number
>> >> >> > (192.168.0.100) either via name (as desktop but also as
>> >> >> > desktop.fulldomain.org).
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Then I try net view \\desktop and after credentials window it
>> >> >> > works
>> >> >> > When I try net view \\desktop.fulldomain.org it gives error 87
>> >> >> > "net use \\desktop\shared local" works fine and I exchange files.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Why using extended domain name I get error 87? However if I ping
>> >> >> > server
>> >> >> > or desktop2 I get bad ip address. Only if I use full domain name,
>> >> >> > as
>> >> >> > server.fulldomain.org or desktop2.fulldomain.org, ping works fine
>> >> >> > (in
>> >> >> > my network I've a DNS server and XP RAS pass to WinCE this DNS
>> >> >> > Server
>> >> >> > IP address).
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Second step: the shared folder is on a server in the network, but
>> >> >> > WinCE
>> >> >> > must use the dialup connection with the nearest desktop PC (BT
>> >> >> > range
>> >> >> > is
>> >> >> > 15 meters and I can't plug the BT dongle on the server, why it's
>> >> >> > very
>> >> >> > far from WinCE device) that is connected via ethernet cable to
>> >> >> > the
>> >> >> > same
>> >> >> > server network.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > The problem now, once connected via dial-up with XP desktop PC,
>> >> >> > is
>> >> >> > that
>> >> >> > from WinCE I can ping the server using its IP address or full
>> >> >> > domain
>> >> >> > name, but if I try to use ping server or net view \\server or net
>> >> >> > view
>> >> >> > \\server.fulldomain.org it doesn't work and return error 87.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > What does error 87 means?
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Every other tool that use TCP/IP (ping, tracert, route) using
>> >> >> > full
>> >> >> > domain name is working fine, also internet explorer with http is
>> >> >> > working fine with full domain names.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > How does "net" command translate the name of the XP desktop PC?
>> >> >> > It
>> >> >> > seems that it doesn't use DNS server settings but tries another
>> >> >> > way
>> >> >> > to
>> >> >> > translate the name in IP address but without success. Do I need a
>> >> >> > WINS
>> >> >> > server in my network that translate the names for WinCE device,
>> >> >> > and
>> >> >> > specify WINS address into TCP/IP setting of dialup profile?
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Why net view/use works only with the shared folders of the
>> >> >> > desktop
>> >> >> > PC
>> >> >> > that WinCE dial-in, but I can access full network trought the
>> >> >> > same
>> >> >> > desktop PC? It seems that problem is not at TCP/IP level, but at
>> >> >> > "Folder and Printers sharing" service, or in the way that net
>> >> >> > command
>> >> >> > tries to resolve name.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Why I can use net view \\desktop with success and net view
>> >> >> > \\desktop.fulldomain.org doesn't works? However \\desktop and
>> >> >> > \\desktop.fulldomain.org are translated to the same IP address by
>> >> >> > DNS
>> >> >> > server, so it really seems that net command doesn't use DNS then!
>> >> >> > What
>> >> >> > kind of mechanism does net command use for translating names?
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > P.S.: net view \\ppp_peer return error 53, but ping ppp_peer
>> >> >> > works
>> >> >> > fine.
>> >> >> &