Can't map over WAN, can Ping tho - error 53

[Scampisi]

I am having trouble seeing machines over a WAN Link. I am trying to install two new servers in a Windows 2003 network. I didn't setup this network, and this is the first time I've worked on it. It is located in two different cities connected by a T1 WAN Link. I have setup a new server as a Domain Controller and I have also setup the server as their primary DNS for their network. This machine is also the DHCP server for the local network in what we'll call “City A” (137.10.0.0). Everything works fine locally, and people are resolving names, attaching to shares and peacefully processing. However, the remote network(137.101.0.0) in “City B”, across the WAN link cannot see the new server. The new server's name is DC1-2k3, and the other two servers on that network are named 00SERVER and APPLICATIONS. When I physically go to the remote network(137.101.0.0) in city B, I can ping and resolve the name of any of the servers in City A. DC1-2k3, APPLICATIONS, and 00SERVER all respond to a ping of either their name or IP address. However, if I try and attach to a share on the new server, DC1-2K3, I am told that I cannot see the server. I can attach fine to shares on either of the other servers in City A from City B. If I do:

net view \\DC1-2K3

I get an error 53. When I do a “net view” of any of the older City A machines from the City B network I also have trouble. It is just the two older servers in City A that I can see. I checked for HOSTS files one the machines, and there were none. I noticed that the DHCP server in City B (137.101.0.0 network) was handing out a WINS server address, which corresponds to the 00SERVER in City A. I thought this was my problem, so I setup my new server (DC1-2K3 137.100.10.6) with the WINS information and rebooted. I then had entries in my WINS database that reflected that there was a machine at 137.100.10.6 that was named DC1-2K3. Unfortunately, I still can't see any resources on the new server in City A, from City B. I am completely unfamiliar with WINS servers, so i thought this was my problem, but then I did this net view

net view 137.100.10.6

and I still got an error 53. I cannot map to the new server or “net view” it via it's IP address OR it's name. The guy told me that “they had a real hard time” getting the two networks to see each other. The guy wants me to clean up his network and fix any problems that I find, and I am wondering what this problem could be. It is clearly not just name resolution, as my DNS is working fine and I can ping any machine by it's name. If I configure a machine in City B without a WINS server, it can't resolve any local names on the City A network, even though it resolves Internet names correctly. I am asking for any help anybody can give. I am at a loss.

This is the layout of the network.

City A -137.10.0.0 class B
with three servers DC1-2k3(windows 2003 R2 server) @ 137.100.10.6, 00SERVER(windows 200 Server) @ 137.100.10.5 and APPLICATIONS(windows 203 Server) @ 137.100.10.185

City B - 137.101.0.0 class B with one server 01SERVER(Windows 2000 Server) @ 137.101.10.5

The T1 wan link is connected by a Lucent Superpipe 155 on each end. The T1 is a point to point and it isn't carrying any voice or any other transmission.

I have found that port 445 (microsoft-ds) and port 139 (netbios ssn) are NOT being responded to when I do a net view or net use to DC1-2k3 over the WAN(from city B to City A), but they DO receive an ACK when I do the net view or net use to 00SERVER over the WAN from the same PC.

If I physically drive to City A and do a net view and a net use to either DC1-2k3 or 00server, they both work beautifully. Looking at the data packets for each of those commands, I see that when i do the commands from City A, I get a bunch of SMB packets, instead of the SYN and ACK that I see if City B. This is a bit over my head, so I'm not sure what that means.

I have run the portqry command on ports 139 and 445 on the new server (DC1-2k3) and the old server (00server). If I am on the local network with those servers ( physically in City A ) then both commands respond with "Listening".
However, if I drive to City B, and then do the same portqry over the wan, 00SERVER responds with "Listening", but DC1-2K3 responds with "Filtered".

This makes it pretty clear to me that something external to my new server, is filtering ports 139 and 445. If it was a setting on the new server, I shouldn't be able to map drives on the local network, and I should see "filtered" on a portqry from the local network.

Because it seems to be a netbios session issue, I have setup an LMHOSTS file on a client in City B that had no effect on the problem. the DC1-2k3 server shows up in an nbtstat -c and I seem to be resolving it's netbios name just fine.

I just can't figure out why I can establish sessions over the WAN link with my older servers but NOT the new ones.

[Scampisi]

nobody?