"No more connections can be made..." Error after years of normal function

[bbent]

This is an odd problem that came out of nowhere. Suddenly (yesterday), I get the error message, "Workgroup name is not accessible.

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."

My home LAN has been working great for years. I have 4 computers on the LAN - 3 Win2k Pro and 1 WinXP Pro - all with the latest service packs and security patches. All are equipped with Antivirus, Antispyware and Firewalls, which are also kept up today.

Yesterday, when I clicked on Computers Near Me in Windows Explorer on one of the Win2k computers, I got the above error message. I am able to ping the other computers, and in fact, I can map drives from other computers on the network using \\ComputerName\ShareName (how's that for weird?).

Today, I'm still getting the same symptoms on the computer where the problem first appeared AND now, I'm getting the same symptoms on another Win2k computer. I suspect that a recent security patch may be causing the problem.

Anyone have any ideas or seen something similar? Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Bob

[TT4Titans]

Found This:

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.
Description: Windows XP Home Edition allows a maximum of 5 other computers to access its shared disks and folders simultaneously. Windows XP Professional allows a maximum of 10. This message appears when the maximum has been reached and another computer requests access.
Solution: There’s no way to change the limit. A computer that’s already connected must close its connection before another can have access.

And this:

On microsucks i mean softs site.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/815432

[bbent]

Thank you for your reply, but I don't believe the Windows connection limit is the problem, even though the error message may seem to indicate otherwise. I only have 4 computers on the network (as I previously described). None of the computers has anything approaching 10 connections. Further, the error message is generated when I click on the workgroup name ... not when I actually try to connect to another computer.

Thanks for trying.

Regards,
Bob

[TT4Titans]

Found this:

Another common problem in mixed (win9x, NT, ME, Win2K and XP) workgroup network is name resolution. If you can ping IP but not computer name, this may be a NetBIOS issue. You may try to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on win2K/XP if you don't have WINS server. For some reasons, you just can't ping the computer name even you enable the NetBIOS over TCP/IP, you may try to install NetBEUI on win2K/XP. If you can't see other computers but you can map the other computers' shared folder using UNC (\\computername\sharedfolder), this may be master browser issue. You may want to disable master browser on W2K/XP in a small mixed OS workgroup network.To disable master browser on W2K/XP, go to Administrative Tools>Services, stop the Computer Browser.

[bbent]

Thanks for your continued help. I have never been able to ping by computer name ... I always have to use the IP address.

The latest twist in the story is that today, both computers (Win2K) that had been unable to see the workgroup are suddenly working again! I don't understand what's going on, but as long as they are working, it is difficult to troubleshoot the problem.

I will keep in mind your suggestion about disabling the browser service if/when the problem reappears.

Thanks again.

Regards,
Bob

[TT4Titans]

well actually i have never seen this before hopefully it doesn't happen to you again but if it does would like to know the actual cause.