Workgroups have Limitations

When your network is growing, please be aware about some limitations in the size of Workgroups, as listed in the "Windows95 Resource Kit:"

If your Workgroup grow beyond this limit of 15 systems, you get multiple "Browse-Master". It is better to limit the size of each workgroup to be smaller than 15 systems, you are still able to connect/map drives on systems in other workgroups.

My experience with such "advise" from Microsoft:
Follow it (otherwise Microsoft would not have listed it) !


Also, I have seen a note, that systems on different Network-Segments cannot be part of the same workgroup:
When systems are connected via repeaters and/or hubs, they are still on the same segment, because repeaters/hubs are just acting as signal-amplifiers.

But if the systems are connected to a Server with MULTIPLE network-boards, then the cables on the different network-cards are on different segments, and it is now the responsibility of the server to "route" network-traffic between these segments, which seems to be the reason for the workgroup-limitation, and you need to use LMHOSTS to be able to access such systems.

About Johannes Helmig

Dr.Johannes Helmig is working as Director, Technical Knowledge Management in the Belgium office of Gerber Technology where he is involved in Customer Service and internal training, with special interest in Networking.

Click here for Johannes Helmig's section.

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