[OPLINTECH] Public Web Browser (PWB)

[Chad Neeper]

On one of the misbehaving computers, you might check the Windows Event logs
to see if perhaps a policy isn't being set correctly or if something else
is showing up. Since you have multiple simultaneous failures to launch PWB,
it sounds like the server (AD) is controlling the PWB launch.

To answer your question, DHCP actually could affect how the workstations
see the network. In my own typical config, the primary DNS server is NOT a
Windows server. In this config, I need to be careful to make certain that
DHCP is handing out the Windows AD server as the sole DNS server for the
workstations. The Windows AD server is then configured to pull from the
"real" DNS server. In this indirect route a workstation takes to obtain DNS
info, the workstation has a chance to resolve AD names, which is required
for them to work correctly as AD members. Extrapolating on that, if your
DHCP server isn't configured correctly, it quite possibly could affect your
workstations, perhaps causing them to not be able to resolve names
correctly and thus not allowing policies to be applied correctly. But did
you actually make any DHCP or DNS changes about the time you started
experiencing problems? The T1 -> cable change probably wouldn't have caused
an issue if your AD server, DHCP and DNS servers are in your local network.

It might help to take a look at one of the working computers to see where
PWB is launching from. Then compare that against a non-working computer. If
the launch command is present on the non-working computer, then perhaps the
executable is missing or some such. In the past, I think I had the
executable stored in a central location. The workstations simply ran it
from the server. If the path to the server wasn't available, then PWB
wouldn't run. You may or may not get an error message on a workstation.

HTH. good luck!
Chad

______________________________
*Chad Neeper*
Senior Systems Engineer

*Level 9 Networks*
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

*Full LAN/WAN consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and schools*


On Tue, Aug 13, 2013 at 10:10 AM, Tim Burns <tim.burns at birchard.lib.oh.us>wrote:

> In the beginning-- dedicated CATALOG computers boot up and automagically
> start PWB (Public Web Browser). Last week (and I think it was Wednesday) I
> was notified that some (9 by my count) of the configured machines have to
> be "started" manually now. (this means dbl-clicking on the PWB shortcut on
> the Desktop) Some (5 or so) function as originally prepared.
>
> What has changed?
> I'm still looking for variables. We did upgrade our circuit, and switched
> from T1 to Cable, and that change began in the related timeframe.
> Would/could DHCP vs Static settings confound my old tired boxes? sure-
> networking is a science.
>
> I scoured one path of AD settings (Group Policy)... almost nothing was
> configured for the user "pccat2", which is 'who' the CATALOG computers
> login as. Ctrl-Alt-Del was the only thing-- not even a startup or login
> script. I'm not sure who/what is telling PWB to load on the machines. It's
> possible that each "machine" is individually configured, or there is a
> group of machines that I've not yet encountered, somewhere in AD.
>
> Anyone can offer a best way to hunt this down? I don't want to miss the
> obvious, and Windows is not my friend.
> --
>
> Tim Burns
> Birchard Public Library of Sandusky County
> 423 Croghan Street
> Fremont, OH  43420
> 419-334-7101
> tim.burns at birchard.lib.oh.us
>
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