KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q163923: HOST Name Resolution Returns Last IP Addr on Multihomed Computer

Article: Q163923
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

On a computer running Windows NT with multiple IP addresses assigned to the same
network interface card, resolving the computer's HOST or NetBIOS name will
return the last IP address listed in the Network Control Panel Advanced TCP/IP
Properties, rather than the first address listed. All other computers on the
network that resolve this name will correctly get the first IP address listed.

This can cause problems with applications that are running on a computer that
performs a lookup of its own HOST name. One example of this is when you use
Microsoft FrontPage and Internet Information Server (IIS) with multiple virtual
servers.

WORKAROUND
==========

If you are using DNS for name resolution, you can add an additional A record for
the same computer, with a different name. For example, if your computer name is
listed in DNS as WEBSERVER, you may also want to add an entry in DNS for WWW
that refers to the same IP address. In this case, when you type "PING WWW"
(without the quotation marks), the name is not resolved locally, but rather at
the DNS server, and the correct IP address will be indicated in the reply.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This
problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 U.S. Service Pack.
For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

  S E R V P A C K


MORE INFORMATION
================

The following is an example of this configuration:

  HOST name = MACHINE1
  Assigned IP Addresses #1= 192.168.1.1
  Assigned IP Addresses #2= 192.168.1.2
  Assigned IP Addresses #3= 192.168.1.3

If you are at MACHINE1 and type "PING MACHINE1" (without the quotation marks),
your reply will indicate the 192.168.1.3 address.

If you are at another computer on the network and type "PING MACHINE1" (without
the quotation marks), your reply will indicate the 192.168.1.1 address.

Additional query words: internet information server

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbbug

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.