Question regarding 'Master Browser'

[Destination]

I currently have a home network issue which related to a WT610N and a WDTV live.

The folks at WDTv are currently investigating lots of network data I have collected for them, but they believe that my Linksys WRT610N is becoming the master browser on my home network, and is for some reason refusing to present any PC to the WDTV as a possible network share.

Network wise I have a vail homeserver a w7 pc a vista pc and the WDTv all hard wired into the router, and my VM modem into the router. All can access internet, and where shares are supposed to work between PC they appear to work, i can drag drop, read write files appropriately.
The WDTv can also access the internet, and can access the other PC from the point of 'media streaming' but thru the wdtv 'network share' option i can only see the wrt610n listed. Usually I should be able to browse up and down through the other PCs, none are listed.


If I swap the router to an old belkin I see network shares as I should.
I assume i have something fluffed in my settings, has anyone any idea what I need to change alter to allow access, and get things back the way they should be?

 

[Jayster]

I would flash it with dd-wrt or another third party firmware that supports it, I flashed my wrt320n and have never looked back far better.

 

[Destination]

I may consider that, but I'd like to know if it si common fro a router to claim this master browser status.

Update - Thanks to Tony over at WDTV who spent ages collecting network data and found me a workaround which i shall post in case anyone is ina different situation.


It appears the WRT610N has a habit of making itself the 'master browser' and when it manages to achieve this status it prevents the WDTV from seeing other network attached computers, and thus you can't see network shares. Yet it still allows media streaming.

I shall discuss with linksys/cisco as to why this will be the case with their equipment.

To sort the issue, one enters the router admin panels, and browses to
>Storage
>administration
>workgroup name

Then you change the workgroup name to one other than your main network, say testgroup, then reboot a computer on your network, which will claim master browser status. Then reboot the wdtv live, and it'll remain on the main workgroup, bypass the wrt610n which will no longer be master browser, and suddenyl all the other PCs on your network should be available once again.

If Linksys come up with any settings which should allow the wrt610n to be master browser whilst still allowing the wdtv live to see the rest of the network I shall post back here.

 

[Jayster]

I may consider that, but I'd like to know if it si common fro a router to claim this master browser status.

Update - Thanks to Tony over at WDTV who spent ages collecting network data and found me a workaround which i shall post in case anyone is ina different situation.


It appears the WRT610N has a habit of making itself the 'master browser' and when it manages to achieve this status it prevents the WDTV from seeing other network attached computers, and thus you can't see network shares. Yet it still allows media streaming.

I shall discuss with linksys/cisco as to why this will be the case with their equipment.

To sort the issue, one enters the router admin panels, and browses to
>Storage
>administration
>workgroup name

Then you change the workgroup name to one other than your main network, say testgroup, then reboot a computer on your network, which will claim master browser status. Then reboot the wdtv live, and it'll remain on the main workgroup, bypass the wrt610n which will no longer be master browser, and suddenyl all the other PCs on your network should be available once again.

If Linksys come up with any settings which should allow the wrt610n to be master browser whilst still allowing the wdtv live to see the rest of the network I shall post back here.

Glad to hear your issue has been resolved.