Unable to Connect Three Levels Higher in a Domain

ID: Q215422

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

When you try to connect your Windows 95-based or Windows 98-based computer to a server that is more than two levels higher in the domain name tree structure than your computer, you may not be able to connect until you provide the fully qualified domain name (FQDN). For example, if your client computer has the following name

mycomputer.subdomain3.subdomain2.subdomain1.example.microsoft.com

the domain suffix is:

subdomain3.subdomain2.subdomain1.example.microsoft.com

If you want to establish a file transfer protocol (FTP) session to a server named myserver.example.microsoft.com, you must type this full name to connect. If you type only myserver, the client queries the domain name server (DNS) for the following names:

myserver.subdomain3.subdomain2.subdomain1.example.microsoft.com
myserver.subdomain2.subdomain1.example.microsoft.com (one level higher)
myserver.subdomain1.example.microsoft.com (two levels higher)

CAUSE

This problem can occur because the domain name resolver (DNR) component in Windows 98 and Windows 95 does not support going higher than two levels of a domain suffix.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

Date	Time	Version	Size	File name	Platform
01/19/99	4:58p	4.10.2001	44,032	rnr20.dll	Windows 98
01/19/99	6:11p	4.10.1661	43,520	rnr20.dll	Windows 95 Winsock2

NOTE: Because of file dependencies, the most recent hotfix or feature that contains these files may also contain additional files.

NOTE: If this product was already installed on your computer when you purchased it from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and you need this fix, please call the Pay Per Incident number listed on the above Web site. If you contact Microsoft to obtain this fix, and if it is determined that you only require the fix you requested, no fee will be charged. However, if you request additional technical support, and if your no-charge technical support period has expired, or if you are not eligible for standard no-charge technical support, you may be charged a non-refundable fee.

For more information about eligibility for no-charge technical support, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q154871 Determining If You Are Eligible for No-Charge Technical Support

In addition to applying the hotfix, use Registry Editor to add a REG_DWORD value to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\MSTCP
Value name: MaxDomainsSearchListSize
Data type : REG_DWORD

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words:


Keywords          : kbnetwork kbui win95 win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:95
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: July 2, 1999