Hi. I've got a very puzzling problem which, at least to me, seems backwards from most. I've got a server running NT4 that can see all of the LAN, including two domains. I can transfer files between computers in the LAN, access the internet from the server and the workstations, etc., but I cannot successfully ping any other computer in the network from the server (Request timed out). I can, however, successfully ping the server from any other computer in the LAN! I do have a couple of network devices that have browser interfaces, and I cannot connect to them inside the LAN from the server. I can connect to them from elsewhere. How is it that from this sever I can access every computer in the LAN, access the internet, and successfully RETURN ping requests from the LAN, yet I cannot ping anything actually in the LAN?! Basically, the network operates normally in every function and this issue doesn't seem to affect anything except not being able to use the browser accessible items in the LAN, but this issue has got me stumped. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Do you have any firewalls on the server or workstations. Check your TCP/IP Advanced properties, see if you have security enabled. You might have a port used by ping disabled.

Thanks for your response, John. At one time we had BlackICE Defender installed on the server, but in hindsight I believe the issue may have occured before it was removed. We now have a hardware firewall on our internet router, but it appears to be working properly. The TCP/IP advanced properties indicate that security is not enabled. Let's assume that BlackICE or some other firewall program was installed and then either not properly removed or corrupted. How would I go about reseting the TCP/IP to function around the altered settings? I'm not sure how a firewall actually redirects packets - is it in the registry, or would I need to remove and reinstall the protocal itself? Thanks again for your help.

If the firewall is or was on your internet server, it should have no effect on your internal network, so I doubt that is the problem. Have you tried to ping by Netbios name? Try using the Tracert command, it works in a similar manner as ping.

Yes, I have tried using tracert. I get no reply there either. It seems as though the server is allowing data out, just not in. Thus, it must send the ping request but not recognize the return data. I'm guessing this is why the request is timing out rather than not finding the computer at all. But then why is it that I can see and transfer to and from a workstation via Network Neighborhood if I can't successfully ping the same computer?

Will it ping the loopback addrress 127.0.0.1?

Yes, the loopback is the only address it will actually ping correctly. That's another weird one, huh? I would figure if TCP/IP or the card was bad, the loopback would fail. I can't even ping the switch IP, and it is directly connected.