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Why is GFI LanGuard Unable to Enumerate Computers?

Author: Andriy Rybalchenko Updated

Overview

GFI LanGuard is failing to retrieve the computers within a workgroup when Enumerate Computers utility is being run with an information source option "Enumerate using Windows Explorer Interface".

Solution

When the "Enumerate using Windows Explorer Interface" method is chosen LanGuard makes use of the NetServerEnum API, which is used by Windows itself to display machines in the Windows Explorer Network node. The root cause for the enumeration of computers failing is that a NetServerEnum Windows API call returns an error.

A first test to perform is comparing the results with the Network node in Windows Explorer. If you get an error message there, address it.

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The NetServerEnum API itself relies on a few requirements which in certain environments makes it almost impossible to function properly:

  1. The Computer Browser Windows service needs to be started on all machines.
    • On Windows 7/8 and all Windows Server OS, this service is disabled by default and has to be enabled and configured to start automatically
    • In Windows 10 Computer Browser service is not installed by default because the corresponding SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support service is now the optional Windows component. You have to install SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support windows feature and then enable Computer Browser service and configure it to start automatically
  2. Network Discovery needs to be allowed through the Firewall.
  3. All routers connecting the multiple subnets are configured to allow communication between the Master Browsers of each subnet.

 

Once your environment is configured according to the above requirements check how the NetServerEnum Windows API is functioning by opening the Network node in Windows Explorer. If you see the computers list there, run Enumerate Computers utility again.

If the utility is still failing, the exact reason to fix can be found in the lanss_vXXX_simpletools.csv log file in the debug logs folder, by default C:\ProgramData\GFI\LanGuard 12\DebugLogs. The most common error is 6118:

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Even with Computer Browser service running it is possible that no computer was elected as the Master Browser. For more information, refer to the Browser Protocol Overview Microsoft article.

Ensure that the GFI LanGuard machine can reach the Primary Domain Controler (which is Domain Master Browser by default) or, if it is the workgroup, that LanGuard machine was elected as the Master Browser. To check if the server has been promoted as Master Browser server:

  1. Run the following command from the command line:
    NBTSTAT –A  %ServerIP% 
    Replace %ServerIP% with the IP address of the server you are checking.
    For example:  
    NBTSTAT –A  192.168.1.100
  2. To determine if the server has been promoted as a Master Browser, verify if the ..__MSBROWSE__ string appears in the names list when executing the command above.

 

Testing

Run Enumerate Computers utility again. If the issue persists, contact GFI LanGuard Support.

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