Network Limitations of Windows 2000 and XP Pro

[RobertRinkewich]

I'm getting ready to redo my viewing stations. We usually run 6. What are the limitations of Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional? How many computers can be accessing the server at once? I remember someone saying 10 was the limit. But in the past I've run 10 viewing stations, plus a server and a print station. I never noticed any problems.

Thanks

[William_Icquatu]

are you running 2000/XPPro on the server or the workstations? (yes I know it sounds like a stupid Q, but your post sounded vague to me)

I am not sure exactly where the limitation is in 2k/XPP -- be it in the IIS implementation or elsewhere, but it most certainly affects the use of the OS on the server box... client stations wouldnt/shouldnt see any more than the connection to the server, and thus wont be troubled by the limit.

It may be possible to cheat the limit by using something other than IIS for serving clients... apache or xerver (which is tiny, simple, stable and FREE) perhaps?

[RobertRinkewich]

William,

I'm talking about the server. As you said, it should not matter to the stations.

Thanks

Robert

[regis_helaine]

no limits but the available port (65000+)...that's theory....
the proc disk ...etc...are important too....if you plan to have 2000+ viewstations....

overwise you shouldn't run into much problems...

i don't know who told you XP could only handle that amount of connection....
but can you imagine how many web server would be necessary if only 10 stations could connect at a time?

[Former_Member]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm getting ready to redo my viewing stations. We usually run 6. What are the limitations of Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional? How many computers can be accessing the server at once? I remember someone saying 10 was the limit.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you look at the End User License Agreement for Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional you'll find (approximately) the following clause. (Look in your Windows direcotry, frequently C:\windows, for system32\eula.txt.) You may permit a maximum of ten (10) ("Connection Maximum") computers or other electronic devices (each a "Device") to connect to the COMPUTER to utilize the services of the SOFTWARE services, and remote access (including connection sharing and telephony services). Apparently XP Home's EULA sets the limit at 5 connections, but I don't have an actual copy of the XP Home EULA handy.

At one time Microsoft actually enforced this license restriction in code, but users complained so much that Microsoft removed the code check.

Bob

[JerryLevin]

I used to encounter an obnoxious error and message if I had <apparently> used up the amount of available connections between WinXP Pro (acting as a server with shared folders/disks), and other machines trying to link to those shares.

The alert states, "Not enough server storage to process this command".

Even after closing other connections, even after rebooting the server, even after unsharing other shared out folders on the server, this error would persist and then go away randomly. After doing some hunting, I found on a Windows forum a fixup for the registry that alleviated this.

Warning! Do not touch the registry unless you know what you are doing!!!!.

Having put out that disclaimer, this is appeared unhinge the number of machine connections I could make to the server. I'm not sure how much additional memory requirements this may drain on the system, but doubt that it's very much by today's standards.

1. Find the following reg key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\lanmanserver\parameters
2. Add the following DWORD value (Note - this may be case-sensitive.):
IRPStackSize
3. Add a small value (recommended is 15 or 0x0f if you add the value in hex).
4. Reboot the server.

We're now able to create as many connections as needed w/o that alert popping up.

Hope that helps,

[RobertRinkewich]

Jerry,

Does that change just silence the alerts from popping up. Or does it allow for more connections?