Issue with Network Discovery on small classroom lab.

For context, I’m a high schooler in a Networking class who’s been assigned ‘administrator’ for the year. Normally we have an old server that’s been running for years and the admin basically just has to make the new users for the class, but this year my teacher decided to set up a new server and that I had to do it (for context there’s only around 8 users). We’re also just a LAN and not connected to the Internet.

That’s all well and good, it’s a good learning experience for me and I get to set up a server. Though in hindsight I should’ve opted for Windows Server 2016, naive admin me wanted to get 2019 instead. So I get it all setup, throw on a DNS, DHCP, and file server on it.

I make a domain, connect everyone to it, all successful. I set up a shared drive which as of right now is working perfectly, everyone can access it and has it mapped. The DHCP server is assigning IP’s currently and everything seems fine.

But there’s a small issue with my network discovery. This is kind of a mouthful so bare with me. All users in the class are added onto the server, naturally, to preface this.

So one of my classmates network discovery is working perfectly, he can see everyone else on the domain and the server, and I believe one other persons is as well. My (client) computer and 2 others have an issue where they can only see MY computer name (and I can only see my computer name as well). I thought this was quite bizarre as two of them can’t see anything but my computer, not even themselves.

Furthermore, the server can see itself and MY computer (client) as well. Which again is weird because the server can’t see the client who’s discovery is actually working.

Everyone seems able to ping each other and the server both by IP and by name.

Some things I’ve done to try to get things working:

1. Recreated all settings on the PC whose network discovery is working properly.

2. Run the 4 programs on the server necessary to turn network discovery on the server.

3. Tried turning all firewalls off.

4. Confirming that computers had the correct Gateways/Ip’s/DNS

5. Flush the DNS and renew the IP.

From the research I’ve done, it seems to be a DNS issue on the server itself, but I have no clue where to look or what would fix the issue. Any help is thoroughly appreciated :)

TLDR; Network discovery works on one PC and not on others, think it’s a DNS issue with the server but don’t know how to fix after researching it.