A non-browser computer periodically announces itself to the master browser by sending a directed datagram to the master browser on the network. Initially, each non-browser will announce itself every minute. The announcement interval will be extended to once every 12 minutes. The computer announces its availability in intervals of 1 minute, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 8 minutes, 12 minutes, 12 minutes, and then announces to the master browser only every 12 minutes. If the master browser has not heard from the non-browser for three consecutive announcement periods, the master browser will remove the non-browser from the browse list.