Re: SMB Browsing Problem

From: Larry I Smith (larryXiXsmith_at_verizon.net)
Date: 07/08/05 

Date: Fri, 08 Jul 2005 21:33:56 GMT

Chris Cox wrote:
> Larry I Smith wrote:
>>Chris Cox wrote:
>>>Kevin Nathan wrote:
>>>>On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 16:59:04 GMT
>>>>Larry I Smith <larryXiXsmith@verizon.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>The SuSE machine cannot see/connect to the Win2k machine
>>>>>(e.g the "Network Browsing" desktop icon does not work, neither
>>>>>does "smb://..." in Konqueror, etc). I can connect by IP
>>>>>address, but even then no files/directories are displayed.
>>>>>
>>>>I haven't used Samba in quite awhile, so I will ask a couple of stupid
>>>>questions and then I'll return to my corner . . . :-)
>>>>
>>>>Do you have matching username/passwords on Linux/Windows, or have you
>>>>mapped Linux users to Windows users?
>>>>
>>>>Are your permissions correct on smbmount (smbmnt? don't remember) and
>>>>smbumount?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>You're having more problems than what I usually see.. but I do
>>>know that it helps if the Samba box is a member of the domain.
>>>man winbindd (see net join) You don't have to do the whole
>>>smashed-mapping of Windows ids into your Linux acct system... just
>>>need to have the host as a member of the domain.
>>>
>>>Otherwise my host will probably not show up in the neighborhood.
>>>
>>>It gets quite complicated nowadays.
>>>
>>There's no domain, only a workgroup. It's a small home network,
>>and all machines are members of the same workgroup. Samba on
>>the SuSE box is also a member of the workgroup.
>>
>>The Win2k machines (all workstations, no servers)
>>can all see & connect to the SuSE box (because it's running a
>>Samba server that's in the same workgroup). But the SuSE box
>>can not see or connect to the Win2k boxes by their NAMES.
>>The SuSE box CAN see & connect to the Win2k boxes by their
>>IP addresses, but no files are visible once the connection
>>(by IP) is made, e.g. entering smb://192.168.1.101/C (where "C" is
>>a valid Win2k share) in Konqueror asks for the Win2k id/password,
>>does the connect, but displays only an empty browse window - none
>>of the files/directories from the Win2k box are visible.
>>
>>Regards,
>>Larry
>
> Though I hate to overuse the term.. sounds like a name resolution
> problem that can either be solved by putting the Windows boxes
> into your DNS or by using winbind (overloaded, different from
> what I was talking about earlier) into your nsswitch.conf on your
> Linux hosts in the host resolution area to allow them to do Windows
> style name lookups.
>
> /etc/nsswitch.conf
>
> hosts: files dns wins
>
> I'd make sure that your Samba server is running a WINS to help
> keep the network broadcast traffic down. Make sure the clients
> use that Samba/WINS server in their network config.
>
>
>

The problem is that the machines get dynamic IP's via DHCP (from
a LinkSys firewall). So' their IP's are always changing. Even the
SuSE box might be booted to/from Win2k 2 or 3 times a day.
I actually have 4 pc's, but I'm just trying to get the 1st two talking
before I tackle the others. When all 4 pc's are booted into Win2k
(DHCP, no Wins, just a common Workgroup) everything works as it's
supposed to. The problems occur when the dual-boot pc is booted into
SuSE. Three of the pc's are laptops that also have to work on other
nets (when they are taken to school, to the office, etc), so DHCP has
to stay.

Samba on the SuSE box is config'd to be the 'local master', so netbios
name caching should occur via UDP broadcasts (it always did with earlier
versions).

The big killer is that even when accessing the Win2k box from the
SuSE box by its IP address (e.g. smb://192.168.1.101), I'm asked for
the Win2k ID/password, I supply them, Konqueror then connects but
displays a blank browse window - no files/directories on the Win2k
box are visible. The Suse desktop "Network Browsing" object does
the same thing - shows no files on the Win2k share after "successfully"
connecting. KNetAttach (on the System menu) exhibits the same
problem when the IP of the Win2k box is used to connect.
If connecting by IP, with a valid ID/password, doesn't work, then
it really doesn't matter whether or not the Samba netbios name caching
(via nmbd) is working or not.

What's frustrating is that this all worked perfectly when the SuSE
box was running SuSE 9.2; but it doesn't work with SuSE 9.3.

Regards,
Larry

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Problem setting up a home network
    ... In working out my network I have discovered, and confirmed through testing, ... that all works well until the Win2K computer comes into play. ... This message "The Workgroup is not accessible. ... rout the Win2k machine onto the DSL connection and use VPN to get into work ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web)
  • Re: Problem setting up a home network
    ... >that all works well until the Win2K computer comes into play. ... >This message "The Workgroup is not accessible. ... >permission to use this network resource. ... >computer is the first computer in the workgroup or the only computer in the ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web)
  • Re: network printing
    ... They are all on the same workgroup. ... In another network I have it set up ... >> shared folder on the Win2k PC. ... I use the same username and password I use to ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.networking)
  • Re: Suse 9.1, KDE and Samba
    ... >If I start to explore my Win2K workstations with samba by ... Network is unreachable ... I had this as a newb linux, suse 9.1 user at first. ... with an xp machine on a small lan - workgroup, not domain, I found ...
    (alt.os.linux.suse)
  • Re: [SLE] Browsing a M$ filesystem from SuSE 9.0/To SAMBA or not to SAMBA
    ... > the same network switch, one on Win XP Pro and the other on SuSE 9.0 Pro. ... In the office I also get this as my WinXP PC is in a different workgroup ...
    (SuSE)