I have a small office network with XP computers, all having same users, one Administrative and other normal user with same user names and passwords. Each has some shared folder with different permissions and they of course connect easily with each other. Now I have added some Linux computers, one is for Backups (Ubuntu), other is for internet browsing (XUbuntu) and a 3rd is for use like any other desktop. On the Ubuntu computer all the XP shares are automatically mounted on startup through a automount file(?) and backed up. The internet computer does not need to access other computers. Now the dreamlinux computer needs to access other computers and also give access to some folders. The latter part I have achieved through samba config. But the first part is where I am not very happy. This DreamLinux 3.5 install had some pyNeighbourhood which was not connecting properly to the windows shares (not mounting the shares) and so I downloaded some new version and installed. Now it just does't even show the computers. My actual question is can I browse the windows shares easily as I do through Windows Network Manager. Is there any software for this? I dont want to manually enter mount commands as the computer name may change and then commands have to be changed. Please advice. Sorry for the very long thread.

Konqueror has a built in Samba client. In place of the URL, type 'smb:/groupname' ( without quotes ). That will show all systems in a group. From there you can click on various systems that appear. Konqueror is part of KDE, so any system with KDE should work.

If you are looking for a gui way to mount, rather than command line, have a look at either Mandriva, or PCLiuxOS. Both have a control center. Under Network Sharing there are icons for Accessing shared drives and directories, and sharing out shares. I'm not a big fan of gui tools, but I know they work in Mandy and PCLinuxOS.

Hope this helps...

Try Dolphin. It is a KDE file explorer.
This is of course if KDE is an option.

I can confirm Dolphin works also.

DreamLinux 3.5, has XFCE desktop environment for default, and GNOME desktop available extra, according to this: http://www.dreamlinux.com.br/desktopedition.html

GNOME's file manager, Nautilus, supports mounting and browsing Windows/Samba shares.

A command-line file manager, MidnightCommander (often "mc"), can support Samba browsing.

I installed Dolphin but it is giving "Malformed URL" error. Not sure what this is.

I have used Nautilus in an Ubuntu computer but that too is not browsing the shares easily, sometimes it seems to work, sometimes not. I have to use command line to mount.

Is there no easy samba network explorer which is fast. Something similar to Windows Network Neighborhood, just open, see the group, double click and it opens based on the user logged on. Somehow I have a feeling that this is not going to be available.

Any way to make pyNeighborhood work or else remove it?

There is a program called LinNeighborhood that is a work alike to Network Neighborhood. It is a gui for samba.

If you are having problems with slowness, finding shares, thank Mr. Gates. That is how it works. If you run a Samba server, then you can code 'wins support = Yes' in the Global section, and in the windows clients, configure the Samba server as the win support. That will speed things up; however you do need to run a server to do this.