Getting XP to recognize Debian Linux Box with Samba
 

I'm relatively new to Linux so bare with me.

I set up a new debian server, which I want to share files with XP. eth0 is configured automatically with DHCP, and picks up an IP address from my isp. I can FTP into my system no problem, but thats over the internet, not a local connection. I can't establish any local connection at all between the 2 machines.

Samba is running and I'm confident its configured properly, so I'm suspicious of my debian network config. The local server name 'madison' isn't recognized by the XP machine. Neither of these machines are on a domain but are set to be part of the same workgroup.

I have no local ip addresses on the linux machine, aside from the 127.0.0.1 loopback. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Al I can think of is have you set a netbios name in samba

netbios name=Linux

or something like that, and making sure your firewall ain't preventing the broadcast communications that file sharing needs

And of course need not say the two machines can ping each other. FTP access looks a bit dubious what ftp server are you using?

Why not dual-boot both Windows and Linux?

a network connection alone won't mean samba will work. :( unfortunately

heres a great samba site:

http://handsonhowto.com/smb101.html

check out your broadcast masks in smb.conf I have had no problem with samba and any windows os connecting.

the nice thing with samba is when it's working and you restart the service

if you go start run \\hostname\sharename and nothing pops up in 10 seconds samba is misconfigured.

that is of course you are not running any firewall software on either machine. blocking netbios ports etc.

Whoa!
 

You mentioned that your first box, debian is connected to your ISP and the address is configured by dhcp. You never mentioned how the two boxes are connected.

Unless I am missing something, you need to add a 2nd nic to your linux box and create a local network.

I'm thinking you need to go out and purchase yourself maybe a Netgear router or add a 2nd nic... I prefer the router option since it will automatically setup your dhcp table for you. But as he said, you need to have a "physical" lan rather than just the loopback.

Re: Getting XP to recognize Debian Linux Box with Samba
 

and


make no sense togehter. if you are getting an ip via dhcp, how do you not have
an IP address besides 127.0.0.1 ??

and , explain your network setup, and post your smb.conf file.

Here's the SMB.conf:

[global]
netbios name = MADISON
server string = "Ruff"
workgroup = XLR8
security = share
log file = /var/log/samba.log
socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
encrypt passwords = yes
wins support = yes

[public]
path = /tmp
guest ok = yes
writeable = yes

Looking_Lost:
The netbios name is set correctly. I disbled My windows Firewall, and I assume Debian doesn't have one installed by default.
I'm using GLFTPD for the FTP server and can connect via the internet IP address fine, but can't use the local netbios name for FTP. Pinging 'madison' on the windows box gets no response.

pdescham:
I'm not sure what a broadcast mask is, so that might be an issue.

sidemark-2850:
The two comptuers aren't technically connected to each other. Both the windows and debian box plug into a hub, which has cable internet plugged into it as well. They pick up there ips automatically from DHCP (2 seperate ips), both are internet ip addresses. The 2nd nic might be the issue here, but I made the assumption that when to windows boxes are configured with one nic each into the hub, they can still communicate with each other locally, without an additional nic card.

Robert0380:
eth0 in the linux box gets its ip from DHCP, which is an ip issued from my cable company.

I get the feeling 2 nics in the linux box is the answer here, correct me if I'm wrong, thanks.

You probably have an IP address besides loopback if your Debian server gets an ip via dhcp from your isp. In your debian machine, check the output of "ifconfig eth0" and you will see inet addr. Otherwise, I dont know how you are able to connect to the internet.

I hope you didn't purchase a second internet IP address from your isp (Are you using a cable connection?). You could setup Debian as a gateway to the internet and have all other machines connect to it. This is why a second nic card is needed on the debian machine. eth0 will connect to the isp. eth1 will connect to the rest of the lan.

If you have a cable/dsl router, with a 4 port switch connected to a cable modem on the wan side and the machines plugged in on the switch side, then, your router should have assigned the machines an internal IP address via dhcp. The router is the one that gets the isp assigned IP.

Before you trouble shoot your samba config. trouble shoot the network config first. When you can successfully ping from one pc to another, then work on the samba config.