Redhat 9 Server & Windows XP Home Networking

kingtas · 09-07-2004, 03:44 PM

Hi,

Complete Linux Newbie here, so be gentle.

1. How do you find/change the name of the Redhat Server Computer?

2. I have Redhat 9 Web Server setup with Samba. I'm trying to have a peer to peer network without a domain login (XP Home Edition does not allow this). I have dynamic IP and using a Linksys router.

I have set up the Samba server and user in Redhat. And I shared my home folder 777. When I go to Network Neighborhood in Windows - I see Samba Server(Local Host), but when I open the folder I am seeing stuff in my Windows shared folder instead of my shared folder on Redhat.???

I have tried to set up the samba server and user account as both share and user login, but I get the same results.

My only reference is Redhat 9 Bible and I'm not getting it.

Thanks,

Tom

dcostakos · 09-07-2004, 08:11 PM

1. to change the name, you need to do 3 things:
a. Run the command "hostname <new_hostname>"
b. Edit the file /etc/sysconfig/network replacing all instances of your old hostname w/ your new one.
c. Edit the /etc/hosts file replacing all instances of your old hostname w/ your new one.

2. There could be many problems with your Samba configuration here are some things to try:

a. On the linux server be sure samba is running. as root run "service smb restart"
b. See what shares you have available on your Linux server. On the linux server, as root run "smbclient -L localhost". When prompted for a password, hit enter. Also, look at the man page for the "testparm" command.
c. Check the "Server String" setting in /etc/samba/smb.conf and be sure to name is something that you'll recognize as your Linux server.
d. Be sure your sharing the files you'd like w/ guest privileges read/write to everyone. A public share such as this would look like this:

Code:

   [public]
      path = <your path>
      public = yes
      only guest = yes
      writable = yes
      printable = no

kingtas · 09-07-2004, 09:43 PM

I ran smbclient -L localhost. Everything looks OK there. I changed the Server String to Redhat9.

when I browse my Network Neighborhood from Windows, I see the Redhat9(Localhost) folder. The only problem is when I open that folder - I see the stuff that's in my Windows shared documents folder and not what's in my shared home folder in Redhat.

On the other hand I can access my Windows shares from Redhat just fine.

Why does this work from Redhat browsing Windows but not the other way around? The configuration in Samba must be good, right?

dcostakos · 09-08-2004, 09:37 AM

Is there a line in your smb.conf file in the "global" section that says something like this:

Code:

   interfaces = 127.0.0.1

If it does not include the external interface for your system, that may be the problem. My smb.conf file says:

Code:

interfaces = 127.0.0.1 eth0

Hope it helps.

kingtas · 09-08-2004, 11:45 AM

Got it working. Thanks for the help.

kingtas · 01-21-2005, 03:01 PM

After reloading Redhat for the umpteenth time now, I can give this advice to anyone having trouble with SAMBA connecting to Windows.

Make sure you give the PC a Local Host Name and not use DHCP for assigning the LH. That will make it work every time.

Spoken by someone who has only begun to get himself into trouble with Linux. HeHe...