I have samba installed on my linux server (slackware 9).

I have 4 winxp computers linked to it. But it's only 1 computer that sees the linux server in the network browser.

I can't figur this out.

All the computers are setuped just alike. You can browse all the other computers on the network and all thath things are working perfect.

From the other computers i can ping the server I can connect to it's ftp and everything.

Please help me with this!!!

first check the workgroup, you need the same workgroup for all of them

use different users in every windows computer, but remember to add them in the samba history, and also edit your smb.conf with valid users

it's the same worke group on every computer.

The thing with the user.

I have not added the computer that workes users name.

How do you mena by edidting them in samba history.

How do I edit smb.conf with valid users.

Do the following on a machine that can't browse the server:

Go to start, then choose run and type "\\192.168.1.89" (subsitute with the ip address of the samba server)

Does it open up Windows Explorer and take you to a share on the Samba server?

If so, check to see if it has the same protocols loaded as the one that can browse.

Remove any invalid and valid users entries in your smb.conf if any and try again.

Also check that you're not denying access to those machines, remove all the host deny entries if any, and check your host allow entries in smb.conf.

Reading the documentation could be of some help, at least, it will give you a clue.

also check to see if you can ping the samba server from each machine. Can the XP machines all ping each other?

This is my smb.conf:

[global]
netbios name = SilverServer
smb passwd file = /etc/samba/smbpasswd
name resolve order = wins lmhosts hosts bcast
server string = Linux Server
socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
username level = 8
workgroup = silvernet.lan
os level = 33
auto services = Filer
encrypt passwords = yes
domainmaster = yes
wins support = true
password level = 8

[Filer]
path=/home/Filer
writeable=yes

[homes]
writeable=yes
browseable=no

All the XPs computer can ping each other. They can al browse the nework. They can al ping the server and each other.



I can't get this. Why can one computer connect but not the others.

Now it's working.

AFter i ran the \\192.168.0.1 in run. Evyrthin workes. Stange but now the computers can borws the linux computer.

Yeah! that is the computer's way of saying "Don't hit me with a large rock" glad to hear it is working!

Okay then...

I am not sure what the problem is exactly. I know it has something to do with the browsing of the network.

Does the problem re-occur if you restart all the machines? You could try turning the Linux machine into the master browser.

The commands are

master browser = yes
OS level = 64

Do some research on these two commands. I am doing all of this from memory.

You will need to experiment a bit and find out what works.

Did any of the XP machines have netbios enabled?

IT worked anyway..now

Under windows the mechanism that allows hosts to resolve each others names when typed in, is different from the machanism used to collect all the system names into a list and distribute it, know as the Windows Browser. The windows browser can take up to 45 minutes to register a new host, or notice that its gone. It also behaves strangley when there is a clash of Master Browsers. In short, its crap, ignore anything the browser shows you unitl you have tested from the command line.

Mapping drives is good, but there are other things which could make this fail. The best commands to use to test that Netbios hosts can all see each other is nmblookup on Linux and the windows equivalent nbtstat. nbtstat -A <IP ADDRESS> will tell you if the host is listening on the netbios ports, nbtstat -a <hostname> will show that the hosts are resolving. You can then use smbclient -L <host> and net view \\host which will show you available shares on hosts.

Only once this lot is doing what it should should you take any notice of the browser.

Having said all that, if the XP hosts are configured to use the WINS server, the horrible windows browser system is bypassed and the browse window should show you only what the WINS server knows about.