Samba server invisible in browse-list

WindowBreaker · 12-22-2008, 01:59 PM

Problem: My Samba server is accessible via \\server, but is not listed in "network neighborhood".
Samba Version: 3.2.4
Samba IP: 192.168.0.99
Netbios Name: SERVER
Role: Domain Member Server
Domain Name: EDOM
Details: Single Domain Controller named ENGINEER1.
ENGINEER1 IP: 192.168.0.7 (2003 std server)

Troubleshooting Steps:
1. Verified there is no firewall on the samba box.
2. Samba box can ping any machine on the net, and vise-versa.
3. Verified no WINS server running anywhere.
4. Verified DHCP is not supplying WINS settings.
5. Verified DNS correctly configured - Running on ENGINEER1, and Samba box is configured to use ENGINEER1 in /etc/resolv.conf
6. I verified the Domain Master Browser is my 2003 server by the command:

Code:

nmblookup -MS -- -
added interface eth0 ip=192.168.0.99 bcast=192.168.0.255 netmask=255.255.255.0
Socket opened.
querying __MSBROWSE__ on 192.168.0.255
Got a positive name query response from 192.168.0.7 ( 192.168.0.7 192.168.0.40 )
tdb(unnamed): tdb_open_ex: could not open file /var/run/samba/unexpected.tdb: No such file or directory
tdb(unnamed): tdb_open_ex: could not open file /var/run/samba/unexpected.tdb: No such file or directory
tdb(unnamed): tdb_open_ex: could not open file /var/run/samba/unexpected.tdb: No such file or directory
192.168.0.7 __MSBROWSE__<01>
Looking up status of 192.168.0.7
        ENGINEER1       <00> -         B <ACTIVE>
        EDOM            <1c> - <GROUP> B <ACTIVE>
        EDOM            <00> - <GROUP> B <ACTIVE>
        ENGINEER1       <20> -         B <ACTIVE>
        EDOM            <1b> -         B <ACTIVE>
        EDOM            <1e> - <GROUP> B <ACTIVE>
        EDOM            <1d> -         B <ACTIVE>
        ..__MSBROWSE__. <01> - <GROUP> B <ACTIVE>

        MAC Address = 00-16-35-59-17-E0

I have no idea where to go from here. I could implement a WINS server, but then I'd never learn what the problem was.

Any suggestions?

irishbitte · 12-22-2008, 02:25 PM

Well, is there a NetBIOS service / daemon running on the SAMBA box? That's where 'Network Neighbourhood' gets it's information. The other option is to add a Network Place with \\SERVER\ in it.

WindowBreaker · 12-22-2008, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishbitte

Well, is there a NetBIOS service / daemon running on the SAMBA box? That's where 'Network Neighbourhood' gets it's information. The other option is to add a Network Place with \\SERVER\ in it.

There are 2 nmbd processes running as per the following command

Code:

pgrep -lf nmbd
3131 /usr/sbin/nmbd -D
12685 /usr/sbin/nmbd -D

irishbitte · 12-22-2008, 06:04 PM

hmmm, then it should show up! Have you created any shares in it yet?

WindowBreaker · 12-22-2008, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishbitte

hmmm, then it should show up! Have you created any shares in it yet?

It's sharing about 20 directories. Being used by over 50 users with mapped network drives. Everything running perfect, nothing in any log files that I can see.

The only problem is it's invisible in the network browse list.

My thinking is one of the following 3 things is happening:
1. Samba is announcing itself to the wrong browse list master.
2. Samba is not announcing itself.
3. The list master (2003 server) is not allowing samba to update itself in the browse list.

I'll do some packet sniffing from the 2003 server with wireshark and see what's going on.

WindowBreaker · 12-25-2008, 12:18 PM

The packet capture showed nothing interesting, no errors, and no anomalies that I can see.

Well this is very disappointing, but I'm going to have to breakdown and setup samba as a WINS server for the network, then update my DHCP server to supply the WINS ip to all clients. I guess this is the only way to get samba to show up on browse lists.

WindowBreaker · 12-25-2008, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WindowBreaker

The packet capture showed nothing interesting, no errors, and no anomalies that I can see.

Well this is very disappointing, but I'm going to have to breakdown and setup samba as a WINS server for the network, then update my DHCP server to supply the WINS ip to all clients. I guess this is the only way to get samba to show up on browse lists.

For anyone interested, here's how I solved the problem.

I forced samba to announce itself to the browse-master periodically via the following parameter:

Code:

remote announce = 192.168.0.7/EDOM

Then I restarted just 'nmbd', not all of samba, with the following commands:

Code:

shell# pkill nmbd
shell# nmbd

This is designed for remote browse list injection, but it solved my problem.