EASIEST distro for linux-windows networking?

shassouneh · 04-04-2003, 05:25 AM

Hi All,

I KNOW you CAN network Linux and Windows via Samba, but I am not having any luck with it.

I know that some distros come with their own tools and utilities. For example Mandrake comes with tools not available in SuSE (and vice versa). Also some distros have historically focused on making speicific usability areas better. For instance RedHat is viewed by many as a powerhouse, whereas Mandrake is "The freind" and so on...

My question is which distro makes it the easiest to succesfully set up a simple LAN network to share files between Linux and Windows in your experience?

I have provided a Poll with this topic. Please feel free to use it.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The nicknames for each distro in the poll where meant to be humorous. NO OFFENSE to anyone or anyone's liking of a specific distro

shassouneh · 04-05-2003, 07:37 PM

no feedback?

ANYONE?

RedHatMN · 04-06-2003, 01:38 AM

Red Hat 9 Baby, Gui Samba Config tool.

fhj518 · 04-06-2003, 06:28 AM

I personally really like the e-smith.org SME-server, developed for MITEL Networks, but freely available. Just perfect for Linux-Windows networking.

Electro · 04-07-2003, 01:43 AM

Quote:

My question is which distro makes it the easiest to succesfully set up a simple LAN network to share files between Linux and Windows in your experience?

All the above although I haven't try any except Mandrake.

Below is what my smb.conf looks like.

Code:

#======================= Global Settings =====================================
[global]
    workgroup = HOME
    netbios name = ELIZA
    server string = Mandrake LINUX 9 using SMB
    large readwrite = yes
    printcap name = lpstat
    load printers = yes
    printing = cups
    log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
    max log size = 50
;    security = user
    security = share
    guest only = yes
    guest ok = yes
    encrypt passwords = yes
    smb passwd file = /etc/samba/smbpasswd
    socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
    dns proxy = no
    client code page = 850
    character set = ISO8859-1


#============================ Share Definitions ==============================
[homes]
   comment = Home Directories
   browseable = no
   writable = yes


[printers]
   comment = All Printers
   path = /var/spool/samba
   browseable = no
   guest ok = yes
   writable = no
   printable = yes
   create mode = 0700
   print command = lpr-cups -P %p -o raw %s -r   # using client side printer 
drivers.


[print$]
   path = /var/lib/samba/printers
   browseable = yes
   read only = yes
   write list = @adm root


[pdf-generator]
   path = /var/tmp
   guest ok = No
   printable = Yes
   comment = PDF Generator (only valid users)
   #print command = /usr/share/samba/scripts/print-pdf file path win_path
recipient IP &
   print command = /usr/share/samba/scripts/print-pdf %s ~%u \\\\\\\\%L\\\\%u %m

%I &


[Video]
   comment = Movie Clips
   path = /mnt/D/Video
   public = yes
   guest ok = yes
   only guest = yes
   writable = no
   printable = no


[Public]
   comment = Everybody can write
   path = /mnt/D/Public
   public = yes
   guest ok = yes
   only guest = yes
   writable = yes
   printable = no


[My Documents]
   comment = My Documents
   path = "/mnt/D/My Documents"
   public = yes
   guest ok = yes
   only guest = yes
   writable = no
   printable = no


[Bookmarks]
   comment = Bookmarks to Internet Sites
   path = /mnt/D/internet/favorites
   public = yes
   guest ok = yes
   only guest = yes
   writable = yes
   printable = no


[Downloads]
   comment = Downloads from Internet Sites
   path = /mnt/D/Downloads
   public = yes
   guest ok = yes
   only guest = yes
   writable = no
   printable = no


[Applications]
   comment = Full Version Applications
   path = /mnt/D/appz
   public = yes
   guest ok = yes
   only guest = yes
   writable = no
   printable = no


[Linux]
   comment = Linux Distributions & Programs
   path = /mnt/D/Linux
   public = yes
   guest ok = yes
   only guest = yes
   writable = no
   printable = no

My is setup makes guests see my shared files. I can setup user accounts to access my Linux system. All my shared files are read only except Public.

justlinux.com has some tutorials on how to setup SAMBA.

shassouneh · 04-07-2003, 09:54 PM

I tried the posted smb.conf file. No go!

shassouneh · 04-07-2003, 10:00 PM

Quote:

I personally really like the e-smith.org SME-server, developed for MITEL Networks, but freely available. Just perfect for Linux-Windows networking.

I went to the site and just got confused. Can you kindly describe how to get it and use it on either Windows or Linux??

prophet621 · 04-08-2003, 06:43 PM

I'd like to know the answer to this question myself. I have had no luck in getting Linux to network with Windows. As a client I can see my server and other computer, I can even access the shares on my other box, cannot access or even see the shares on my server.

Linux as a server was a complete disaster. Nothing worked..dchp, dns, shares, routing, acting as a gateway... nothing. I know it was my lack of knowledge that was the root of the problems, but rather than spending countless hours reading and looking for those small details burried in hundreds of documents, I put .net server on and had my network up and running again within an hour.. except for Linux accessing the shares on it. I'm beginning to think it's a .net thing, that it won't let Linux get to the shared drives.

I'd still rather have Linux as my server, but not if I can't get it to work right.

ancient lunatic · 07-23-2003, 02:57 PM

I can't get Samba to work either.......

typing http://localhost:901 doesn't cut it

being a newbie, I have no clue as what to do......

luap · 07-24-2003, 02:10 PM

i voted for redhat in your poll for the following reason: redhat 8.0 and a book called "redhat bible" helped me get samba up and running , for the first time, with reasonably decent security,good enough for my
home lan. i have weak eyes, i can read books easier than online docs. the book was not cheap, and i have since moved on to gentoo, but the point is the book was written so i could understand it , for me easy to read, and the suggested configuration options worked. i can still use the book as a reference for my gentoo.
redhat is not my favorite distro, but there is simply tons of good
stuff written specifically about using redhat .

dopper · 02-17-2004, 09:25 AM

Mitel SME Server is the easiest distro for windows networking. http://www.e-smith.org/