We have a home network comprising several Win2K boxes and a router/firewall/print-server running FREESCO.

The latter is an old PC lacking hard disk, monitor, keyboard and mouse. It boots from a floppy and has been running for years. Reboots are only necessary if someone trips over the mains lead. The password has long since been lost. I thus have no inclination to touch it.

This server is presumably running SAMBA. It is also a DCHP server.

I am experimenting with various Linux distributions on my dual boot system. I can access the Internet without having to set up anything. Using CUPS, I can print on the network printer as well as my local one.

I cannot access the Win2K machines from Linux. The obvious solution is to use SAMBA.

Can I not approach the problem differently? Can I re-configure all the Win2K boxes to communicate with the Linux server and with my Linux/Win2K box without having to use SAMBA at all?

BTW I do not understand why this Microsoft Windows to Linux communication problem exists at all when both are using TCP/IP.

Hi Alan,

Can't promise to answer all your questions, but lets see.

Freesco does not to my knowledge run Samba by default. It will probably be running a suite of TCP/IP utilites such as DHCP/DNS, Firewalling etc.

Incendently, sure you already know this, but they have a site www.freesco.org

You can use direct IP printing with CUPS.

Samba emulates the SMB (Server Message Block) protocol which Microsoft utilises (amongst over things) to make shares/printers available subject to authentication.

I come from a Netware/MS background, but from what I've read, Samba is your best bet. You can use it to emulate a workgroup or domain and thus create authentication to shares etc.

I recommend using webmin for manipulating your samba setup. Not perfect but then graphical tools in Linux have a long way to go!

Kind Regards

Richard