Running Mandrake 9.1 Linux Clients on Windows 2000 Domain Server
 

Hi!

I recon this is a NUB question, but as I am very new to Linux, I decided to install Mandrake 9.1 on a Client in our Company.
For some reason - as I am System Administration for our Network, which is Windows 2000 Server and XP based - I discovered a lot of problems regarding working with Mandrake Linux 9.1.

I will list a couple here and hope some of you could give me a hint regarding this, as I (as well as personal and private) want to change the system to Linux.

1.)
If assigned as "root" User I am wondering that the "TEST LINUX CLIENT" will not apear withing our working XP Network.
Over the days I discovered that a lot of people actually have the same problem, as many want to change system from MS to Open Source.
Ofcourse I've read a lot and discovered that essential is Samba to conect to a Network..
Now my question to that..
If User Root is on and I go to Network > Netconf I am pritty confused about the actual translation to german I am using, as it says for example:
Main > Hostname + domain ????
Strange is that the Host is named in mycase "localserver" and there is no domain transmitted, as this is not nessecery to Windows 2000 - Therefore there is no need to install a domain, really.
Whatever, this is not the point - Point is that I cannot figure out which way Mandrake Linux 9.1 actually wants the Hostname and Domain.
mh.. Strange

2.)
Regarding my Infos I was not able to actually make the Linux client join the official Windows Workgroup, as by default the Workgroup is something like Mdkgroup or something.
Strange again.
Once the Linux Client could be joining the Windows workgroup there is an access to the local gateway, which is in my case 192.168.1.1 - and is a firewall - to go through..

It would be great if any of you could give me some hint regarding the Workgroup thinggy first, as this makes me mad, somehow..

Regards,

Marcus