Viewing SAMBA with Windows XP

Echo Kilo · 03-21-2005, 12:52 PM

Hello,

I can get to and view SAMBA shares with Win XP by connecting directly using:

run> \\linuxsambaserver\share

I can even make changes, but the samba server does not show up when I browse the network with the Windows XP Clients. How do I get Samba to show up in Network Neighborhood?

Echo Kilo

Peacedog · 03-21-2005, 01:17 PM

What does your smb.conf look like?
good luck.

Basslord1124 · 03-21-2005, 01:24 PM

Yeah post your conf file.

Echo Kilo · 03-21-2005, 05:19 PM

# Samba configuration file.

#======================= Global Settings =====================================
[global]

workgroup = linux workgroup
server string = Samba Server
hosts allow = 192.168.1. 192.168.2. 127.
log file = /var/log/samba.%m
max log size = 50
dns proxy = no

printing = cups
restrict anonymous = no
domain master = no
preferred master = no
max protocol = NT
ldap ssl = No
server signing = Auto
lanman auth = no
client plaintext auth = no
client lanman auth = no
ntlm auth = no
client use spnego = no
encrypt passwords = no
use spnego = no
security = share

#============================ Share Definitions ==============================
[home]
comment = Home Directories
read only = no

[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/spool/samba
browseable = no
printable = yes

[tmp]
comment = Temporary file space
path = /tmp
read only = no
guest ok = yes

# A publicly accessible directory, but read only, except for people in
# the "slackers" group

[slackers]
comment = Public Stuff
path = /home/slackers
guest ok = yes
read only = no
write list = @slackers

# A private directories.

[erik]
comment = Erik's Service
path = /usr/somewhere/private
valid users = erik
read only = no

[denise]
comment = Denise's home folder
path = home/denise
valid users = denise

# A public directory, read/write to all users.

[public]
path = /usr/somewhere/public
guest ok = yes
guest only = yes
read only = no

Peacedog · 03-22-2005, 01:27 PM

Try adding the netbios name = your choice here option under global.
good luck.

Echo Kilo · 03-23-2005, 03:30 PM

That didn't pull it up on Network Neighborhood. Anything else I could try? I wonder if it's something on the windows side?

Echo Kilo · 03-23-2005, 03:42 PM

Okay, I got it working by putting the windows computers on the same workgroup as my Windows XP, but previously I had multiple workgroups showing up.

Does anyone know how to get that working? Is there a windows file sharing option that I'm missing?

pld · 03-27-2005, 09:34 PM

i just wanna bump this thread, and find out what exactly you did to get it working Echo?

You set the workgroup of your windows xp box to the same as your smb.conf workgroup name?

I only ask because previous to an apt-get dist-upgrade, I was able to see my samba shares browsing through the network places on my winxp laptop. I dont really have the option to change the workgroup name, because of setting for my work workgroup (no pun intended).

previously I had win2k on this laptop, and had built samba from scratch. No problem browsing the network and finding my shares.

Now my work laptop got upgraded to winxp, and I upgraded samba with apt-get.

Same old config file, but now I cannot browse the shares. As in the original post, i can connect directly through the address bar by using: \\mother\big

This will connect me, and then my samba workgroup shows up under the winxp network browser.

Any ideas?

My smb.conf:

Code:

# Global Parameters

workgroup = nostromo
netbios name = mother
encrypt passwords = yes
wins support = yes

printcap name = cups
printing = cups
load printers = yes
show add printer wizard = yes
printcap name = cups
printer admin = @ntadmin, root
lpq cache time = 20
use client driver = yes
security = share

[printers]
comment = All Printers
printable = yes
path = /var/spool/samba
browseable = yes
guest ok = yes
public = yes
read only = yes
writeable = no
printable = yes

[big]
path = /mnt/big
read only = no
browseable = yes
public = yes

On a related note, i could print easily before no problem, but now the printer will not show up (when browsing from winxp for a printer for example). I finally got the printer installed, but printing is really really really slow...

related problem? any thoughts?

TIA everyone!

Echo Kilo · 03-30-2005, 12:18 PM

I think you understand exactly. I had to change the samba workgroup to match that of my Windows computers for them to be able to browse and view the samba shares.

I used to be able to see any workgroup on the network no matter what I named the Samba workgroup. I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but I added a second samba server on another computer about the same time I lost the capability to browse the shares.

pld · 03-30-2005, 07:27 PM

Well, I really dont feel like having my workgroup name at home the same as that at work...

Surely there must be a guru hanging around with a solution to this problem. It seems like it should be fairly simple. I had the system working great previously when I installed samba by hand. Then I did an apt-get upgrade, and it upgraded samba. Now I cannot seem to browse to my network shares at home. Only directly using the UNC to get there...

can anyone help us out here?

Echo Kilo · 03-30-2005, 08:54 PM

Yeah, that's my problem exactly. I'm sure a SAMBA expert will stumble on this thread.

pld · 03-31-2005, 06:28 PM

Echo,

which version of samba are you running? Mine is Version 3.0.10-1.fc2 from my latest apt upgrade. It was when I just upgraded that I started having this problem. Wondering if I need to roll back, or if this is a bug in fc2...

from samba.org, the latest release i 3.0.13. Maybe I should consider upgrading

There is also a link to a report in linuxjournal.com that may be of assistance to us:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8121

Echo Kilo · 03-31-2005, 11:08 PM

Version 3.0.2a

pld · 04-02-2005, 06:59 PM

Okay, so late last night I got fiddling with it, and found that there was an smb.conf.rpmnew that must have been placed there by the rpm package when i updated via apt-get.

I just took the default smb.conf.rpmnew and modified a couple of settings for my case. Reboot, and presto! it works...

So without further ado, here's the smb.conf I finally ended up using:

Code:

   workgroup = NOSTROMO
   server string = Samba Server
   printcap name = /etc/printcap
   load printers = yes
   cups options = raw
   log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
  max log size = 50
  security = share
   socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
    local master = yes
    os level = 33
    preferred master = yes
   dns proxy = no

[big]
    comment = Big
    path = /mnt/big
    browseable = yes
    writable = yes
    security = share
    guest ok = yes

[printers]
   comment = All Printers
   path = /var/spool/samba
   browseable = yes
   public = yes
# Set public = yes to allow user 'guest account' to print
   guest ok = yes
   writable = no
   printable = yes

Now, this is just to test my system. I still have to setup hosts allow and security issues...
BUT, it works! Browsing the network on my winxp work laptop, I can now browse to my shares, and they show up, even with a different workgroup name than the laptop.

I am not sure about some of the settings, but now that I have it up and running correctly, I think I will carefully work through each of the active settings and make changes one by one until I find things that break it.

One thing I did notice, i think, is that after making changes and rebooting, it was best to wait a minute or two before trying to browse directly to the share...

Still hoping that maybe a nice samba guru will stumble across this thread and help us all out by shining a little light on this!

<edit>I also wanted to add that I have noticed that sometimes I still cannot browse to my samba shares?! Noticed I have been having this problem again today. Also, there is a very long period I have to wait when trying to browse the network. Sometimes in the order of 40-60 seconds before anything will happen...

Surely there must be someone who can shed a little light on this for us?
(and dont call me surely!)

</edit>

Echo Kilo · 04-04-2005, 01:10 AM

Sweet! So we're getting closer. Would you mind posting when you find out which line makes the difference?