Ok, I finally got my Redhat Linux 7.3 workstation/server connected to the internet and and my LAN.

Thanks to all for your help.

My LAN is all static IP addressing. I am not using DHCP. It always has been for security reasons.

I must mention first that all my IP addresses are configured properly. I have been using a windows based network with 7 PCs for a long while. My LAN attaches to a LINKSYS router to access WAN. It is configured properly. I wanted to set up my own server, because I am tired of paying someone else for webspace for my websites and I have been interested in using and learning Linux.

I have configured Samba, but I am unable to connect to the PCs on my Lan.

This is where my confusion begins (my books and web resources aren't anwering my questions):

1)Shall I dedicate one of my XP computers as my WINS server? (I have read conflicting information that XP will only function properly if it is the master- If so, I understand that I have to put the OS level at 0 in Samba).

2)Do all the clients have to be placed and labeled in a domain that I have to establish for my Lan (I never had to do this for my Windows only network before)? In other words, do I need to set up a domain for samba to work and to enable my Linux and PCs (and configure the rest of my PCs, accordingly) to see and access eachothers shared folders?

If so, how do I establish a domain for my LAN? Does this mean I should configure and run the DNS services on my Linux server?

Do I need to set up a local DNS server for my LAN for Samba to work?

You shoulnt have to set up a domain or a dns server or enable the wins server in smb.conf, I usually just use the default smb.conf and the only things i change are the workdroup to match and the shares to point where they need to and have the permissions they need. Its pretty much ready to go out of the box. And you will want to add samba users, I think on 7.2 they still had smbadduser for that and then smbpasswd username after adding.

linux_terror

PS- I run a hosting environment and if you are going to host I would run a DNS server for that. Do your own DNS as oppsed to trusting someone else to set it up right <---valuable lesson learned from dealing with Qwest

That's a good start

So, I assume you want to set up a webserver

Here come the questions.

Why samba? Generally, you would want samba as a file server for your local network. If you can't see the windows machines, that is a samba client issue, which we do not have to solve right now.

If you want to pursue the samba server route, try http://us1.samba.org/samba/devel/doc...ollection.html
and for a more user friendly approach
http://www.jperkins.us/computer/home_network/

WINS servers etc are beyond me, as I stopped suporting ms at win98

You can set up a very basic samba server using share level security in about 10 minutes. Follow the examples from the above links. You don't really need local dns or domain, although winxp likes it better if you do. Check the linux-networking messages.

If you want a web server, that is a whole different matter. Try http://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.0/

I can give you the configurations for that, as I finally have stable website & server.

Stuart

Yes, my ultimate goal is setting up a webserver. I just haven't gotten that far yet.

First things first:

Get Samba working to share files.

Maybe I am not being clear. Right now my pcs can't find my Linux workstation/server and vice versa.

My desired intentions:
I don't need samba to be a server or a WINS server for that matter.
I just want to be able to share files between all the computers. [The windows machines work fine with each other.]
I would like to enalble passwords for security.

When I try to locate/conect to one of my PCs using Konquerer I get:
An error occured while loading http://192/168.1.5

Timeout on server
Timed out while waiting to connect to 192.168.1.5

However, doing the same procedure to connect to my router works!? I get the logon screen and everthing.

When I try connecting from one of my PCs to my Linux workstation/server, I get a similar reply:

Can't find 192.168.1.7

From my PC, my Linux machine is not showing up on the network.

To help you all out my Samba Configuration is as follows:


# Samba config file created using SWAT
# from UNKNOWN (127.0.0.1)
# Date: 2004/10/24 22:40:31

# Global parameters
[global]
workgroup = TRANSCENDENT
netbios name = TRANSSERV
passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
passwd chat = *New*password* %n\n *Retype*new*password* %n\n *passwd:*all*authentication*tokens*updated*successfully*
unix password sync = Yes
log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
max log size = 500
socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
preferred master = False
domain master = False
wins server = 192.168.1.7
hosts allow = 192.168.1.
printing = lprng

[homes]
comment = Home Directories
valid users = %S
read only = No
create mask = 0664
directory mask = 0775
browseable = No

[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/spool/samba
printable = Yes
browseable = No

This may be a typo but the above should be 192.168.1.5

Are you tying this in Konquerer? try "smb://" instead of "http://"

How are you trying to connect here? In IE via http?
In XP, open My Computer. Hit Ctrl+f or "Find", "Computers or People" > "A Computer On The Network" type in the IP of the server and let us know.

And have you made you windows compuers members of the "TRANSCENDENT" workgroup?

Try maybe:
preferred master = yes
domain master = yes
#wins server = 192.168.1.7
#hosts allow = 192.168.1.
try leaving the all and wins stuff out until you get it working.

Yes, all of my computers are part of the same workgoup.

When I try to search for the Linux workstation/server using windows I get for 192.168.1.7:

Search is complete. There are no results to display.

I removed allow and wins.

The computers still aren't findind each other.

Can you ping the server?

Yes, I can ping.

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

I:\Documents and Settings\Michael>ping 192.168.1.7

Pinging 192.168.1.7 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.7: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.7: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.7: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.7: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=255

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.7:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

I:\Documents and Settings\Michael>ping 192.168.1.12

Pinging 192.168.1.12 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.12: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.12: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.12: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.12: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=255

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.12:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

I:\Documents and Settings\Michael>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 1ms, Average = 0ms

I:\Documents and Settings\Michael>

Culd there be a firewall on your windows machine? Have you remembered to restart Samba after making all these changes to the config file?

Yes, I restarted Samba after making the configuration changes.

The computers are still unable to browse the each other or even find each other.

Turning off the firewalls made no difference.