Hello everyone.

I'm managing a residential network. Each flat is its own subnet, and can only communicate with the other flats through a router (i.e. no broadcast). 95% of these 300 subnets only contains windows computers (from lambda users).
My final goal is to be able to browse the entire network from any computer.

I set up a samba server acting as a wins server, and every computer is aware of it because it is registered in the dhcp. So name resolution is working fine for everyone.

The same samba server is set to be the "Domain master browser":

workgroup = WORKGROUP
wins support = yes
prefered master = yes
local master = yes
domain master = yes
os level = 65

When I browse the network (using "net view" or "browstat view"), I can only see the servers which are in the same subnet as the domain master browser.
Now, when in a subnet the computers arrange themselves to find a "local master browser", the only visible computers are the one in that subnet.

What I don't understand is why all the local masters don't synchronize their lists with the domain master.

So, to sum up, every subnet get the following behaviour:
-if a local master is elected, the only visible computers are the one in the same subnet.
-if no local master is elected, the only visible computers are the one in the subnet of the domain master.
-if I add another samba, configured as a local master winning all elections, then the magic is working and the lists are synchronized.

What is expected:
-every computer can see all the computer from all the subnets.

Does anyone know what might be happening?

I am not familiar enough with Windows anymore to give you a solution, but maybe I can point you into some direction.

WINS doesn't work well across routers. For example you cannot do domain authentication when the domain controller is on a different subnet. At least this was for WinNT. It might be solved in later Windows versions but then again it might not be in Samba if it still adheres to older protocols.

I remember there is a patch for that, i.e. letting WINS working though routers. I have used that in a previous life. Microsoft Tech Support has a few knowledge base articles on that. I think it comes down to modifying or adding some registry keys in each client (which is a problem in itself of course)

I think you should look for words as WINS 'Domain Authentication' Subnets Routers 'Browse Master' in different combinations on the MS Tech Support.

jlinkels