Samba Up and Running

[Computer Hobbyist]

At long last I have been able to install Samba. It was a fight, but it was also fun. The Linux book I had as a reference contained between 3 and 4 pages on Samba. Needless to say I spent a lot of time surfing the net for tips. Learning networking software from web howto pages is a lot like learning the opposite sex by looking at Playboy--A lot of mystery and excitement, but not much useful information. After I found the web version of the O'Reilly Samba book, the fog lifted.

I can now say that I have Linux Redhat 6.0 under control, just in time for my copy of Mandrake 8.1 to show up. After learning how to install a distribution of Linux, to connect with the internet, to upgrade Netscape, and to interface with my Windoze machines, I'm ready for the next challenge. Suggestions?

CH

[Xayd]

What else do you 'need done' ? Firewall, lan mail, connection sharing, etc. are pretty easy to set up.

Linux will be most useful as a server, that's what it's best at. Replacing or being a workstation can be done, with patience. Running a server or firewall or some other such network function is where it'll shine over the Windows machines you have.

[Computer Hobbyist]

Well, I did something that has rendered my samba server inoperable. The problem I have is that my windose machines can't find my linux machine by name. When I ping my linux machine by name from one of my windows machines, I receive an error message that says "ping:unknown host (name of my linux machine)." I can ping all the windows machines by name and IP address, and on the windows machines, I can ping my linux machine by IP address. I have concluded that this is a name server problem, probably the result of my denial of all hosts, except for my localhost and all computers on my local lan which excludes the public DNS server provided by my ISP. Things worked great on the system after I made the change in SWAT, right up to the time I rebooted my machine. I am working on a solution, but until I know more about DNS, I am just punching buttons. I think the easiest solution might be to put "hosts" and "lmhosts" files on my windows machines with DNS on my windows proxie server aimed at the ISP. If I do that do I need to manually set my IP addresses? Do I want to aim DNS on my linux machine at the ISP's public DNS server? Thoughts?



CH

[Statica]

* Have you got the correct /etc/hosts and /etc/lmhosts files written out?
* what is your setting from preferred master in smb.conf .. make it yes

[Computer Hobbyist]

My /etc/hosts and /etc/lmhosts files are correct. I did have to adjust /etc/hosts because the linux machine was assigned a new IP address after everything shutdown--which is why I am wondering if I need to manually set IP addresses. I'll check my preferred master setting in smb.conf tonight. Thanks for the thoughts and will let you know.

CH

[Computer Hobbyist]

Preferred Master was set to no. Changed it to Yes. No joy as far as solving the problem, however. I don't understand that one at all. Windows machines still couldn't see the Linux machine. Installed hosts and lmhosts (using format found in Sample in Windows) files in the windows machines. Now the windows machines can ping the linux machine by both name and IP address, and can access previously mapped network "folders" on Linux machine. Still can't find linux machine in windows explorer or network neighborhood. Great way to spend an evening. Wish I had any training at all in networking. Maybe I should use the same format samba uses for lmhosts which looks something like this:

localhost Bart
Lisa Lisa
Homer Homer
Marge Marge

instead of the Hosts file look alike recommended by windows which loooks something like this.

192.168.0.1 Bart
192.168.0.2 Lisa
192.168.0.3 Homer
192.168.0.4 Marge

Thoughts.

CH

[spinoza]

Hi there.

I've recently had to set up a Samba server at work so I think I can offer at least one suggestion as you seem to have covered all the bases. Try modifying your lmhost file on your Windows client. It requires a specific format but you can easily find an example out there in the ether. Once you have it edited you will have to rename it as it comes named as lmhost.sam. Get rid of the sam extension and just call it lmhost. That step is very important. Then put it in the Windows directory and/or the Windows/System directory, reboot, and now your client should be able to see the Samba server in Network Neighbourhood.

Remember that the file requires very specific editing with regards to spaces. I guess they didn't want to make it that easy. I hope this helps you.

[Computer Hobbyist]

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I set the lmhosts file up correctly, but you never can tell. I'll look again.

CH

[onyx]

I had a similar problem; SAMBA worked great until I rebooted the Linux server, and then I got results similar to yours. This seems kind of obvious in retrospect, but make sure that the smbd and nmbd programs are running, either as daemons or from inetd (mine weren't). Also encountered a problem with mine in that ipchains was blocking access...I'm pretty new to Linux, and I had a Linux guru here at work reconfigure it for me, so I can't tell you exactly how to do that. Good luck.

[Computer Hobbyist]

I have read about IPCHAINS but don't know much about them and how they relate to the problem. I will do some research. Your lucky, except for the guys around here I don't have a personal Linux guru. Everybody I know personally insists that they only know NT.

CH