[NBLUG/talk] why is Samba so bloody awful

ME dugan at passwall.com
Mon Nov 17 11:02:00 PST 2003


Bob Blick said:
> I used to think there was something wrong with me, but I am coming to the
> conclusion that Samba is just the most braindead program in the world with
> documentation to match. Every time I manage to get it to work it's just a
> matter of chance. Oh, it always thinks it's working just fine, but it
> never shows up on the network, and every document I've ever read about it
> is garbage.
>
> I guess you can tell I've just wasted a couple of hours, eh?
>
> Any hints or pointers to good TO THE POINT documentation that is COMPLETE?

I think that documentation that is "to the point" and "complete" are polar
opposites. If you have truely complete documentation, there are users who
will find the format is not to the point. If you have documentation that
is to the point for some users, other users may deman more background on
the limited information....

> Or if you see anything missing from the list?
>
> Yes, I have an smbusers file with my name and windows aliases.
> Yes, I do have home directories shared.
> Yes, I ran smbpasswd.
> Yes, smbd and nmbd are running.
> Yes, I have waited 20 minutes for the network to sort itself out.
> Yes, the network is up and Windows sees the other linux box.

There are only a few ways that Windows machines find new machines in the
network.

One method existed with the MS Windows 9X share-based model where a Master
Domain Browser would claim to be the keeper of machine names on the
network. Then, when new machines came up, they would ask the network via
broadcast, "who is the master domain browser" to which only one machine
should reply. If no machines reply, then a machine may become one and/or
force an election, where by each machine states how manly it is via OS
Version, hardware speed, etc. The master browser keeps tracks of names of
machines and stuff necessary such that when a person hits the network
neighborhood to see computers near them or workgroups, the master browser
will be the only one to respond.

Another method that is used is one of including a WINS box and having it
keep tracks of the machines on the network as they boot up. Also, the wins
can perform other services for clients in addition to resolution of
computer names. When WINS is used and configured on a network, client
machiens are told who their WINS servers are (by IP address.) Then, when
machines boot, they tell the WINS server their name and other data so
other users looking for machines can find them through a WINS server.

Another method involves the newer trust model from MS active directory and
locations. In this model, the controllers for the "domains" may keep
information about client machines booting up on the network.

One of the most common one in use today for large networks is WINS. It
works  on machines from Windows for Workgroups 3.11 through to Windows 9X
and Windows NT/2000 and beyond.

Though it may be some work to setup, why not go with WINS for your network?

Step1: Choose a box to be a WINS server. Choose one that is on all of the
time, and either runs windows or samba.

If Samba, then only enable WINS and browser service on *one* of the Samba
boxes. If windows, then disable the WINS and browser services from the
samba boxes.

Step2: tell all of the boxes not acting as WINS servers to use the IP of
the box that is performing the WINS service.

Step3: to test this, try rebooting the non-WINS-server machines.

After they are all booted, then see what happens when you look for
machines on the network.

If you have a Windows NT Server providing Domain Controller support (or
any Windows server after Windows NT like Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Edition, etc. performing a similar user-based authentication) then it is
safer to make the windows boxes the WINS servers and disable WINS services
in Samba as well as Master Browser assertion, and set both linux sammba
servers to use the Windows-based WINS server's IP address as their WINS
servers.

If you are using the share-based model, make sure all of the machines are:
1) Using "Workgroups" and not "domains" or "active directory"
2) Are in the same workgroup

If you are using domains or beyond, then follow the setup for adding a
Linux box to a Windows Domain.

Does this work for you?

-ME






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