Samba works both ways but cannot acces via \\HOSTNAME in Windows

asphodeli · #1 21st September 2008, 04:58 AM

Hi all,

I've configured samba on a freshly installed F9 to work correctly on my home network, and everything works fine for my Windows clients, except that they can only access the samba server via IP address - any idea how do I resolve this problem?

Code:

[root@eeeBox ~]# uname -a
Linux eeeBox 2.6.26.3-29.fc9.i686 #1 SMP Wed Sep 3 03:42:27 EDT 2008 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
[root@eeeBox ~]# smbd --version
Version 3.2.3-0.20.fc9
[root@eeeBox ~]# smbclient -L eeebox
Enter root's password:
Anonymous login successful
Domain=[WORKGROUP] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.2.3-0.20.fc9]

        Sharename       Type      Comment
        ---------       ----      -------
        completed       Disk
        temp            Disk
        IPC$            IPC       IPC Service (Asus Eee Box)
Anonymous login successful
Domain=[WORKGROUP] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.2.3-0.20.fc9]

        Server               Comment
        ---------            -------

        Workgroup            Master
        ---------            -------
[root@eeeBox ~]# nmblookup client1
querying client1 on 192.168.1.255
192.168.1.3 client1<00>
192.168.61.1 client1<00>
192.168.85.1 client1<00>
[root@eeeBox ~]# nmblookup eeeBox
querying eeeBox on 192.168.1.255
name_query failed to find name eeeBox

listing of smb.conf

Code:

[global]
workgroup = WORKGROUP
server string = Asus Eee Box
netbios name = EeeBox
log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
security = user
map to guest = Bad User
name resolve order = lmhosts host wins bcast
#dns proxy = no
domain master = no
local master = yes
#wins support = yes
preferred master = no
[public]
path = /home/public
write list = root
read only = yes
public = yes
browseable = yes
guest ok = yes

nssswitch.conf

Code:

passwd:     files
shadow:     files
group:      files

hosts:      files wins dns

bootparams: nisplus [NOTFOUND=return] files

ethers:     files
netmasks:   files
networks:   files
protocols:  files
rpc:        files
services:   files

netgroup:   nisplus

publickey:  nisplus

automount:  files nisplus
aliases:    files nisplus

resolv.conf

Code:

; generated by /sbin/dhclient-script
nameserver 192.168.1.1

SlowJet · #2 21st September 2008, 08:15 AM

I would try these (from /etc/samba/smb.conf).

# Preferred Master causes Samba to force a local browser election on startup
# and gives it a slightly higher chance of winning the election
local master = yes
; os level = 33
preferred master = yes

It will act as the wins sever for netbios names.
It will take up to 54 minutes to sync but usually 12-36 minutes for a few units.

I would add this for some more security
hosts allow = 127.0.0..1 192.168.0.
SJ

Doug G · #3 22nd September 2008, 05:18 AM

Another thought, make sure nmbd is running.

morgz84 · #4 6th January 2009, 10:39 AM

My smb.conf - using an LDAP password backend :

Code:

[global]
unix charset = LOCALE
workgroup = SPRINGFIELD
interfaces = 10.4.0.10/255.255.255.0
encrypt passwords = No
ldap ssl = No
netbios name = powell
passdb backend = ldapsam:ldap://10.4.0.23
enable privileges = Yes

;username map = /etc/ *******************

log level = 1
syslog = 0 
log file = /var/log/%m
max log size = 50
smb ports = 139
name resolve order = lmhosts bcast hosts
printcap name = CUPS
show add printer wizard = Yes
;wins server = 10.4.0.43
ldap suffix = dc=mycompany,dc=com
ldap machine suffix = ou=Computers
ldap user suffix = ou=People
ldap group suffix = ou=Groups
ldap idmap suffix = ou=Idmap
ldap admin dn = cn=Manager,dc=mycompany,dc=com
idmap backend = ldap:ldap//10.4.0.23
idmap uid = 10000-20000
idmap gid = 10000-20000
printing = cups
printer admin =root

[Test]
comment = Test Share
path = /test
browseable = Yes
writeable = Yes

I am running Fedora 10 kernel 2.6.27.9-159.fc10.i686

I have exactly the same issue. I have established that the issue lies with nmbd not running as Doug suggested. I have also tried starting nmbd manually. I get no error message however a quick ps -ef | grep nmbd tells me that it hasn't started. This service should load with smbd however it isn't happening. Does anybody know where/if the nmbd log file exists? I can't see anything in /var/logs. There doesn't seem to be much solid information out there relating to this issue so I'm hoping someone on here will be able to help. This server will eventually run on Solaris 10 however there are issues with the particular machine I'd like to install on and I am more comfortable with Linux so I'd like to get my test server running 100% with ssl enabled on my Fedora workstation before I look at implementing it on the Solaris server. Any help with this niggling issue would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

vallimar · #5 6th January 2009, 04:07 PM

Try enabling WINS support and make sure you have netbios support enabled on the windows side.
Unless you are running an Active Directory domain, all smb name resolution is handled by netbios,
which uses wins for name resolution. So make sure you aren't firewalling those internally either.

If you don't want to go through that hassle, edit the hosts file on your windows machines with your
samba server name and ip.

It also helps to ensure that your network is operating on the same subnet.
I usually had problems if the subnet for windows and samba weren't identical.

morgz84 · #6 6th January 2009, 04:49 PM

Thanks for the advice. We do have a working Samba server (which I am replacing) which authenticates through NIS. We do not have WINS enabled on this server, but am able to access using the hostname. On the working server we have nmbd running fine.

I have tried using this smb.conf on a Sun Solaris 10 box and I seem to have the same issue of nmbd not running, which seems to me to be an issue with my configuration as opposed to a software glitch as I initially suspected. I would appreciate any scrutinisation of my smb.conf anybody can offer as I am certain that I do not need to enable WINS.

If all else fails I have a 450g claw hammer here on my desk...

morgz84 · #7 7th January 2009, 12:24 PM

Dear oh dear I can't believe how stupid I have been. When I created my smb.conf in my naivety I took some settings from another smb.conf on our working samba server. After finally finding and reading the log.nmbd file I realised that my interfaces line was referring to the wrong IP address - that being the IP of the server I nicked the settings from. I can now access via powell host name and authenticate through LDAP (albeit through plain text, TLS/SSL to come!).

The moral of the story for me is Check that log file and when I'm trying something new find out what each setting actually controls instead of blindly copying settings!

Tsssssss,,,,