HOWTO: Setup Samba peer-to-peer with Windows

[stevewabc]

OK I have lost it!

Help please this is what im after here then I hope you all will be able to get me up and running.
file severver with samba
and 4 other computers running XP
Now I want to have all the computers to use /home/office as the main hardrive and each user can only access the files in witch I alow.

But for now I can even get my laptop to conect to the server I can ping it and the sever can ping the laptop, I even see homefront under maping lol but can connect to it. here is my samba config. and smbaclient

[global]
; General server settings
netbios name = homefront
server string =
workgroup = homefront
announce version = 5.0
socket options = TCP_NODELAY IPTOS_LOWDELAY SO_KEEPALIVE SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192

passdb backend = tdbsam
security = user
null passwords = true
username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
name resolve order = hosts wins bcast

wins support = yes

printing = CUPS
printcap name = CUPS

syslog = 1
syslog only = yes

; NOTE: If you need access to the user home directories uncomment the
; lines below and adjust the settings to your hearts content.
;[homes]
;valid users = %S
;create mode = 0600
;directory mode = 0755
;browseable = no
;read only = no
;veto files = /*.{*}/.*/mail/bin/

; NOTE: Only needed if you run samba as a primary domain controller.
; Not needed as this config doesn't cover that matter.
;[netlogon]
;path = /var/lib/samba/netlogon
;admin users = Administrator
;valid users = %U
;read only = no

; NOTE: Again - only needed if you're running a primary domain controller.
;[Profiles]
;path = /var/lib/samba/profiles
;valid users = %U
;create mode = 0600
;directory mode = 0700
;writeable = yes
;browseable = no

; NOTE: Inside this place you may build a printer driver repository for
; Windows - I'll cover this topic in another HOWTO.
[print$]
path = /var/lib/samba/printers
browseable = yes
guest ok = yes
read only = yes
write list = root
create mask = 0664
directory mask = 0775

[printers]
path = /tmp
printable = yes
guest ok = yes
browseable = no

; Uncomment if you need to share your CD-/DVD-ROM Drive
;[DVD-ROM Drive]
;path = /media/cdrom
;browseable = yes
;read only = yes
;guest ok = yes

[MyFiles]
path = /home/samba/
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = no
create mask = 0644
directory mask = 0755
force user = steve
force group = steve
__________________________________________________ ________________

root@homefront:~# smbclient -L localhost -U%
Domain=[HOMEFRONT] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.0.22]

Sharename Type Comment
--------- ---- -------
print$ Disk
MyFiles Disk
IPC$ IPC IPC Service ()
ADMIN$ IPC IPC Service ()
Domain=[HOMEFRONT] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.0.22]

Server Comment
--------- -------
HOMEFRONT
LAPTOP homefront

Workgroup Master
--------- -------
HOMEFRONT HOMEFRONT

__________________________________________________ ________________

What im I doing rong?

when I try maping im doing it like this:
Drive: H
Folder: \\home\samba
I get network name is not available
ok so next:
Folder: \\111.111.11.111\home\samba
now I get a login screen
user name: steve
Password

and that doesnt work eather

grrrrr

[Fraoch]

Stormbringer, or anyone who knows - stupid question alert!

Isn't Samba pre-configured in a default Ubuntu 6.06 install?

The reason I ask is because this is the first I've seen of this guide and Samba seems to be kinda-sorta working.

I say kinda-sorta because I can see my Windows shares and my Windows shares can see my Ubuntu share, but it's S-L-O-W (often erroring out before I can see anything) and I can't transfer files of more than a few kB, that's if I can see them at all.

There seem to be 30 second pauses each step of the way and file transfers on the Windows side terminate with a "The network name cannot be found" and on the Ubuntu side with a timeout error, that strangely times out instantaneously if I hit retry.

So should I try these directions first or is Samba already running?

Thanks!

Edit: there could be something more than this going on, several network devices don't really respond to my Ubuntu machine:

- SlimServer on my Windows machine
- my Linksys WRT54G router running DD-WRT
- my new SmoothWall box

All these load the title of the page and the custom web page icon, but not much else. SlimServer loads a few lines of text after several minutes, the others don't load anything.

Interestingly my DSL modem works fine. This seems to point to the router being the cause, but everything looks good there as far as I can tell, and Windows LAN performance is much, much better especially for the networked devices. It's not perfect though, it often takes a long time to call up the share, and every once in a while it can't find the share, but once it's up, speed is fine.

[Stormbringer]

But then when I typed in my user name and password, it just kept returning the same dialog, requesting user name and password.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks.

Did you enable the accounts right after adding them (smbpasswd -e <username>)?

The returning dialog at least looks like it's the problem.

[@all]
Sorry for the late replies ... was kinda busy and somehow I didn't get notifications --- really sorry.
[/@all]

[Stormbringer]

I have Ubuntu on my Thinkpad, which I can now access from my Windows box, but only connecting directly, by typing the IP. If I just double-click on the icon in Windows I get the error; <snip>

Did you enable WINS in samba and add the IP of your Linux box in the WINS server field inside the TCP/IP properties of Windows?

If yes, make sure your Linux system is booted before you boot your Windows box, otherwise Windows will fail to access the master browser list.

Seems to be related somewhere around these settings as you're able to connect by using the IP.

-Storm

[Stormbringer]

[QUOTE=patman;1352513]Is there any chance of getting a look at your (in development) HOWTO for join a PDC?

Well ... if you don't mind digging yourself through 12 losely connected DIN A4 pages; sure. But there are still several holes that need to be filled and a lot of work required to get it fully written.

I'm getting pretty frustrated just trying to join the domain from my windows box.

The shares work ok, but when I try to join the domain I get a
dialog box (on the windows system) that says "access is denied".

And... thanks for the great HOWTO and your willingness to be so helpful.

This sounds as you haven't added and enabled root to samba or forgot to put a "Administrator = root" into username map.

In order to join the Domain you need to authenticate yourself as Administrator --- you cannot join by using the user credentials.

Mind to tell me a little more on the setup ... ? ... maybe we get it solved.

-Storm

[Stormbringer]

What im I doing rong?

Let's try to find out ... at first sight the configuration as well as the output you attached to your post looks fine from my point of view.

when I try maping im doing it like this:
Drive: H
Folder: \\home\samba

Your computer is called "homefront", so ...

\\homefront\samba

... would be more accurate and might cut it.

But, as you said it even doesn't work by using the ip ...

Is there any error message or does the authentication just fail?

-Storm

[Stormbringer]

Stormbringer, or anyone who knows - stupid question alert!

Isn't Samba pre-configured in a default Ubuntu 6.06 install?

So should I try these directions first or is Samba already running?

Nope --- samba isn't installed by default, and the smb.conf that will be installed together with samba is a mere template; not really fit for any use.

Be invited to follow the HOWTO and give it a try ...

The reason I ask is because this is the first I've seen of this guide and Samba seems to be kinda-sorta working.

I say kinda-sorta because I can see my Windows shares and my Windows shares can see my Ubuntu share, but it's S-L-O-W (often erroring out before I can see anything) and I can't transfer files of more than a few kB, that's if I can see them at all.

Well, I have some strange network issues with samba myself I cannot exactly work out ...

If I copy a large file, let's say 100MB+, from Windows to Linux it thunders through the network cabling with 20MB/sec+ (Gigabit). It even works that way if I copy back the file from Windows.

If I copy the same file back from Linux to Windows by smbfs it snails away with a few hundred KB up to ~5MB/sec at best.

However, so far I only get connection aborts if I try to transfer a file that is larger than 2048MB (i.e. DVD image) from Linux to Windows by using smbfs ... it freaks out as soon as the copy progresses through the aforementioned threshold.

There seem to be 30 second pauses each step of the way and file transfers on the Windows side terminate with a "The network name cannot be found" and on the Ubuntu side with a timeout error, that strangely times out instantaneously if I hit retry.

Hmm ... this rather sounds like a issue on the physical network ...

Edit: there could be something more than this going on, several network devices don't really respond to my Ubuntu machine:

- SlimServer on my Windows machine
- my Linksys WRT54G router running DD-WRT
- my new SmoothWall box

All these load the title of the page and the custom web page icon, but not much else. SlimServer loads a few lines of text after several minutes, the others don't load anything.

Interestingly my DSL modem works fine. This seems to point to the router being the cause, but everything looks good there as far as I can tell, and Windows LAN performance is much, much better especially for the networked devices. It's not perfect though, it often takes a long time to call up the share, and every once in a while it can't find the share, but once it's up, speed is fine.

As you seem to have done a little troubleshooting on your network it looks as the router is causing you the trouble ... and in this case I assume your router is the ShoreWall box.

On this point I'm unable to help you as I don't know ShoreWall at all ... but there are a lot of resources about it around on the net.

-Storm

[hotch]

I greatly appreciate the How To on setting up Samba with Windows. I followed it and it worked. I have two Windows computers networked peer to peer through a router, and have added a Ubuntu laptop. I can now access the Ubuntu computer from my Windows one via the Network Neighborhood. Mapping the laptop as a drive does not work because Windows XP does not appreciate a mapped drive when the computer it represents is not turned on.

The problem now runs the other way. I cannot access the Windows computers and their shared folders or files from the Ubuntu one. Under Places, Network Servers, the network is there and the various computers are there. When I try to access any of the computers in the workgroup, I get a notice such as this one:

"The filename "BOB" indicates that this file is of type "desktop configuration file". The contents of the file indicate that the file is of type "x-directory/smb-share". If you open this file, the file might present a security risk to your system.

"Do not open the file unless you created the file yourself, or received the file from a trusted source. To open the file, rename the file to the correct extension for "x-directory/smb-share", then open the file normally. Alternatively, use the Open With menu to choose a specific application for the file."

Since this happens even when trying to access the Ubuntu computer shared file from the network file browser (after all, it is there), I get the feeling that the problem is in Ubuntu and not in Windows. What went wrong and what do I do about it?

[hydroboy]

Great thread. Thanks all.

[Fraoch]

Dangit, well although the procedure in this thread worked perfectly (no errors), my networking problems persist.

Both Windows PCs behave the same. The Samba share appears right away, with "Shared Printers" and "My Files" folders. The "My Files" folder contains the folder you had me define in the conf file.

I can copy files off my Ubuntu machine no problem at all. Maximum speed. I can even delete files off my Ubuntu machine from both Windows PCs as if it was a local drive. However I just cannot copy a file onto the Ubuntu machine. I get a long pause and "The network resource is unavailable" error.

The Ubuntu machine can barely see the Windows shares much less do anything to them - read or write usually result in timeouts.

It's like the Windows machines have write-not-read permissions and the Ubuntu machine has view-only permission. That's not the case though, and some of the other permissions act like they're trying to work.

It seems to be one of those nebulous general networking issues that's OS independent. I had high hopes that defining a WINS server would solve the issue as it appears to me like some sort of network locator isn't running properly, but that isn't it. My attention is now focused on NetBIOS but that seems to be running too.

Thanks for the great how-to though. Your instructions worked perfectly. It's something else that's causing me grief!