network connection problem

[Alan.Brown]

I have 3 computers networked together. They are called HP, ACER and TOWER.
From HP I can connect to ACER and TOWER OK and exchange files.
From ACER I can connect to TOWER but NOT to HP
From TOWER I can connect to ACER but NOT to HP

Using findsmb on HP I get

*=DMB
+=LMB
IP ADDR NETBIOS NAME WORKGROUP/OS/VERSION
---------------------------------------------------------------------
192.168.0.6 TOWER [WORKGROUP] [Unix] [Samba 3.6.6]

This is incorrect for HP - the IP address for HP on the router is 192.168.0.2 and the name is HP. I reason that this error stops the other computers from connecting.

ifconfig on HP shows the correct iP address on the router

The other two computers show their correct IP addresses and NETBIOS NAMEs.

On HP the smb.conf file has the netbios name HP which is correct.

How can I change settings so that findsmb gives the correct address

On ACER the output from smbtree is

smbtree
Enter user's password:

WORKGROUP

\\TOWER tower server (Samba, Ubuntu)
\\TOWER\IPC$ IPC Service (tower server (Samba, Ubuntu))
\\TOWER\user Tower
\\TOWER\print$ Printer Drivers

\\READYSHARE readyshare
\\READYSHARE\ADMIN$ IPC Service (readyshare)
\\READYSHARE\IPC$ IPC Service (readyshare)
\\READYSHARE\USB read:all-no password;write:all-no password

\\HP hp server (Samba, Ubuntu)
\\HP\.Crypt
\\HP\print$ Printer Drivers
\\HP\user Acer Laptop
\\HP\IPC$ IPC Service (acer server (Samba, Ubuntu))

\\ACER acer server (Samba, Ubuntu)
\\ACER\.Crypt
\\ACER\print$ Printer Drivers
\\ACER\user Acer Laptop
\\ACER\IPC$ IPC Service (acer server (Samba, Ubuntu))

You will note that \\HP\user points to Acer Laptop. It should be HP. All the rest is OK. If I try to connect to HP from ACER I get the ACER directories not the HP ones.
Similarly on the TOWER computer.

The output of smbtree on HP is OK.

Sorry that this may be a bit confusing. I hae tried to provide as much information as I think necessary.

TIA

Alan

[dmizer]

First, on all of your Ubuntu boxes, run this command:

sudo apt-get install cifs-utils

Then, have a look at this post for troubleshooting options: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1169149

[Alan.Brown]

I have already got cifs-utils on all 3 computers. I needed that because in fstab I mount an external ntfs hard drive which is connected to my modem/router and shared by all computers. This has worked for a couple of years.

Also my workgroup is already named WORKGROUP on all computers. The fact that two of the three computers are working OK show that I have set them up correctly.

The problem I have at the moment is only very recent - everything was working OK for a year or so. I have changed a setting somewhere that I cannot find now.

What concerns me, and what is the real problem I believe is that findsmb shows the incorrect IP address and NETBIOS name on the one computer only. In smb.conf the netbios name is HP as it should be.

Thanks for your reply. I have checked out your link which covers most of what I have done already. I am not using Wndows - just Xubuntu and Kubuntu.

TIA