Windows peer to peer network

[sircharles32]

I did a quick search for this (I'm sure it's probably buried in the 7000+ posts under a different name) but couldn't find what I wanted, so I'll ask: How do you easily set up peer to peer networking with Mint 7 KDE, in a Windows environment (ie. no central server: a home network)? I see that the ethernet cards are already set up with DHCP. I put in the correct group name in the Samba config page. I tried both "shared" and "user" settings, with no luck. The motherboard has two built in gigabit controllers. The first one automatically detected my DSL connection (hence the ability for me to make this post). The second one is detected (as seen in the system tray), however, cannot make any sort of connection (before anyone asks, yes the hardware works, as this is primarily a Windows 2000 Professional system, so known to work in Windows).

Each computer contains two network controllers. One leads to the DSL (Internet), the other to the internal gigabit network (Intranet).

Trying from the other direction (working from the Windows 2000 box), I can't see the Mint box either. I'm hoping that there is a simple fix to get the two boxes to see each other and talk. Ideally, I'd like to be able to see the windows/Mint computer(s), and be prompted for the user name and password to log onto each system to access either's drives. Since I have several computers in my home network, I can't supply just one user name/pass word to log onto the Windows computers (since each one has different log-on names/pass), as it seems the Samba configuration page wants.

I'm sure this is a common question with Linux newbies, wanting to use their Linux box in their pre-existing Windows peer-to-peer network.

Thank you, and hopefully I've expressed my issue with enough clarity for those more knowledgeable to answer my plea.

[altair4]

I'm sure this is a common question with Linux newbies, wanting to use their Linux box in their pre-existing Windows peer-to-peer network.

If it makes you feel any better I personally don't know anyone who uses a Windows ( or Linux ) peer-to-peer network. A typical home network has a modem connected to a router to which all the PC's are connected.

I did find a HowTo on the Ubuntu Community Documentation site that may be of some aid in case there are no members here that are using a peer-to-peer: Internet Connection Sharing : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Inter ... ionSharing

It's also quite likely that I'm confused since I don't quite understand what this means:

Each computer contains two network controllers. One leads to the DSL (Internet), the other to the internal gigabit network (Intranet).

Do you have multiple DSL accounts or is your DSL modem also a router. If it's a router why do you have the second network controller connected to anything?

[tomast]

For PC to PC networking you need a "Crossover" cable.
(wired backwards on one end)

How to make 2 networks work on Mint I don't know....

T

[DrHu]

Ideally, I'd like to be able to see the windows/Mint computer(s), and be prompted for the user name and password to log onto each system to access either's drives. Since I have several computers in my home network, I can't supply just one user name/pass word to log onto the Windows computers (since each one has different log-on names/pass), as it seems the Samba configuration page wants.

..I can't supply just one user name/pass word to log onto the Windows computers
Why not ?..
The solution to this problem would be to create a common login name for each machine, that you use to access the machine's files..
--in other words, start with the basics

• A logon user(name) for every computer that is the same

--if you are concerned about security issues, you could make them have the same password, if it is a reasonably secure (good) one; that is no different than using the hidden admin access or the admin password on each window's computer access.
http://www.ncsu.edu/resnet/windows/pass ... _admin.php

[sircharles32]

First, thanks for the reply (altair4).
Second, in explanation of how my network is set up, yes, my DSL is a modem/router. The reason why I basically have 2 networks set up is because of speed and security.

The "internet" network goes through the DSL router, and runs at 768Kb (100 Mbit max transfer speeds through router). Also, this connection is firewall protected via ZoneAlarm software on each Windows 2000 client PC. The secondary "intranet" network is a simple peer-to-peer Windows DHCP gigabit network. This internal network is purely for bandwidth/ease of use (gigabit controllers, gigabit switch, and Cat 6 cabling). It's how I transfer files across my home network, and it's firewall settings are more lax, but still require a user to put in their user name and password.

I found a link for setting up Kubuntu on a Windows network using something called Zeroconf. It sounds like it functions just as Windows does in that it automatically scans for everything that's on the network. However, Mint7's KDE implementation is set up differently than Kubuntu 7.10, so I can't follow the instructions, as I can't find any mention of Zeroconf at all in Mint7.

Also, I'm beginning to wonder if the second gigabit controller is properly configured. Though it's listed in the system tray, and I can see it trying to communicate (via the indicator lights on the gigabit switch), I still can't "see" anything on the network (from either direction).

Looking at your suggested reading, I see that their (Ubuntu's) suggestions are to either use static ip addresses or to set up a dedicated DHCP server. To be honest, I don't want to have to change my network just to suit one "test" environment. I'm hopeful that there has to be a way to make Mint7 play nice in my existing Windows network.

Thanks again for the suggestion.

[DrHu]

However, Mint7's KDE implementation is set up differently than Kubuntu 7.10, so I can't follow the instructions, as I can't find any mention of Zeroconf at all in Mint7.

Also, I'm beginning to wonder if the second gigabit controller is properly configured. Though it's listed in the system tray, and I can see it trying to communicate (via the indicator lights on the gigabit switch)

as I can't find any mention of Zeroconf at all in Mint7.
In Linux mint 7 (gloria)
In terminal, check

• apt search zeroconf
  p kde-zeroconf - zeroconf plugins and kio slaves for KDE 4

and I can see it trying to communicate (via the indicator lights on the gigabit switch)
That would be the normal DHCP chatty connection, making sure it is still attached to the DHCP server..

I don't want to have to change my network just to suit one "test" environment. I'm hopeful that there has to be a way to make Mint7 play nice in my existing Windows network.

If the samba (Linux mint) computer is getting an IP address from the dhcp that it can use, it should work
is it getting an IP address?
In terminal, check

• ifconfig

• net
  Usage:
  net rpc Run functions using RPC transport
  net rap Run functions using RAP transport
  net ads Run functions using ADS transport
  net file Functions on remote opened files
  net share Functions on shares

[sircharles32]

In response to "DrHu": Alright, let me rephrase that highlighted statement. I could give every Windows PC the same log on authentification, but then that lessens the security of having unique passwords for each system. Can't Samba just bring up a user name/pass word dialog box each time I log onto a Windows computer, instead of having to put in the information when configuring Samba?

Besides, there's something else going on here. The last test I tried, I did put in the username/password of one of my Windows 2000 systems (one that isn't hooked up to the DSL, so doesn't require a firewall, thinking that that would help), however, the second NIC still couldn't "see" the network.

Is there a "hardware device manager" like in WIndows, that I could see how each NIC is set up, so that I can make sure that DHCP is in fact enabled on the second NIC? I would have thought that something like that would have existed under System Settings, but can't find anything of substance.

[sircharles32]

DrHu, is there a GUI front end for configuring zeroconf? Through the terminal, I can see that it's there, but have no clue as how to configure it (if it needs configuring?).

[DrHu]

Is there a "hardware device manager" like in WIndows, that I could see how each NIC is set up, so that I can make sure that DHCP is in fact enabled on the second NIC? I would have thought that something like that would have existed under System Settings, but can't find anything of substance.

Is there a "hardware device manager" like in WIndows
OK, but it is not a hardware device manager at all, in windows, it is the state of the software for that device, so in essence it is the software device manager, nothing more

Now how about Mint, what does it have

• inxi -F
  --short list of all hardware
  inxi -N
  --network card (nic) data only
  inxi -h
  --help for inxi command
  ifconfig
  --all nics'
  Ifconfig nic
  --the specific nic you want to check

Mint menu>control center>Hardware>System profiler and benchmark
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxT ... rking.html

[DrHu]

DrHu, is there a GUI front end for configuring zeroconf? Through the terminal, I can see that it's there, but have no clue as how to configure it (if it needs configuring?).

I don't know, I don't even use it or avahi (the local network browsing detection)
--the obvious place to setup the network for Mint is with the network manager
I believe that the KDE version changed that since the kde network manager apparently had some problems ,and they then used the Gnome network manager version..

• Mint menu>control Center>Internet & Network>Network Connections
  Mint menu>control Center>Internet & Network>Network Proxy

http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reports/6826/1/
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reports/6826/2/

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToZeroconf
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ZeroConfNetworking
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=218630

And I just have to point out
--instead of sharing ptp (peer-to-peer), it is so much better to use a storage/server service to find and share files; the exact reason why severs are usually used even in smaller networks
Examples are NAS (file storage servers), such as freenas
http://www.freenas.org/
--or indeed any of those usb/nas small devices now available, like seagate(I like their hard drives) freeagent http://reviews.cnet.com/external-hard-d ... 78630.html
often just attached to the router, and then becomes available to anyone within that internal network..

There are even online web/local sharing available..
http://www.getdropbox.com/

[sircharles32]

Followed your instructions, DrHu. I think I've found the first problem, there is no ip address associated to the second nic (eth1).
matt@Mint7 ~ $ ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:01:6c:b6:2a:c1
inet addr:192.168.1.46 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::201:6cff:feb6:2ac1/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:1273 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:946 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:1700921 (1.7 MB) TX bytes:109322 (109.3 KB)
Interrupt:23

eth1 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:01:6c:b6:2a:c2
inet6 addr: fe80::201:6cff:feb6:2ac2/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:9 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:11 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:2139 (2.1 KB) TX bytes:2222 (2.2 KB)
Interrupt:45 Base address:0xc000

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:30 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:30 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:1540 (1.5 KB) TX bytes:1540 (1.5 KB)

matt@Mint7 ~ $


The next question is why?

[sircharles32]

Also, I can't find the applications you mentioned:

"Mint menu>control Center>Internet & Network>Network Connections
Mint menu>control Center>Internet & Network>Network Proxy"

I can't find Control Center in the applications tab, where might it be?

[DrHu]

Also, I can't find the applications you mentioned:
"Mint menu>control Center>Internet & Network>Network Connections
Mint menu>control Center>Internet & Network>Network Proxy"

They are there under System>Control center in linux mint 7 (gloria) 32bit main edition using the Gnome default desktop installation..
--you can also get to that selection via mint menu>All applications>Preferences; find the network selections..

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/ubuntu-networ ... -line.html
--command line network setup, check
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=574906

Code: Select all

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

iface eth1 inet dhcp
auto eth1

iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.0.1
netmask 255.255.255.0
auto eth0  

post 7
--adding a second stanza into /etc/network/interfaces (second nic) ..