[SOLVED] Unable to browse workgroup

[monery]

Hello all,
Strange problem... I just got a new DSL modem to replace my dying one. Its a different manufacturer and since I introduced it to my network, I can no longer browse my SAMBA servers from my Linux machines.

The one windows machine in the network does display all the SAMBA running machines, but it is slow to populate the list.

my two LMDE MATE machines can connect manually to server.local from the computer window "File > Connect to Server"

I can ping the server using the name server.local and connect via SSH

SMBTREE command asks me for a password then after 5 seconds will display the shares on the network.

Not sure about any other information needed, so I hope i provided enough, suggestions are welcome to resolve this issue

[altair4]

If the only issue is Linux - to - Linux there is a way to bypass the normal netbios / name resolve issue by using the very avhai ( *.local ) mechanism you are using now.

On all your Linux machines or at least the ones that have shares on them create an avahi service announcement file. From Avahi Networking:

[3b] Samba Shares

Once you set up Samba shares create a samba.service file:

Code: Select all

gksu gedit /etc/avahi/services/samba.service

With this content:

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" standalone='no'?>
    <!DOCTYPE service-group SYSTEM "avahi-service.dtd">
    <service-group>
       <name replace-wildcards="yes">%h SMB</name> ## Display Name
       <service>
           <type>_smb._tcp</type>
           <port>445</port>
       </service>
    </service-group>

Make sure the first line starts on the first column of the file. It must not have any spaces in front of it.

That's basically it. It will show up under the Network link in your file manager as "hostname SMB" to differentiate it from the regular way the hosts are displayed.

[monery]

I created the file and added the content as you posted under code.. I even rebooted the entire machine and still no success.
I don't mind the *.local been doing it so long its 2nd nature to me now. Any idea what caused the problem in the first place?

[monery]

I followed the post http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1169149 all the way to step 4 with no success, it actually made my problem worse Now instead of being slow on the one Windows 7 pc on the network it is REALLY slow but smbtree command on the LMDE laptop populates VERY quickly.

I am wondering is there a CLI tool that I can get a tutorial on that will help me gather more infomation such as error codes and/or messages? or is that pointless since I can now connect to my server via typing "smb://server" into the address bar of my file browser. Could this be a big of some sort introduced into MATE? Grasping at straws here. It seems to be a simple enough problem its just confusing the heck out of me

[monery]

[SOLVED]

Including ALL the changes from the prev link (cool side effect adding WINS, no more server.local..... just server.... I guess that comes from WINS
I edited the following line in /etc/samba/smb.conf
BEFORE
preferred master = yes

AFTER
preferred master = no

After I did that change, I shutdown ALL my machines... then booted the Win 7 PC, waited 60 seconds after I logged in, then my various LM desktops and laptops and checked and I am able to browse again