Sort of complex problem: I am trying to connect to a samba sever vers 2.2.3a on a redhat linux 7.2 from an XP prof box named 'bob' through a cable modem into my work domain. I am able to connect to the server easily when on the local network at work using simply \\SERVER from the PC's in the domain (so samba is working well there). But I want to connect via my cable modem from my XP machine at home to access files on the linux box. \\SERVER and even \\IP_ADDRESS do not work I thought initially there was a problem with a firewall (both computers have it turned off), but regardless tcpdump on the server shows the following when typing on the XP box c:\> net view \\SERVER (my home machine is 'bob' and the samba server is 'SERVER') SERVER # tcpdump 11:40:05.209996 bob > SERVER icmp: echo request 11:40:05.210023 SERVER > bob: icmp: echo reply 11:40:05.234984 bob.3252 > SERVER.microsoft-ds: S 914589735:914589735(0) win 16384 <mss 1460,nop,nop,sackOK> (DF) 11:40:05.235012 SERVER.microsoft-ds > bob.3252: R 0:0(0) ack 914589736 win 0 (DF) 11:40:05.722536 bob.3252 > SERVER.microsoft-ds: S 914589735:914589735(0) win 16384 <mss 1460,nop,nop,sackOK> (DF) 11:40:05.722555 SERVER.microsoft-ds > bob.3252: R 0:0(0) ack 1 win 0 (DF) 11:40:06.223413 bob.3252 > SERVER.microsoft-ds: S 914589735:914589735(0) win 16384 <mss 1460,nop,nop,sackOK> (DF) 11:40:06.223433 SERVER.microsoft-ds > bob.3252: R 0:0(0) ack 1 win 0 (DF) 11:40:07.460620 bob > SERVER: icmp: echo request 11:40:11.988410 bob > SERVER: icmp: echo request 11:40:11.988439 SERVER > bob: icmp: echo reply (I dont know what all of this means, but it looks like SERVER and bob are communicating) The strange thing is that the XP machine 'bob' connects with no problem to the Win2K PDC for the domain with \\WIN2KPDC I have changed the 'local security policy' of 'Domain member: Digitally encrypt of sign secure channel data (always)' to Disabled and the 'Domain member:... (when possible)' to enabled on the XP box bob. The samba server SERVER is setup to authenticate via the Win2k PDC. My smb.conf: =========================[global] workgroup = MYGROUP netbios name = SERVER server string = Samba Server interfaces = xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx security = DOMAIN encrypt passwords = Yes password server = WIN2KPDC log level = 5 log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m max log size = 500 name resolve order = lmhosts bcast host socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192 preferred master = False local master = No domain master = False dns proxy = No hosts allow = 127. xxx.xxx.xxx. bob ... ========================= I can connect to the SERVER using smbclient -L SERVER from another linux box inside the domain, as well as from another computer from outside the domain, however, I have compiled samba-2.0 in cygwin on 'bob' to test with the smbclient, but it says "timeout connecting to SERVER:139, Connection to server failed". (I tried this with the IP address of SERVER also) I wonder if it has something to do with the netmask 255.255.255.128 on bob vs. 255.255.255.0 on SERVER (obviously I know nothing about netmask's implications with samba) I believe I have isolated this problem to samba conflicting with some aspect of my 'bob' XP configuration since \\WIN2KPDC works perfectly fine Any ideas out there?? Any help appreciated. -Bob