samba - Dec 2003 - Problem accessing protected resources from any platform

Hi,

Here is my problem:

I set up Samba v2.2.8a on a linux host (RedHat Linux 8.0) for my workgroup.

My other hosts in the workgroup are Windows 2000 and Windows XP hosts and a 3COM
firewall.

All directories that are not "protected" can be accessed by all users.

The workgroup uses encrypted passwords (using non ecrypted passwords does not
solve the problem).

Samba is configured to synchronize the samba and linux passwords.

Samba is configured to be the WINS server.

The home directory (configured using the [homes] section in smb.conf) of none of
the users can be accessed from any of the hosts, including the linux host.
The Windows hosts return the "illegal password or unknown username"
error message, while the linux host returns NT_STATUS_WRONG_PASSWORD, when I try
to log in with the correct username/password combination. The linux host returns
NT_STATUS_LOGON_FAILURE when I try to log in with a correct username and a wrong
password.

Does anyone recognize this problem? 
I tried everything I could think of, but nothing solved the problem.
I searched the mail archive ....
I checked name resolution .... WINS, DNS, DHCP

I'm lost

Thanks for any suggestions!
Guus