samba - Feb 2002 - Need help with seeing samba server in Win98

Our office is trying to set up a samba server.  But, we are having some
difficulty with the installation.  We have tried numerous things to no
avail.  I think we are getting closer to a solution, but I am unsure of
where to go beyond this point.

Our configuration is:
Red Hat 7.2
IP address: 192.168.1.6
Samba Server: 2.2.1a
Samba Server Name: SAMBASERVER
Workgroup Name: ABOGEXAM
etc/hosts file contains:
           127.0.0.1   localhost.localdomain     localhost
           192.168.1.6  sambaserver
           192.168.1.9  station1
           192.168.1.10 station2

The samba server appears to be working on the server side as it passes the
"smbclient -L localhost" test.  However, it does not appear to work on
the
Win98 side.

The client side configuration is:
Windows 98
IP address: 192.168.1.10
Computer name: station2  (we skip station1 for now due to it running
Win2000)

We found a document located at
http://us1.samba.org/samba/docs/DIAGNOSIS.html that gives information on
testing the samba server connections.  Going through each step we get the
following results:
Step 1: no errors reported
Step 2:
         From the server: "ping station2" gives proper response
         From station2: "ping sambaserver" gives "Unknown Host
SAMBASERVER"
                        "ping 192.168.1.6" gives proper response

Based on the reference document, we are gathering that the Win98 computer is
not set up properly.  However, the Win98 computer has the following: the DNS
and Wins server both point to 192.168.1.6, have share level access, Client
for Microsoft Networks, File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks,
Browse Master disabled, LM Announce = No.

If anyone can help us, it would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Jill Van Zelfden

On Wednesday 13 February 2002 16:30, Jill Van Zelfden wrote:
<SNIP>
> IP address: 192.168.1.6
> Samba Server: 2.2.1a
> Samba Server Name: SAMBASERVER
> Workgroup Name: ABOGEXAM
<SNIP>
> We found a document located at
> http://us1.samba.org/samba/docs/DIAGNOSIS.html that gives information on
> testing the samba server connections.  Going through each step we get the
> following results:
> Step 1: no errors reported
> Step 2:
>          From the server: "ping station2" gives proper response
>          From station2: "ping sambaserver" gives "Unknown
Host SAMBASERVER"
>                         "ping 192.168.1.6" gives proper response
>
> Based on the reference document, we are gathering that the Win98 computer
> is not set up properly.
Possibly, but before you assume that, make sure "wins enable" is set
to "yes"
in the samba config. 
HOWEVER, unless you've got a fairly complex network, you probably don't
need and don't _want_ WINS.  Before turning on WINS in Samba, try turning
it _off_ in Windows and see if that solves the problem.
Keep in mind that changes to name resolution can sometimes take 30 minutes
to actually take place.  Windows machines have a set of timeouts they use
that will sometimes make it look like your changes haven't worked, when in
fact
you need to wait until the next automatic browse list refresh before you'll
know
for sure.
> However, the Win98 computer has the following: the
> DNS and Wins server both point to 192.168.1.6, have share level access,
> Client for Microsoft Networks, File and printer sharing for Microsoft
> Networks, Browse Master disabled, LM Announce = No.
Read BROWSING.txt which comes with most samba distributions and is
available on the net as well.  This is an excellent document that everyone
who uses Windows shoul be required to read.  If you understand this
document, you WILL be able to fix your problem.

-- 
Bill Moran
Potential Technology technical services
http://www.potentialtech.com