samba - Nov 2003 - Second Windows Computer Disconnects First

Hi, 

I'm setting up a Linux machine to use as a file server for a small group of 
windows machines. 

Like many of the folks who write to this list, I'm having all kinds of 
difficults getting the Windows machines to be able to access the Linux shares. 

In my case, the most frustrating thing is that all of my Windows machines and 
users can access the Linux shares SOMETIMES. But typically, if one computer 
accesses the shared folder, and then another one accesses it, the first 
computer gets disconnected. 

Does anybody have any insights into why this is happening? 

All of my windows computers have their own unique computer names. And the 
usernames that are set up for each machine are different (and match the Unix 
names and samba names and passwords  that I have on the Linux machine). 

Does this have anything to do with the samba server being the "preferred 
master"? And why, when my Linux machine is running, do I so frequently see
"logged
off" windows machines in Network Neighborhood. This is something that I
never
see when the Linux machine is shut down. It's as if the Linux machine is 
taking control of keeping track of who is and who isn't on the network --
and it
doesn't do as good a job of updating compared to the way windows stays
current.

Help would be appreciated. 

Andy Liebman

Andy,

You may find the Samba-HOWTO-Collection.pdf helpful. It's available in
book form from Amazon.Com, called "The Official Samba-3 HOWTO and
Reference Guide."

The HOWTO is available from:
httpd://us3.samba.org/samba/docs/Samba-HOWTO-Collection.pdf

You should check the chapters on:

	Server Types and Security Modes
	Domain Control
	Stand-Alone Servers
	Network Browsing
	Account Information
	Integrating MS Windows Networks with Samba

Have fun.

Cheers,
John T.

On Sat, 8 Nov 2003 AndyLiebman@aol.com wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm setting up a Linux machine to use as a file server for a small
group of
> windows machines.
>
> Like many of the folks who write to this list, I'm having all kinds of
> difficults getting the Windows machines to be able to access the Linux
shares.
>
> In my case, the most frustrating thing is that all of my Windows machines
and
> users can access the Linux shares SOMETIMES. But typically, if one computer
> accesses the shared folder, and then another one accesses it, the first
> computer gets disconnected.
>
> Does anybody have any insights into why this is happening?
>
> All of my windows computers have their own unique computer names. And the
> usernames that are set up for each machine are different (and match the
Unix
> names and samba names and passwords  that I have on the Linux machine).
>
> Does this have anything to do with the samba server being the
"preferred
> master"? And why, when my Linux machine is running, do I so frequently
see "logged
> off" windows machines in Network Neighborhood. This is something that
I never
> see when the Linux machine is shut down. It's as if the Linux machine
is
> taking control of keeping track of who is and who isn't on the network
-- and it
> doesn't do as good a job of updating compared to the way windows stays
current.
>
> Help would be appreciated.
>
> Andy Liebman
>
-- 
John H Terpstra
Email: jht@samba.org