[Samba] NetBIOS name resolution from Linux

Olivier Parisy
Fri, 16 May 2008 00:11:55 -0000

Hi all,

I set up a Samba server (version 3.0.24) names "Lamp" on a Debian Etch
distribution. It provides a "guest" (guest ok = yes, guest only = yes,
security = SHARE) access to a "share" directory, which works fine.
Indeed, I can access \\lamp\share from a Windows machine (named
"Ginger") without issuing a password.

I can also ping the Linux machine from the Windows one using "ping
Lamp", and get the Windows machine IP from its NetBIOS name:
# nmblookup Ginger
querying Ginger on 192.168.1.255
192.168.1.22 Ginger<00>


But I cannot ping (or, more generally, resolve the name of) the Windows
machine from the Linux one:
# ping Ginger
ping: unknown host Ginger


I hence followed the guidelines from those links:
http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-182824.html
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-networking-3/linuxsamba-pdc-cant-resolve-windows-names-622797/

Which means I installed winbind and modified /etc/nsswitch.conf by
adding "wins" to the "hosts" entry. As I understand it,
winbind provides
a bridge between nmbd and gethostbyname() by using the "Name Service
Switch". Please note that I am not interested in the "active
directory"
part of winbind, nor in joining a domain, etc.

Anyway, after I performed those modifications, "ping Ginger" actually
worked. But then, \\lamp\share could not be accessed anymore (the error
message was "The specified group does not exist").

Now, as soon as I remove the winbind package, I can access \\lamp\share
again, but "ping Ginger" does not work anymore.


I've been suggested on #samba to drop winbind and simply add "wins
support = yes" to smb.conf; but then "ping Ginger" does not work
any better.


So, can I keep my simple "share" configuration, *and* integrate
NetBIOS
name resolution to my Linux system using Name Service Switch?

FWIW, I posted my smb.conf here: http://pastebin.ca/1019614
<http://pastebin.ca/1019614> and nsswitch.conf here:
http://pastebin.ca/1019612 <http://pastebin.ca/1019612>.

Any hint would be greatly approciated. Wht should I look for?

Regards.