samba - Dec 2008 - Do I need a WINS server if I want to browse?

The docs aren't clear, so don't think that I'm being lazy and want a
quick answer. (I'm reading Ch 10 of the how-to)

On the one hand it says, "where there is no WINS server, all name
registrations + name lookups are done by UPD broadcast." So then I
don't need a WINS server.

But then it says, "Clients wishing to browse the network make use of this
[DMB] list but also depend on the availability of correct name
resolution..."

So then I need a working DNS setup and a WINS server (if I use a DMB) and only
in the case of a DMB? Can someone clarify this for me?

Here's my setup:

* only one subnet
* mixed environment (windows + linux)
* all boxes using NetBIOS over TCP/IP (default)

AND

* DNS is NOT working

You don't need a WINS server if you're in only one subnet (no routers
on your network).

But even in that case i advice you to use one to avoid broadcasts.

DNS is not used for NetBIOS name resolution. Broadcasts and WINS are
used for NetBIOS name resolution (and registration).

2008/12/17 Uriel Avalos <amscopub-mail@yahoo.com>:
> The docs aren't clear, so don't think that I'm being lazy and
want a quick answer. (I'm reading Ch 10 of the how-to)
>
> On the one hand it says, "where there is no WINS server, all name
registrations + name lookups are done by UPD broadcast." So then I
don't need a WINS server.
>
> But then it says, "Clients wishing to browse the network make use of
this [DMB] list but also depend on the availability of correct name
resolution..."
>
> So then I need a working DNS setup and a WINS server (if I use a DMB) and
only in the case of a DMB? Can someone clarify this for me?
>
> Here's my setup:
>
> * only one subnet
> * mixed environment (windows + linux)
> * all boxes using NetBIOS over TCP/IP (default)
>
> AND
>
> * DNS is NOT working
> --
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>

I tried the UPD broadcast only method on a test network with  2 computers. It
took about 5 minutes for the workgroup to show up in the network neighborhood.

Is that the slowness you are talking about? Or is a WINS server the same?

On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 02:36:46PM -0600, Dale Schroeder
wrote:
>    WINS is not absolutely required, but it does make things faster and more
>    reliable and is quite easy to set up in Samba.
>    In workgroups, I like to make a Samba server the master browser and WINS
>    server.
>    DNS becomes a necessity when the network is an AD domain.  In the small
>    network you described in your original mail, DNS would not be required.
> 
>    Basically, the more complex your setup, the more of these name
resolution
>    servers you would want.
> 
>    Dale
> 
>    Uriel Avalos wrote:
> 
>  The docs aren't clear, so don't think that I'm being lazy and
want a quick answer. (I'm reading Ch 10 of the how-to)
> 
>  On the one hand it says, "where there is no WINS server, all name
registrations + name lookups are done by UPD broadcast." So then I
don't need a WINS server.
> 
>  But then it says, "Clients wishing to browse the network make use of
this [DMB] list but also depend on the availability of correct name
resolution..."
> 
>  So then I need a working DNS setup and a WINS server (if I use a DMB) and
only in the case of a DMB? Can someone clarify this for me?
> 
>  Here's my setup:
> 
>  * only one subnet
>  * mixed environment (windows + linux)
>  * all boxes using NetBIOS over TCP/IP (default)
> 
>  AND
> 
>  * DNS is NOT working
>