[Samba] interfaces parameter use needs clarification

[Chris Smith]

In the thread titled:

Re: [Samba] Mandrake 9.0: rpcclient problem exporting printers to samba
for windows

There exists some advice whcih brings confusion:

> > interfaces = 10.0.0.2/24
> 
> I think this could be a problem, you should list the loopback address in
> your interfaces list (lo or 127.0.0.1)
> 

I've seen this advice before in the "Unofficial Samba HOWTO" yet it
doesn't seem to jive with the "Offical" documentation. I wish someone in
the know would spill the beans on the real truth.

The smb.conf doc states these choices:

=========================================
The option takes a list of interface strings. Each string can be in any
of the following forms:

      * a network interface name (such as eth0). This may include
        shell-like wildcards so eth* will match any interface starting
        with the substring "eth"
        
      * an IP address. In this case the netmask is determined from the
        list of interfaces obtained from the kernel
        
      * an IP/mask pair. 
        
      * a broadcast/mask pair.
=========================================

And provides an example:

=========================================
interfaces = eth0 192.168.2.10/24 192.168.3.10/255.255.255.0
=========================================

As well as stating the default:

=========================================
Default: all active interfaces except 127.0.0.1 that are broadcast
capable
=========================================

Which clearly, and seemingly purposely, leaves out the lo interface.

Furthermore in the "Unoffcial Samba HOWTO" it is stated:

=========================================
A common mistake is to set the interfaces line to the specific IP
address of the box, when it is actually the IP subnet that your
interface is on that you want to use. Assuming your server runs on
192.168.0.1 and your netmask is 255.255.255.0, your smb.conf file should
look like:

        interfaces = 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0 127.0.0.1
=========================================

However this also does not reconcile with the smb.conf manual, nor the
examples which clearly show the use of the IP address of the interface
itself as proper.

Please can someone clear this up.

Thanks.

Chris