[Samba] bug - 3.0.14, 3.0.21 intractable browsing problems - help needed

[Stephen Bosch]

Gordon Messmer wrote:
> Stephen Bosch wrote:
>>
>> If the Samba server is the domain browser, the Network Neighborhood (or
>> My Network Places) for the domain is empty. As soon we reset the server
>> to not be a browser of any sort, another machine on the network takes
>> over, and we see all the hosts. This is even though we can connect to
>> the Samba PDC and view shares, and even though the Samba PDC knows it's
>> the browser.
> 
> If you use "smbclient -L <server>" on the PDC's command line, does it
> list the hosts in the local network?

'smbclient -L PDC' on the PDC gives:

> added interface ip=10.130.1.202 bcast=10.130.1.255 nmask=255.255.255.0
> Password:
> Domain=[HEDL] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.0.14a]
> 
>         Sharename       Type      Comment
>         ---------       ----      -------
>         print$          Disk
>         psqlfiles       Disk      PSQL Files on Linux for Workgroup Engines
>         public          Disk      Common Hedlin Lauder shares
>         accounting      Disk      accounting files
>         IPC$            IPC       IPC Service (Samba Server 3.0.14a)
>         ADMIN$          IPC       IPC Service (Samba Server 3.0.14a)
>         laserjet        Printer   HP Laserjet 1300 series
>         root            Disk      Home Directories
> Domain=[HEDL] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.0.14a]
> 
>         Server               Comment
>         ---------            -------
>         PDC                  Samba Server 3.0.14a
>         VMWAREXP
>         VODACOMM
> 
>         Workgroup            Master
>         ---------            -------
>         HEDL                 PDC
>         OFFICE               ACCOUNTS
>         WORKGROUP            WOPR

... so it's building a proper browse list.

This is what 'nbtstat -a PDC' from an XP machine (VODACOMM) in the
domain shows:

>     
> Local Area Connection:
> Node IpAddress: [10.130.1.10] Scope Id: []
> 
>            NetBIOS Remote Machine Name Table
> 
>        Name               Type         Status
>     ---------------------------------------------
>     PDC            <00>  UNIQUE      Registered 
>     PDC            <03>  UNIQUE      Registered 
>     PDC            <20>  UNIQUE      Registered 
>     ..__MSBROWSE__.<01>  GROUP       Registered 
>     HEDL           <00>  GROUP       Registered 
>     HEDL           <1B>  UNIQUE      Registered 
>     HEDL           <1C>  UNIQUE      Registered 
>     HEDL           <1D>  UNIQUE      Registered 
>     HEDL           <1E>  GROUP       Registered 
> 
>     MAC Address = 00-00-00-00-00-00
> 

I understand the empty MAC address is not supposed to be a concern, but
I have no idea why.

Here is 'net view' from the same XP machine, captured from a Cygwin window:

> root at vodacomm ~
> $ net view
> System error 64 has occurred.
> 
> The specified network name is no longer available.
> 
> 
> root at vodacomm ~
> $ net view
> There are no entries in the list.
> 
> 
> root at vodacomm ~
> $ net view /DOMAIN:HEDL
> There are no entries in the list.
> 
> 
> root at vodacomm ~
> $

Believe me, this reflects exactly what I see in the "My Network Places"
browse window, which is nothing whatsoever.

-Stephen-