Browsing across subnets without WINS

[Christopher R. Hertel]

On Wed, Mar 19, 2003 at 11:22:51AM -0600, Steve Langasek wrote:
:
> > The point is, though, that to have multiple workgroups you need to have 
> > multiple LMBs.
> 
> The problem comes from using Win9x as an LMB, since Win9x does NOT do its
> job of exchanging browse lists with the DMB.

I would love to see traces that show this, too.  I'm not sure, though, how 
to get a packet capture of something that doesn't happen.  :)

> You do also need to have some 'exchange point' -- a subnet with
> representatives (functional LMBs) of the various workgroups.  Without
> that, the MS browsing protocols give no way to find out who's in those
> other workgroups.

Right.  That's why Samba has the advanced browsing options.

One note, though.  There was one report somewhere along this thread that
Samba doesn't notice a #1B entry in the lmhosts file.  I don't have
confirmation on this, and if it is true then it may have something to do
with name resolution order, or somesuch problem (that is, a configuration
issue).  If there's anyone who can provide more information on this I 
would love to see it.

> So indeed, if you have a configuration where each
> remote site represents a workgroup, or the only shared subnets are
> running stupid Win9x machines, it becomes difficult to move between
> the workgroups without investing in some hardware for a number of LMBs at
> one of the sites.

I would suggest that an old 486 would do the job just fine.  Run Samba 
with no shares offered, but configured to act as an LMB or even DMB for 
the workgroup.  If you like low-power options, get something like this:  
http://www.soekris.com/

> This can be done with a single Unix machine, though,
> running multiple discrete copies of nmbd on different IPs -- I haven't
> seen anyone do *that* with Windows yet. :)

Yep, and they can be virtual interfaces so you only need one physical 
interface.

Chris -)-----

-- 
Samba Team -- http://www.samba.org/     -)-----   Christopher R. Hertel
jCIFS Team -- http://jcifs.samba.org/   -)-----   ubiqx development, uninq.
ubiqx Team -- http://www.ubiqx.org/     -)-----   crh at ubiqx.mn.org
OnLineBook -- http://ubiqx.org/cifs/    -)-----   crh at ubiqx.org