[Samba] Advertising Samba shares on the local network via mDNS

[James Peach]

On 01/02/07, Rishi Srivatsavai <rishisv at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> On 2/1/07, James Peach <jorgar at gmail.com> wrote:
> > On 01/02/07, Rishi Srivatsavai <rishisv at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > On 1/31/07, James Peach <jorgar at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > On 31/01/07, Rishi Srivatsavai < rishisv at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > Hello All,
> > > > >
> > > > > I would like to add support for advertising Samba shares (browseable
> > > ones)
> > > > > on the local network using Multicast DNS. Multicast DNS allows
> > > applications
> > > > > to query/publish network services on the local link. I would
> appreciate
> > > if
> > > > > you
> > > > > could all please share your thoughts on whether such support would
> be
> > > > > welcome in Samba. If you know of existing efforts in Samba to
> include
> > > > > such support please let me know as well.
> > > >
> > > > On Mac OS X, the Samba service is already advertised over mDNS (by
> > > > launchd). It would be useful to add the list of shares to the
> > > > advertisement though.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Do you happen to know what the service type is in the advertisement?
> > > I am guessing this is Samba on Mac OS X Server release. I don't have
> > > access to the Server release to figure it out.
> >
> > No, it's on Desktop. The service type would be whatever launchd
> > decides to advertise ... it's probably derived from
> > /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/smbd.plist somehow.
>
> Hmm looks like it is started up via inetd. If I start it in the foreground
> it doesn't appear to advertise anything though. I also added a
> bonjour key element in the smbd.plist file but still no go. Since there
> is no registered service type on dns-sd.org for samba I am guessing
> there is no support.
>

There is a _smb._tcp service (mdns?) type. I'm damned if I can find
where this is registered, though I get the impression that they are
supposed to be in /etc/services.

http://darwinsource.opendarwin.org/Current/mDNSResponder-107.4/mDNSWindows/DNSServiceBrowser/Windows/Sources/ChooserDialog.cpp
http://www.avahi.org/browser/trunk/service-type-database/service-types?rev=1323

> > Who will be listening for these annoouncements?
>
> Well there are several tools and utilities users could use
> to discover the advertised shares from samba (& all other
> services) running on machines in the network.
> smbclient could also be enhanced to discover shares via mDNS.

fair enough

-- 
James Peach | jorgar at gmail.com