More cross subnet browsing et al

[Peter de Groot]

> > acquired and configured SAMBA for basically one reason, that being to gain
> > WINS client capabilities for AIX.  Right now it's not working as expected,
> > though.
> 
> hi scott,
> 
> we use gethostbyname(), which is wrapped by "dns proxy = yes/no" in the
> samba WINS server code.  it sounds like you want something similar, but
> just using a different system, if the name isn't in the WINS database.
> 
> don't forget that gethostbyname() isn't just DNS: it's _whatever_ system
> is behind it, the configuration order of which is controlled (usually) by
> /etc/resolv.conf.  so, behind gethostbyname() there may be NIS, NIS+,
> /etc/hosts, LDAP: whatever.
> 
> luke
> 

That makes sense.  When I set wins support = off, the server still 
supplies IP addresses to the clients, or so the log file says.  I 
have to set dns support = off to get rid of this.  

Now I know what is going on it is not a major hassle.

BUT


I view the WINS server as being layered over the 
underlying hostname resolution protocol. i.e.  the WINS server
supplies hostname information PLUS other things -- like which
machine is the local master browser etc. When it gets a request for
a host it does not know about - it then queries the DNS server and
supplies just the IP address.  Well this is the way I read the doc.

I suppose what I am trying to say is.  There should be consistancy in
the 
hostname resolution.  When having network problems, it is hard to
resolve them when hostname resolution appears from thin air.
Does every nmbd daemon act as a DNS server, unless I dns proxy=off, and
regardless of the WINS support flag ????

There has been other comments in the same vein (well same flavour)
in the list also.


Another Problem.  I have a number of LANS connected into our WAN. These 
LANs are running IRIX 6.x - Samba 1.9.17p4 and Windoze95 (no NT around).
We define separate workgroups per LAN, encompassing all of the machines
at that site (LAN).

Reading the docs.  I
1. Defined a WAN wide WINS server.
2. At each site (LAN), I set up Domain master and master browser, for
   the separate workgroups. Each of these domain masters 
   pointed to the WAN wide WINS server.  The WINS server was also a
domain
   master and master browser on one of the workgroups (domains).


       LAN 1 (workgroup 1)      LAN 2  (Workgroup 2)     LAN 3(workgroup
3)
 |-----|-------|------|........|-----|-----|-----| ......
|----|-----|----|
      Master                     Master                      Master
      Browser                    Browser                     Browser
        &
       WINS server



I set up a Windows95 client to use the wins server defined above, and
could only see the samba servers on the local LAN.  I could NOT see the
other workgroups, which are on other networks.

I then set up ALL of the samba servers to be in the one workgroup,
regardless
of LAN, basically following the doc.  This appeared to work. 



In my prefered configuration, checking the log file, there appears to be 
some communication between the master browsers on the various LANS
and the WINS server, but master browsers are not replicating the
workgroup
lists on the other LANS.
It seems that sticking a remote broadcast switch in the smb.conf should 
give me what I want ???? I haven't tested this.

What is the relevence of the lmhosts file ?????????

Is this configuration possible.  It seems logical. Surely I am  not the
only site that wants to do this.  I thought that it would be more common
than the one in the docs.  On first inspection, the doc stuff looks like
a superset of having one domain per LAN, but it isn't.

A utility, like a cross between nmblookup and smbclient, would be very
handy.  I would like to do a query on hostname, and find out from where
it came. It would be nice to be able to point to a WINS server, or 
broadcast. Presumably the wins server points to the master browsers ????
An smbclient -L gives me a workgroup list, but not the contents of the 
list, even on the master.  Maybe the nmblookup program has
the required functionality, but I can't find the doc.  Between
broadcasts,
WINS servers etc  , it get really hard to find out which machines lists
are meaningful, and it would be nice to trace the train of lookups.

Sorry about the length of this missive.


Peter de Groot