[Samba] Problem with null passwords and samba

[dbenwit at canada.com]

Hi all,

I recently installed a file server at a client site using COL Server 3.1.1 and Samba 2.2.3a. The file server was configured to be a member server in the Windows NT domain using the global parameter "server = domain" in the smb.conf file. I am using winbind to allow users to be authenticated by the PDC NT server for the domain.
In general, everything seems to be working as I expected,  except for one issue. The client is a computer training site which uses separate user accounts for each computer in the classroom. In order to make it easier for the teacher and students, the passwords for these accounts are blank or null. The problem is that when you log onto one of these computers using an account with no password and then try to browse the samba file server using Network Neighborhood, you are asked for a password (entering a blank password does not work). In contrast, if you log onto a computer with a user account which has a password, you can browse the file server in network neighborhood without any problems.
I don't understand why the samba file server is not allowing access to these accounts with no password. I would have thought that they would be treated the same as accounts with passwords. I have tried using the global parameter "null passwords = yes" in the smb.conf file but this does not appear to make any difference.
Any help with this problem would be greatly appreciated. Below is info on my configuration for samba

nsswitch.conf

# /etc/nsswitch.conf
#
# Name Service Switch configuration file.
#

passwd:         files winbind
shadow:         files winbind
group:          files winbind

hosts:          files nis dns
networks:       nis files dns

ethers:         nis files
protocols:      nis files
rpc:            nis files
services:       nis files

______________________________________________________
smb.conf

# Global parameters
[global]
         workgroup = DUFF-LAB
         netbios name = LAB-2
         server string = Samba Server on Caldera OpenLinux
         security = domain
         password server = lab-1
         encrypt passwords = Yes
         null passwords = yes
      #winbind configuration
         winbind separator = +
         winbind cache time = 10
         template shell = /bin/bash
         winbind uid = 10000-20000
         winbind gid = 10000-20000
         winbind enum users = yes
         winbind enum groups = yes
      #end
         log file = /var/log/samba.d/smb.%m
         max log size = 200
         socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
         dns proxy = No
         wins server = 10.251.8.61
         admin users = dave

______________________________________________________
/etc/pam.d/samba


auth       required   /lib/security/pam_securetty.so
auth       required   /lib/security/pam_nologin.so
auth       sufficient  /lib/security/pam_winbind.so  nullok
auth       required   /lib/security/pam_pwdb.so    shadow nullok use_first_pass
account    required   /lib/security/pam_winbind.so

Thanks in advance,
Dave

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