[Samba]RE: Syncing WINS

[Keith Warno]

|winipcfg & ipconfig /all both confirm that I am using that
|WINS server.
|Like I said, I can't see the computers in Network
|Neighborhood, but if I
|\\MACHINE, then it comes up.

Yes, at that point it's probably doing a query for the IP using the name
(via DNS or whatever).

|Would it be worth it to add the 2 subnets to the interfaces option in
|smb.conf?  would this do anything despite the fact taht I only have the
|1 ip address for that local subnet?
|

Shouldn't need an interfaces option at all.

What would be worth it here is to show you relevant options from two of
my samba boxes: the first being the WINS box (on one subnet), the second
being a box that's actually used as a router between, oh, 14 subnets or
so.  (The second boxe's soul purpose is to be a master browser for all
nets it sits on; saves having to put a samba box on each individual
net.)

So here we go:


---- WINS BOX -----
[global]
  min passwd length = 4
  log level = 2
  syslog = 0
  log file = /var/log/samba/samba-log.%m
  max log size = 16
  nt acl support = No
  os level = 69
  local master = True
  preferred master = True
  domain master = True
  wins support = Yes
  oplock break wait time = 20
  printer admin = kw
  security mask = 00
  directory security mask = 00
  map archive = No
  strict locking = Yes

---- BOX 2 ----
[global]
  log file = /var/log/samba/samba-log.%m
  dns proxy = no
  wins proxy = No
  os level = 69
  local master = Yes
  preferred master = Yes
  domain master = No
  wins server = 192.168.1.10
  #remote browse sync = 192.168.1.10
  guest account = nobody
  map to guest = Never
  guest ok = No
  guest only = No
  max connections = 0
  log level = 2
  syslog = 0
  max log size = 16
  nt acl support = No
  map archive = No
  security mask = 0
  directory security mask = 0



The OS level bit is important; set it to an arbitrarily high number to
ensure your samba box wins (not "WINS".. hehe) the browser elections on
all subnets it's attached to and becomes the "local master" browser.

You need a domain master browser as well.  This part is absolutely
crucial to get WAN browsing to work.  From the swat help:

----
Tell nmbd(8) to enable WAN-wide browse list collation. Setting this
option causes nmbd to claim a special domain specific NetBIOS name that
identifies it as a domain master browser for its given workgroup. Local
master browsers in the same workgroup on broadcast-isolated subnets will
give this nmbd their local browse lists, and then ask smbd(8) for a
complete copy of the browse list for the whole wide area network.
Browser clients will then contact their local master browser, and will
receive the domain-wide browse list, instead of just the list for their
broadcast-isolated subnet.

Note that Windows NT Primary Domain Controllers expect to be able to
claim this workgroup specific special NetBIOS name that identifies them
as domain master browsers for that workgroup by default (i.e. there is
no way to prevent a Windows NT PDC from attempting to do this). This
means that if this parameter is set and nmbd claims the special name for
a workgroup before a Windows NT PDC is able to do so then cross subnet
browsing will behave strangely and may fail.

If domain logons = yes , then the default behavior is to enable the
domain master parameter. If domain logons is not enabled (the default
setting), then neither will domain master be enabled by default.

Default: domain master = auto
----END

While we're at it, here's the bit for the "wins support" paramter:

----
This boolean controls if the nmbd(8) process in Samba will act as a WINS
server. You should not set this to true unless you have a
multi-subnetted network and you wish a particular nmbd to be your WINS
server. Note that you should NEVER set this to true on more than one
machine in your network.

Default: wins support = no
----END

Note that it says "NEVER" to set this paramter to true for more than one
machine on your net (as I mentioned yesterday).


Furthermore, the "wins server" paramter:

----
This specifies the IP address (or DNS name: IP address for preference)
of the WINS server that nmbd(8) should register with. If you have a WINS
server on your network then you should set this to the WINS server's IP.

You should point this at your WINS server if you have a multi-subnetted
network.

NOTE. You need to set up Samba to point to a WINS server if you have
multiple subnets and wish cross-subnet browsing to work correctly.

See the documentation file BROWSING.txt in the docs/ directory of your
Samba source distribution.

Default: not enabled

Example: wins server = 192.9.200.1
----END


I think it's a sane idea to make your WINS server and the domain master
browser the same machine.



kw