[Samba] new user introduction, and a few questions

[Xen]

kendell clark schreef op 17-07-2016 2:44:
> hi
> Basically I'm trying to come up with a default config file that will
> allow people to access their stuff that reside on windows computers,
> macs or linux computers from across the network. I know windows uses 
> the
> "WORKGROUP" name by default unless you change it, but one thing I've
> noticed is that samba can't simply query windows for the info it needs,
> it has to be set explicitly. Windows is somehow able to figure this
> stuff out. I'm going to guess that the way windows does this is some
> patented ultra secret method that samba can't use or it would. I don't
> know if it's possible to come up with a one size fits all config file,
> but is it possible to come up with one that will work with most
> "default" windows installations where the user hasn't changed the
> settings from the way they're initially set? I'm new to all of this, so
> if there's good docs on all of this, just point me to them and I'll get
> out of your hair.

Again, it has nothing to do with Samba.

If you install the smbclient package, you can do:

smbclient -NL <hostname>

And you will see all the shares.

I am pretty sure it works across Workgroup names, because the -L option 
(list) is oblivious to the -W option (workgroup).

If you are quering the local browse master, you will also see all of the 
other hosts in the network. I don't know how to find this 
programmatically.

The -B option doesn't work for me. When I say "nothing to do with Samba" 
I mean that is not a server configuration thing, this.

Therefore, there is no "one config file" to want here. smb.conf does not 
govern how you browse or access other shares.

If there is a samba tool to discover all of the hosts on a network, and 
I am sure there is, then your GUI can use that to discover everything 
and allow a browse interface.

Dolphin can already do that quite successfully I might add.

It just won't allow you to map anything to a fixed drive like you can so 
easily do on Windows.

Mounting stuff seems to be rather annoying. I don't know how Cinnamon 
does this, for example, with the gnome vfs system.