[Samba] Browsing shares of a server

[Rowland penny]

On 27/09/2019 19:18, Christopher Cox via samba wrote:
> On 9/27/19 1:11 PM, Rowland penny via samba wrote:
>> On 27/09/2019 18:57, Christopher Cox via samba wrote:
>>> On 9/27/19 12:48 PM, Rowland penny via samba wrote:
>>>> On 27/09/2019 18:33, Christopher Cox via samba wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I understand the "Function Discovery" side and wsdd (which is fine 
>>>>> for local same network discovery somewhat similar to Network 
>>>>> Neighborhood). I'm saying that even without that if I browse to 
>>>>> just a computer in Windows Explorer, I get to see the shares that 
>>>>> I have access to.  I'd like that sort of feature in smbclient (if 
>>>>> possible).
>>>>>
>>>>> smbclient's "way" has relied on NT1/SMB1 stuff.  Just wondering if 
>>>>> anyone know how to make this work the Windows way.
>>>>>
>>>> That's not what you asked ;-)
>>>
>>> Hmmm... I thought I was clear, but maybe not.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> There is extensive work being done on SMBv2/3, I am sure that 
>>>> something like wsdd will get folded into the mix, but it won't be 
>>>> for some time. Getting the core components working similar to the 
>>>> way SMBv1 works will be the emphasis and some form of network 
>>>> browsing will probably come later.
>>>
>>>
>>> Again, wsdd (WS-DISCOVERY), which is not enabled (and perhaps not 
>>> really encouraged by Microsoft) by default on Windows, it's not 
>>> needed for what I'm talking about.
>>>
>>> Browse to \\computer-name see shares I have access to.  Can't do 
>>> this with smbclient.  Prior method of using NT1/SMB1 isn't right for 
>>> today. Windows (and MacOS) manage to show browseable shares without 
>>> SMB1. I'd just love to see this somehow in smbclient.
>>>
>> It wasn't clear from your first post (not to me) whether you wanted 
>> Samba to be visible to Windows, or the other way around.
>>
>> At the moment, if you don't use SMBv1 everywhere, the only way for a 
>> Samba machine to be visible to Windows is to use wsdd or similar. 
>> There doesn't appear to be a client version of wsdd, so this will not 
>> work from Unix.
>>
>> As for smbclient, this has never used networking browsing, you use it 
>> to connect to a specific share on a specific computer.
>
> Ok, still not really communicating.  Not talking about host discovery 
> (Network Neighborhood).  That doesn't work (by default) in Windows, 
> etc. without SMB1 (and again, not enable by default, talking 
> WS-DISCOVERY in Windows either).
>
> What I'm talking about is share enumeration somehow can be done if you 
> know the target already.  I'm talking about correct share 
> enumeration... that is the ability to see the available (shares for 
> which I have permission to see) shares of a host when you already know 
> the target. Windows and MacOS can do this.  I'd just love to see 
> something like this in smbclient.
>
I repeat, smbclient never had anything to do with network browsing, so 
it is unlikely to have anything to do with Network Discovery. Perhaps 
you are thinking of libsmbclient ? this can be used by other packages to 
provide network browsing.

You could always code up what you require and propose it as a patch for 
Samba.

Rowland