WAN Browsing

[KSiva]

Hi All,

We have WAN network and up and running Everything is fine except the browsing remote computers.

We have cisco router setup peoperly and using Linux samba as WINS server.

We can access the remote machine as typing in command prompt as \\machinename and we can see their workgroup. But we cant see the machine under workgroup. It seems that we are missing something ... but I cant figure out what?

Any help please!!!


Sivakumar Kandaraj
System Administrator,Web Programmer
Melbourne
Australia.

 

[BuckWeet]

Sounds like you have an issue with the Samba server then, Sounds like its not working correctly as a WINS server..
When you use WINS, it will have all the info in there, to provide for name resolution, plus it gives you the capability to do the network neighborhood task, etc...


BuckWeet

 

[wybnormal]

In order to browse across subnets, you need to have ip helper enabled OR UDP forwarding enable for UDP 137 and 138 which are needed by Netbios.

See this link for a good explantion.

http://www.raymer.org/cisco/dcn/data/nwdesign/NT/winnt_dg.htm

You can run a debug on the routers to verify the forwarding of the UDP packets.. or run an accesslist with logging enabled. If you have the packets getting to and from the remote site, then look at SAMBA but my experience says SAMBA either works or it doesnt and if everything else is working, I am guessing it's fine.

Here is a good link for SAMBA being a WINS server

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/samba/chapter/book/ch07_03.html

MikeS
Find me at

http://www.packetattack.com

"Take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots."
Sun Tzu

 

[KSiva]

Hi MikeS,

The CISCO router configured to ip helper with right ip address. I Should be looking more into samba server then!

Thanks for your help!
-- Sivakumar Kandaraj
System Administrator,Web Programmer
Melbourne
Australia.

 

[KSiva]

hi MikeS,

We also thinking about having another WINS server (SAMBA server) in each office. So the wins server will be as local browse master and as well as wins server.

Would that solve the problem OR is it expensive solution for this?

Could you please advice?

--- Sivakumar Kandaraj
System Administrator,Web Programmer
Melbourne
Australia.

 

[wybnormal]

As long as the WINS servers can talk to each other.. Microsoft WINS will push or pull, I dont remember how SAMBA will accomplish the same thing.

I would dig a bit deeper to verify that the needed packets are in fact getting to where they need to be. Are you sending the UDP packets to a set IP address or a broadcast address?

ie.. 192.168.1.255 (broadcast) or 192.168.1.1 (directed)

Sometimes using one or the other can make a difference.

How are you managing the SAMBA box? Webadmin? command line? I would suggest WebAdmin which easy access to the various settings that SAMBA uses.

MikeS
Find me at

http://www.packetattack.com

"Take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots."
Sun Tzu

 

[KSiva]

Hi Mark,

I am using webmin to do the job!

And I am sending the packets to a broadcast ip address from wins server!

We also have another samba server running as primary server for the same workgroup. Is that what causing the problem??? May be???

We also made our decision to send a samba server to each offices. Do you have any tips to setup samba server in each office? Anything that I should not do

Thanks for your help so far Mark!

--- Sivakumar Kandaraj
System Administrator,Web Programmer
Melbourne
Australia.

 

[wybnormal]

Dont forget you need IP helper on both sides.. for both ways as the client can start the connection TO the server or the server can start the connection TO send master browser lists and so on.. if it's only one way.. it wont work correctly

MikeS
Find me at

http://www.packetattack.com

"Take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots."
Sun Tzu