[Pkg-samba-maint] Bug#518228: After upgrading to lenny - samba ceased to be a normal browser and a network of computers in the list shows only you.

[Steve Langasek]

On Thu, Mar 05, 2009 at 08:26:13AM +0200, Oleg Litvinov wrote:

>>> Subject: After upgrading to lenny - samba ceased to be a normal browser
>>> and a network of computers in the list shows only you.

>> What tool are you using to do the browsing?

> 1. explorer
> 2. browser monitor (resource kit win 2000) - 	
> screenshot attached

Ok.  I don't have convenient access to Windows to test this, but I can say
that I am not seeing any problems with the browsing behavior of Samba 3.2.5
among Linux machines.

There are several things I notice about your smb.conf, however:

On Thu, Mar 05, 2009 at 09:16:21AM +0200, Oleg Litvinov wrote:
> # Samba config file created using SWAT
> # from 192.168.107.202 (192.168.107.202)
> # Date: 2007/08/16 16:38:50

> [global]
>         server string = %h server (Samba %v)
> #       interfaces = 127.0.0.1, 169.254.0.1/16, 192.168.107.1/255.255.255.0
>         interfaces = 127.0.0.1, 169.254.0.1/16
>         bind interfaces only = Yes

This means that your Samba server is only accessible via the loopback and
link-local addresses.  Is this intentional?  It's a very unusual
configuration.

>         os level = 255
>         lm announce = No
>         preferred master = Yes
>         domain master = Yes

Combined with the previous entries, this is broken.  You're declaring that a
host that can't be reached at any routable address should function as a
Domain Master Browser.  The purpose of a Domain Master Browser is to collate
browse lists from multiple subnets.  Having a domain master browser that
can't reach any other subnets is pointless, and will interfere with the
operation of any other servers on your network that *can* reach other
subnets.

Also, setting 'preferred master' is fine, but there is no reason you should
need to adjust the 'os level'.  Raising the os level means your samba will
win local master browser elections even if there are other, better-connected
machines on the network that could fulfill this task.

> #       socket address = 127.0.0.1 169.254.0.1 192.168.107.1
>         socket address = 127.0.0.1 169.254.0.1

The smb.conf manpage explains that this should only be needed if you're
running more than one nmbd instance on the same machine.  Is this the case
for you?  If not, I recommend you drop this line.

>         security = SHARE

Well, this is generally a bad idea in terms of the security of password
negotiation over the network, but should have no impact on browse lists.

>         smb ports = 139

This reduces compatibility as a fileserver, but again should have no impact
on browse lists.

>         dns proxy = No
>         wins support = Yes

This is also broken.  The purpose of WINS is to bridge netbios name
resolution across multiple subnets, but your Samba is configured to not be
able to talk to other subnets.  So at best, this is unneccesary because you
only have one subnet and therefore don't need WINS; at worst, it's breaking
WINS for your network.

Given the above, I think you probably have a configuration problem rather
than a bug in Samba.

Please bear in mind also that after restarting samba, it takes a while to
re-collate browse lists for the network, even if everything else is
configured correctly; so after upgrading your browse list will be empty for
a short while until all of the machines re-establish contact.

-- 
Steve Langasek                   Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer                   to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer                                    http://www.debian.org/
slangasek at ubuntu.com                                     vorlon at debian.org