[PLUG] Network Analysis

[aaron at ultravolt.net]

Roderick A. Anderson said:
> On Fri, 21 May 2004, Michael Montagne wrote:
>
>> I'm trying to integrate a samba server in a windows 98 peer to peer
>> network.  Some machines can't even ping the samba machine and vice
>> versa while others can.  Is there a tool or command to scan the subnet
>> and tell me which machines I can find so I can start looking for
>> similarities?  Is there a better approach?
>
> There is fping (can't remember where to find it) but I'd suggest you power
> the whole network down.  Start up the hubs/switches/routers and then the
> Samba server.  After they're all running start the windows systems one at
> a time.  I quite often had trouble with Win9x systems on a not-Windows
> only network.  The stupid Windows machines and the MS TCP/IP stack would
> get something in the mind and not let go of it.  ARP tables whatever. And
> just retarting didn't work very often.  It took a complete powerdown.
>    If this doesn't help try removing and reinstalling the TCP/IP stack and
> if all else fails the NIC drivers.
>
> Of course the network experts on the list probably have a better solution
> but I usually got so mad I resorted to the bigger hammer technique.
>
>
> Rod

I believe the technical reason for this problem is the browse master
configuration in the "Client for Microsoft Networks" service component on
the windows boxes. One of the windows boxes has elected itself browse
master, and the samba netbios daemon is probably not configured to allow
being a slave. The reason powering down all the windows boxes works, is
because then the linux box can make itself master before any windows boxes
can challenge it.

I'm not familiar with Samba enough to know if you can configure browse
master settings. I'm sure you can, and if so, that might be a place to
start as far as resolving your issue.

Aaron