A Few Network Questions

I have some questions regarding networking:
1) Is Samba always needed, even if you don't have Windows machines on your network? If not how do I configure the network then?
2) I got Samba set up (used Swerdna's pages) and I can access my desktop from Windows, however my OpenSUSE PC is not showing up under "Micorsoft Windows Network" and I can only access the OpenSUSE box via the IP address.
3) If I get connected to the Samba server I noticed that the name is "Samba-server <serial number>" and not the name of the PC, how can I resolve this?
4) How can I set-up (under Samba) that users need to log in to the OpenSUSE box?

Hi
In answer to 1: You can use NFS, Network File System. For NFS see the documentation installed in your system in openSUSE 10.3 at this location in your filesystem: /usr/share/doc/manual/opensuse-manual_en/manual/cha.nfs.html

In answer to 2: Check the contents of the paragraph labelled [global] in your Samba configuration file located at /etc/samba/smb.conf. It should look pretty much like this:

[global]
workgroup = NAME_OF_WORKGROUP
netbios name = name_of_this_workstation
name resolve order = bcast host lmhosts wins
server string = ""
printing = cups
printcap name = cups
printcap cache time = 750
cups options = raw
use client driver = yes
map to guest = Bad User
local master = yes
preferred master = yes
os level = 65
usershare allow guests = Yes
usershare max shares = 100
usershare owner only = False[/b]

Replace "name_of_this_workstation" and "NAME_OF_WORKGROUP" appropriately.
Only one Linux box in the workgroup can have this line in [global]: preferred master = yes

Question 3: Problem should be fixed with these two lines in [global]:

server string = ""
netbios name = etc etc etc[/b]

Question 4:
Use a share like this:

[linuxshare]
path = /path_to/linuxshare
read only = No
force user = billy[/b]

Where billy is any genuine user. Create the directory "linuxshare" anywhere but make it owned by billy. Add genuine users to the samba user database. Then from windows when challenged, use the credentials of any member of the samba user database.

Swerdna

Thank you for those answers. I know can see my OpenSUSE box under Windows Network.

To be sure regarding your answer to question 4, that [linuxshare] part should be in my smb.conf file as well?

Thank you for those answers. I know can see my OpenSUSE box under Windows Network.

To be sure regarding your answer to question 4, that [linuxshare] part should be in my smb.conf file as well?
[/b]

Yes, you can edit it in because smb.conf is a simple text file. But do it as the root user; eg with kwrite (KDE) or gedit (Gnome).

Swerdna

Thanks, I got it working now.
Is it even possible with Samba (and I couldn't find it or looked in the wrong place) to force a password to the shared PC at all. So that I only have to log on to the shared server and then you're pretty free to roam around?

Edit: typo...

Thanks, I got it working now.
Is it even possible with Samba (and I couldn't find it or looked in the wrong place) to force a password to the shared PC at all. So that I only have to log on to the shared server and then you're pretty free to roam around?

Edit: typo...
[/b]

No you can only get to the share and its subdirectories with Samba. ssh will let you cruise around. Info on ssh is in your documentation on the hard drive at location /usr/share/doc/manual/opensuse-manual_en/manual/index.html

Swerdna