Dolphin will not navigate network with clicks

English Network/Internet
1

After recent samba updates, Dolphin will no longer navigate through the network with clicks. Clicking Network under Places, then Samba Shares, gives an empty list. Before it gave the workgroup, and clicking that gave the network computers, which could be clicked for access.

This happens with the firewall on or off. Firewall has automatic helper value = yes.

In Dolphin, putting smb://192.168.1.105 in the address bar does go to the target machine.

What went wrong with the GUI click approach?

/etc/samba/smb.conf global stanza is

[global]
    workgroup = CANDH
    passdb backend = tdbsam
    netbios name = HP-oS15KDE
    server string = ""
    name resolve order = bcast host lmhosts wins
    local master = yes
    preferred master = auto
    os level = 65
    printing = cups
    printcap name = cups
    printcap cache time = 750
    cups options = raw
    map to guest = Bad User
    include = /etc/samba/dhcp.conf
#    logon path = \\%L\profiles\.msprofile
#    logon home = \\%L\%U\.9xprofile
#    logon drive = P:
    usershare allow guests = No
    wins support = No
    ldap admin dn = 
    wins server =

Thanks,

2

Hi Howard. I recall your recent thread on this subject, and I explained in post#4 about samba security changes that have resulted in NetBIOS-based discovery being inhibited now. That shouldn’t stop you from explicitly navigating by IP address (or DNS name) though. You should also be able to use ‘smbtree’ for such discovery as well. I typically create shortcuts (Dolphin’s ‘Paces’ panel) so that I can quickly reach samba hosts (without any future discovery needed).

3

This may also be of relevance to you:
https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/528981-smb-doesn-t-show-workgroup?p=2868138#post2868138

4

My recent thread you mention was a firewall issue, resolved as you advised by setting firewall automatic helper value = yes.
This one is a samba issue. You are right, Dolphin accesses network machines by both IP address and DNS name.
Smbtree did not quite work for discovery, though. On first try I got

howard@HP-oS15KDE:~> smbtree
CANDH
\HP-OS15KDE
\HP-OS15KDE\HP_LaserJet_Pro_MFP_M127fn_fax B&W laserjet
\HP-OS15KDE\HP_LaserJet_Pro_MFP_M127fn B&W laserjet
\HP-OS15KDE\IPC$ IPC Service (“”)
\HP-OS15KDE\print$ Printer Drivers
\HP-OS15KDE\groups All groups
\HP-OS15KDE\users All users
\HP-OS15KDE\profiles Network Profiles Service
\BUFFALO DD-WRT
\BUFFALO DD-WRT\IPC$ IPC Service ()
\BUFFALO DD-WRT\PUBLIC PUBLIC
howard@HP-oS15KDE:~>
finding just the local machine and the router I had just accessed through the browser.

After I accessed e550win10 using smb://e550win10 in Dolphin, I got

howard@HP-oS15KDE:~> smbtree
CANDH
\HP-OS15KDE
\HP-OS15KDE\HP_LaserJet_Pro_MFP_M127fn_fax B&W laserjet
\HP-OS15KDE\HP_LaserJet_Pro_MFP_M127fn B&W laserjet
\HP-OS15KDE\IPC$ IPC Service (“”)
\HP-OS15KDE\print$ Printer Drivers
\HP-OS15KDE\groups All groups
\HP-OS15KDE\users All users
\HP-OS15KDE\profiles Network Profiles Service
\E550WIN10 ThinkPad E550
\BUFFALO DD-WRT
\BUFFALO DD-WRT\IPC$ IPC Service ()
\BUFFALO DD-WRT\PUBLIC PUBLIC
howard@HP-oS15KDE:~>
now finding that one other network machine.

In the other thread you linked, you say

There is an ‘ugly’ workaround available if you really want to get samba network discovery working in Dolphin again…
Why do you consider the workaround ugly? I have not tried it yet. I did add e550win10 to Dolphin’s Places.
Thanks,

5

Yes, I remember that, but I was really pointing you at post #4 which related to the behaviour you’re now asking about.

This one is a samba issue. You are right, Dolphin accesses network machines by both IP address and DNS name.
Smbtree did not quite work for discovery, though. On first try I got finding just the local machine and the router I had just accessed through the browser.

After I accessed e550win10 using smb://e550win10 in Dolphin, I gotnow finding that one other network machine.

That’s fairly typical behaviour, depending on how long hosts have been up. IIRC, smbtree queries the elected local master browser which relies on cache. You can force smbtree to use NetBIOS broadcasts instead using the -b option. NetBIOS broadcast discovery is not the most efficient method of discovery though (depending on the number of hosts an network topology).

In the other thread you linked, you sayWhy do you consider the workaround ugly? I have not tried it yet.

It relies on other windows/samba hosts to allow/support the NetBIOS protocols, which have largely been deprecated for security reasons. More reading if you like…
https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-security/the-problem-with-netbios/
https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-security/disable-netbios-and-smb-to-protect-public-web-servers-97871/
https://support.hidemyass.com/hc/en-us/articles/202720396-Security-risks-Netbios-port-exposure-remote-access-removal

I did add e550win10 to Dolphin’s Places.
Thanks,

That’s good. Discovery was a ‘nice-to have’, but not essential to most of us. :slight_smile:

6

Thanks for the links; quite educational. Interesting that the first two were from 2007 and 2008. Hardly a new issue. I’'ll stay away from the ugliness.

Previous Dolphin function of navigating around our home network with a few clicks was indeed a ‘nice-to have’. But I can get all machines communicating without it.
Regards,