I need help in setting up my home network. Can someone guide me through it?

You’ve been a bit derailed. So I’ll try to make a logical steam for you.

I’m basing this stream on the assumption that the XP machines can browse the Internet, tell me if I’m right or wrong (that’s question 1).

If I’m right, then the info you gave for the IP addressing is reliable and we should build on it.

So you should use this for the gateway in openSUSE:192.168.1.254 – because it works for XP.

And the IP range for the openSUSE machines is 192.168.1.x because that works for XP.

You have pinged 192.168.1.40 and 192.168.1.41 from an XP machine and got a nil return is that right (that’s question 2)? If that’s “yes” then we can use those addresses for Linux, because they’re available/unused.

So use Yast to configure one Linux box with IP 192.168.1.40 and gateway 192.168.1.254 and DNS servers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 and the other Linux box with IP 192.168.1.41 and gateway 192.168.1.254 and DNS servers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

The Yast Pathway is Yast → Network Devices → Network Settings → Global options → Enable “traditional method with ifup”. Then the “overview” Tab and “edit” the ethernet entry and choose “statically assigned” and put in 192.168.1.40 (on one machine but 41 on the other) and subnet as /24 – Then click Next and then the hostname/dns tab and enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 in name servers and then the “routing” Tab and enter 192.168.1.254

When tha’ts done for both, run these commands for both and report here the results for both:

  • /sbin/ifconfig | grep Bcast
  • /sbin/route | grep default

Thank you Swerdna. The answer to both questions is yes.

Here is output from Suse 11.3 machine.

carter@linux-bf7h:~> /sbin/ifconfig | grep Bcast
inet addr:192.168.1.41 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
carter@linux-bf7h:~> /sbin/route | grep default
default 192.168.1.254 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0
carter@linux-bf7h:~>

john@linux-ingr:~> /sbin/ifconfig | grep Bcast
inet addr:192.168.1.40 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
john@linux-ingr:~> /sbin/route | grep default
default 192.168.1.254 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0
john@linux-ingr:~>

Output from 12.2 64bit machine

I’m a bit in the dark here. Guessing again. You have emulated the settings that appear in the XP machines.
Let’s check out the connectivity of the openSUSE machines.
Can each openSUSE machine can now see sites on the www?
Can you get a response from each openSUSE machine when each pings the other in console window?
Like this:

john@linux-ingr:~> ping 192.168.1.41
PING 192.168.1.41 (192.168.1.41) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.1.41: icmp_seq=1 ttl=128 time=0.304 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.41: icmp_seq=2 ttl=128 time=0.165 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.41: icmp_seq=3 ttl=128 time=0.178 ms

and similarly for:

carter@linux-bf7h:~> ping 192.168.1.40

does that respond correctly too?

If those work OK we can move on to get the XP machines seeing each other on the network, in a file-sharing sense, and the openSUE machines too.

Thanks.

I am one step ahead of you here. I have already successfully pinged 192.168.1.41 ( from 40) and both XP machines ( 64 and 65)

Excellent. All computers can see the internet, all computers can ping each other. Now they should be able to see each other in the “network and sharing” sense.

Open the Linux firewalls. Yast → security and users → firewall → interfaces. The “interface or string” should be in the “external” zone.
Also (Yast → security and users -->) firewall → Allowed Services → service to allow. Add Netbios server & Samba Client & Samba server

Then make the workgroup name the same, identical, for all four boxes, 2 x xp and 2 x Linux.
In Linux you edit the file smb.conf located at /etc/samba/smb.conf and in the line “workgroup = xxxxxxxx” you make it “workgroup = WORKGROUP”
In XP goto Control panel → system → “computer name” and the button “change” will allow to make workgroup to be WORKGROUP if it is not already correct.
of course, you can have some other single-word name for the workgroup. It just needs to be the same for every box in the LAN.

Wile you’re in the files smb.conf, put this line anywhere in the [global] stanza:

name resolve order = bcast host lmhosts wins

And if the line “netbios name = xxxxxxxxxxxxxx” does not exist in the [global] stanza, then create it. The word xxxxxxxxxx is the network name for the openSUSE box. Make it absolutely unique in the LAN. I.e all four boxes, Linux and XP, must have different network names. Pick names whatever you like. In xp goto control panel → system → computer name. The netbios/network name is there as “full computer name”. Make it unique in the LAN.

OK at this point you should be able to see the four computers in the network browsers of each computer. But first you’ll need to make them all familiar with each other by rebooting. But reboot them one at a time sequentially, waiting till a boot has fully finished + 1 minute before booting the next machine. And do the sequence of booting the 4 machines twice. This makes them talk nicely to each other.

I have a correction to make before proceeding. When I ping the (64 ip) XP machine. . .I do not get the same continuous output that I got from the 65 XP machine. I am thinking that this is a problem. The output is shown below. It seems to hang. i.e. I do not get the command line back. What is going on. Also when I bring up my AT&T summary page at address 192.168.1.254 the linux machines are not recognized on that page. What the heck is going on? LOL.

john@linux-ingr:~> ping 192.168.1.64
PING 192.168.1.64 (192.168.1.64) 56(84) bytes of data.

fyi. . . . . However, I can successfully ping all machines from xp 64. (It is a laptop)

No machine can successfully ping xp 64 When I try from xp 65, I get “request timed out” 4 packets sent 0 packets received.

On 09/22/2012 07:56 AM, jdcart15 wrote:
>
> No machine can successfully ping xp 64 When I try from xp 65, I get
> “request timed out” 4 packets sent 0 packets received.
>
>
Turn off any proprietary (e.g. norton or avg etc) firewalls on the 64 xp
and try pinging again.
if no improvement turn off the 64 xp internal windows firewall and try again

results??


Regards
swerdna

OK. Success. Only firewall I have is the Windows internal. I unchecked the “allow exception” box and now I can successfully ping 64. So I now proceed to your prior post? Much thanks!

After following the instructions here is what I have. Both xp machines can see each other in “my Network places”. Neither can see the linux machines. Both linux machines can see both xp machines. Linux machines cannot see each other. Computer names have been assigned by AT&T. Computer name changes in xp were ignored. I tried fresh names with the linux machines as well as at&t assigned names (in netbios global properties) neither names were recognized in xps “My Network Places” Could this be firewall settings on the linux machines?

You said: Linux machines cannot see each other – Please copy here the files smb.conf.

I don’t understand the “at&t assigned names”, can you explain how that happens / what that is?

You said: “Could this be firewall settings on the linux machines?”. If you run this command for both machines and report back the results exactly, I can tell you if the openSUSE firewalls are correctly configured:

cat /etc/sysconfig/SuSEfirewall2 | egrep "FW_CONFIGURATIONS_EXT=|FW_DEV_EXT="

watch out for typos.

Finally, in each openSUSE, what do you get from this command:

smbtree -N

Here is smb file for Linux 12.2 machine (40) The AT&T assigned name is used. I first had it named linux1

smb.conf is the main Samba configuration file. You find a full commented

version at /usr/share/doc/packages/samba/examples/smb.conf.SUSE if the

samba-doc package is installed.

Date: 2012-08-08

[global]
workgroup = WORKGROUP
netbios name = linux-ingr
name resolve order = bcast host lmhosts wins
passdb backend = tdbsam
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 = Yes
[homes]
comment = Home Directories
valid users = %S, %D%w%S
browseable = No
read only = No
inherit acls = Yes
[profiles]
comment = Network Profiles Service
path = %H
read only = No
store dos attributes = Yes
create mask = 0600
directory mask = 0700
[users]
comment = All users
path = /home
read only = No
inherit acls = Yes
veto files = /aquota.user/groups/shares/
[groups]
comment = All groups
path = /home/groups
read only = No
inherit acls = Yes
[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/tmp
printable = Yes
create mask = 0600
browseable = No
[print$]
comment = Printer Drivers
path = /var/lib/samba/drivers
write list = @ntadmin root
force group = ntadmin
create mask = 0664
directory mask = 0775

john@linux-ingr:~> cat /etc/sysconfig/SuSEfirewall2 | egrep “FW_CONFIGURATIONS_EXT=|FW_DEV_EXT=”
FW_DEV_EXT=“eth0”
FW_CONFIGURATIONS_EXT=“netbios-server nfs-client samba-client samba-server”

john@linux-ingr:~> smbtree -N
WORKGROUP
\ASUS XP1
\ASUS\MINOLTA- MINOLTA-QMS PagePro 1250W
\ASUS\print$ Printer Drivers
\ASUS\IPC$ Remote IPC
\ACER-55972DEBF0 XP2
\ACER-55972DEBF0\SharedDocs
\ACER-55972DEBF0\IPC$ Remote IPC

Example: ASUS is the name that AT&T has listed and XP1 was my new name. Is there a name conflict here?

Next post will give the Linux 11.3 (41) output Thank you for your help!!

smb.conf is the main Samba configuration file. You find a full commented

version at /usr/share/doc/packages/samba/examples/smb.conf.SUSE if the

samba-doc package is installed.

Date: 2006-05-02

[global]
workgroup = WORKGROUP
netbios name = linux-bf7h
name resolve order = bcast host lmhosts wins
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:
add machine script = /usr/sbin/useradd -c Machine -d /var/lib/nobody -s /bin/false %m$
domain logons = Yes
domain master = Yes
local master = Yes
os level = 65
preferred master = Yes
security = user
[homes]
comment = Home Directories
valid users = %S, %D%w%S
browseable = No
read only = No
inherit acls = Yes
[profiles]
comment = Network Profiles Service
path = %H
read only = No
store dos attributes = Yes
create mask = 0600
directory mask = 0700
[users]
comment = All users
path = /home
read only = No
inherit acls = Yes
veto files = /aquota.user/groups/shares/
[groups]
comment = All groups
path = /home/groups
read only = No
inherit acls = Yes
[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/tmp
printable = Yes
create mask = 0600
browseable = No
[print$]
comment = Printer Drivers
path = /var/lib/samba/drivers
write list = @ntadmin root
force group = ntadmin
create mask = 0664
directory mask = 0775
[netlogon]
comment = Network Logon Service
path = /var/lib/samba/netlogon
write list = root

carter@linux-bf7h:~> cat /etc/sysconfig/SuSEfirewall2 | egrep “FW_CONFIGURATIONS_EXT=|FW_DEV_EXT=”
FW_DEV_EXT=“any eth-id-00:10:b5:0e:4d:3c eth0”
FW_CONFIGURATIONS_EXT=“netbios-server samba-client samba-server”

carter@linux-bf7h:~> smbtree -N
WORKGROUP
\ASUS XP1
\ASUS\MINOLTA- MINOLTA-QMS PagePro 1250W
\ASUS\print$ Printer Drivers
\ASUS\IPC$ Remote IPC
\ACER-55972DEBF0 XP2
\ACER-55972DEBF0\SharedDocs
\ACER-55972DEBF0\IPC$ Remote IPC

On 2012-09-23 00:16, jdcart15 wrote:
>
> Here is smb file for Linux 12.2 machine (40) The AT&T assigned name is
> used. I first had it named linux1

How can your ISP assign names to your internal network machines? It makes no sense.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

I do not know, but I know that it has been done. The ISP sees all machines. I certainly did not come up with the name linux-ingr but someone or something did because that is how it is listed in my AT&T summary page.

I have a correction to make,

I did not change the xp computer names correctly in xp. They are now xp1 and xp2. However this has no bearing on the discussion. The linux computer names which were assigned by ISP still do not appear. It is as if AT&T is not letting the linux machines into their (or my) wireless network.

On 2012-09-23 00:56, jdcart15 wrote:
>
> I do not know, but I know that it has been done. The ISP sees all
> machines. I certainly did not come up with the name linux-ingr but
> someone or something did because that is how it is listed in my AT&T
> summary page.

I seriously doubt it.

Those are the names that the Linux installation sets up (they are typical), and your router
learns those names.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

OK no argument there. But the ISP is appropriating those names. So what does this have to do with my problem? Can you shed some light on how this will help me get these Linux machines to see one another? Thank you.