While I’ve been using Opensuse for years in various versions, I consider myself to be a very basic user with limited knowledge. But I love OpenSuse and will continue to (at times) struggle.
My networking setup is with Ifup, from what I can figure out, the best way to manage\administer a VPN service is with Network Manager. I use this box as a storage and share files via SMB, streaming media to a Western Digital Media box connected to my tv etc
I can enable Network Manager, my OpenSuse box still has access to the internet, I can browse and connect to shares on my Windows 7 pc.
BUT, Samba share are no longer available?? And my Western Digital no longer sees the OpenSuse box in the workgroup??
From my pc I can enter the IP of the OpenSuse and still connect to all the shares, but if I browse the network I can not see the OpenSuse box in the workgroup???
But as soon as I switch back to Ifup, the Opensuse box is again available in the workgroup??
I feel that the OpenSuse box name is not broadcasting and something in Samba is missing, hence its no longer part of the workgroup. But I have no idea how to fix. :’(
Are you describing using openSUSE 13.1 as your home server?
If so, then my earliest guess is that your network has self-configured based on your server using a particular IP address and when you changed to using Network Manager is now configured as a DHCP client (the default configuration) and picking up a new IP address.
Without describing all the different things you may need to do to reconfigure your network, my guess is that you should
While configured to use “classical ifup/ifdown” run “ip addr” and “route” or otherwise write down your configured IP address and other network settings.
You may want to doublecheck the settings that apply to both “classical” and "Network Manager settings… Hostname and routing tabs. Under “Hostname” be sure that your system doesn’t change the hostname using DHCP.
Change to Network Manager
Open Network Manager and then the Connection Properties for your connection
Configure as a static address connection (disable DHCP) with the working values from when you were configured as “classical.”
Optionally but probably desirable is to tick the box to start as a system connection (on bootup).
If your network services doesn’t restart automatically when you save your settings, then execute the following to apply your new settings…