linux doesn't recognize existing LAN

[dmac257]

First off .. This is my first excursion into Linux .. and I had trouble getting the initial multi-boot GRUB to show the Linux distros on the boot menu.

Machine is multi-boot with gNewSense , Ubuntu , openSUSE, Mopix all installed. Each appears to operate and save changes and access internet via ethernet cable to router, but NONE will recognize my existing windows LAN or the worldbook network storage device. I have NO idea where to start to progress from this point. I have photos and music and documents copied to the worldbook device and a network printer as well as three other windows computers that I would sorta like to copy from/to.

Is there some configuration program or "procedure" that I need to follow to be able to access an existing Windows LAN.

Any help would be appreciated,
dmac257

[Nagarjuna]

Linux accesses Windows shares using Samba. I'm pretty sure that at least Ubuntu comes packaged with Samba server and client utilities.

Just to clarify, are you able to at least ping the Windows systems over the network?

I'm curious if the smbclient tool can see the shares of a Windows machine on your network. To verify this, try running the following command from a terminal:

smbclient -L hostname

Of course, replace 'hostname' with the host name of the Windows machine you wish to access. Unless you don't have a password, it should ask you for one. Enter in either the password for you personal account or the 'guest' account.

If you can see the shares listed, then it would appear to me that the system just isn't mounting the shares. If the command doesn't reply with the respected results, then we will need to dig a little deeper.

I'm no SMB guru, but it's something to try.

[dmac257]

Linux accesses Windows shares using Samba. I'm pretty sure that at least Ubuntu comes packaged with Samba server and client utilities.

Just to clarify, are you able to at least ping the Windows systems over the network?

I'm curious if the smbclient tool can see the shares of a Windows machine on your network. To verify this, try running the following command from a terminal:

smbclient -L hostname

Of course, replace 'hostname' with the host name of the Windows machine you wish to access. Unless you don't have a password, it should ask you for one. Enter in either the password for you personal account or the 'guest' account.

If you can see the shares listed, then it would appear to me that the system just isn't mounting the shares. If the command doesn't reply with the respected results, then we will need to dig a little deeper.

I'm no SMB guru, but it's something to try.

I typed the above command in a terminal window and get the following:

Session Setup Failed: SUCCESS -0

But of course I don't know what THAT means

dmac257

[Nagarjuna]

Hmm, thanks for testing that out.

Can you run the above command again, with the below modifications please?

smbclient -L -d10 <host>

This should output debug information. I'm not 100% sure if that syntax is right, I'll test it when I get home.

Try and see if you can mount a Windows share to your Linux system:

sudo mount -t cifs //windows-system/share -o user=username,password=password /mnt

Of course, you will use the username and password for the Windows user that owns the share. The last directory at the end of the command is the moint point of the share.

What Windows version are you trying to connect to by the way? Is it Windows Vista/7? If so, there appears to be a bug with Windows Vista/7 and Samba. Here is the bug report with a patch: https://bugzilla.samba.org/show_bug.cgi?id=7577

I hope this helps. Let us know how it goes!