How to access Windows shares from PCLinuxOS?

[sling-shot]

BACKGROUND
------------
I have a desktop that runs Windows XP Professional. Although it does have PCLinuxOS, due to this machine being used by others at home, it generally is on Windows all the time.
I use this machine as common media storage having connected an external USB HDD to it so that anyone can access the multimedia content stored on this machine.

I have a D-Link DSL 2730U N150 ADSL2+ Modem Router that connects through DSL to ISP. This is also will be serving as the middle man for local file transfers.

PURPOSE
----------
I need access to the files on this desktop in my notebook which runs PCLinuxOS. It also has Windows 7 Home Basic 64 bit but which almost is never used.
WiFi is the basis of connection between router and laptop while cable connects the desktop to router.

I am able to see and access the desktop if I boot into Windows on my notebook.

How to do the same using PCLinuxOS?

TRIED METHODS
---------------
I have gone into PCC > Networking and used the option to access Windows shares. When I click on the button to search for shares/machines, I get nothing.
If I do this once, then go to Dolphin and type smb://192.168.1.2 then I am able to see and access the Windows machine and its shares.
However if I do the same without doing the PCC thing at first, I am not able to get access.

[Just17]

Maybe this helps?

http://pclosmag.com/html/Issues/200909/page05.html

[sling-shot]

Thanks. That guide gave me some idea. But it seems to be more successful in letting us do the opposite of what I intend. It works for outbound sharing from PCLinuxOS.

As far as inbound sharing or accessing Windows files is concerned, it seems to be outdated.

Down the left hand side again, choose Sharing from the top, then Set Up A File And Print Server

This particular thing does not exist in the present day PCC. I was not able to work around this.

As it is, I seem to have successfully set up an outbound share (not verified yet from the Windows side) but still the Windows shares are not showing up in the PCC > Network sharing > Configure Windows shares > Access Windows drives and directories.
However I am able to browse to smb://192.168.1.x and access it directly. (I may have to give the desktop a static IP such as 192.168.1.10 so that I can link to it directly from Places pane of Dolphin like your suggestion in the other thread.)

[Celchu]

If i understand you correctly, your trying to access a windows share from a PCLinusOS machine.
If that is correct and you are using KDE, justgo into dolphin > network > samba shares and it will normally show you your windows workgroup.
In there find the machine you are after and you should be able to see the shares.
No config normally required on the PCLinuxOS machine.

[muungwana]

what is the output of this command?

smbtree -N -d2

[7272andy]

I had the same problem, but I solved it as follows;
Install nss_wins
Edit /etc/nsswitch.conf and look for a line similar to this:

   hosts:   mdns4_minimal files nis dns wins mdns4

change it to read like this:

   hosts:   mdns4_minimal files nis wins dns mdns4

Regards

[sling-shot]

what is the output of this command?

smbtree -N -d2

I am sorry I could not respond earlier.

As a regular user :

Code: [Select]

rlimit_max: increasing rlimit_max (1024) to minimum Windows limit (16384)
added interface eth0 ip=fe80::3214:4aff:fe30:d90f%eth0 bcast=fe80::ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff%eth0 netmask=ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff::
added interface eth0 ip=192.168.1.2 bcast=192.168.1.255 netmask=255.255.255.0
tdb(/var/cache/samba/gencache.tdb): tdb_open_ex: could not open file /var/cache/samba/gencache.tdb: Permission denied

As root user :

Code: [Select]

rlimit_max: increasing rlimit_max (1024) to minimum Windows limit (16384)
added interface eth0 ip=fe80::3214:4aff:fe30:d90f%eth0 bcast=fe80::ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff%eth0 netmask=ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff::
added interface eth0 ip=192.168.1.2 bcast=192.168.1.255 netmask=255.255.255.0

NOTE : I have now given a static IP of 192.168.1.10 to my Windows desktop.

[sling-shot]

Now I see this error in Dolphin when I click on Network and Samba shares :

Unable to find any workgroups in your local network. This might be caused by an enabled firewall.

Additionally, now I am also unable to browse directly by typing smb:/192.168.1.10 into address bar of Dolphin.

I have set smb service set to run on boot and is running now according to PCC > Manage services.

[sling-shot]

I had the same problem, but I solved it as follows;
Install nss_wins
Edit /etc/nsswitch.conf and look for a line similar to this:

   hosts:   mdns4_minimal files nis dns wins mdns4

change it to read like this:

   hosts:   mdns4_minimal files nis wins dns mdns4

Regards

Does not change anything. Still no success in locating the Windows machine.

[7272andy]

Have you tried Smb4K?

[sling-shot]

Smb4k does not see any Windows shares. Just like PCC.
Currently it is showing the outbound shares configured from this system.

---------------

I went to the desktop to see if a reverse lookup works. Yes it does.

So started thinking is it the Comodo Firewall in the desktop which is preventing this.

Looked into the rules. Realised that I have no policy set for LAN #5 which is the local network there. So I have currently allowed all IP connections from 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.10
Come back to PCLinuxOS notebook.

NOW....
I am able to see the samba shares under Network of Dolphin.
I am able to see them in Smb4k.

STILL...
PCC does not see the Windows shares.

Even if I disable the firewall on Windows machine completely, PCC is still unable to see those shares.

------------------

I get a transfer speed of around 200 Kbps. Is it acceptable with a N150 modem router?

[yodelu]

well i think  that is a win issue..
on the other hand  pcc and dolphin does not search  in the same way for samba shares .
anyway, just run netsetup on every win machine that you have in your LAN and try again with pcc :-)
hope it helps ..

[sling-shot]

Do you think the low transfer speed could be a Windows issue?

I should recheck with Windows 7 running on the laptop.

[sling-shot]

With Windows 7 running on the laptop, I get 2+ Mbps transfer speed.