Could not connect to host for smb://xxxx

[vieuxrichard]

Currently a Win XP user, this is my first venture into the Linux world with PCLinuxOS.
Have installed on Virtual Box the pclinux-kde-2012.08.iso.
Not being a fan of Outlook I use OE6 & Lotus Organizer in Windows but am looking for an integrated PIM in Linux. Several reports recommend Kontact, so have now installed the latest version of Kontact.
In Kontact when I click Import Calendar, I select Network then Samba Shares, it finds my  LAN workgroup xxxx but then puts up this error

[vieuxrichard]

Is anyone out there prepared to help please? I am keen to persevere with PCLinuxOS but the lack of support is not helping the cause.

[muungwana]

can you open the terminal in linux and then run this command and give its output?

smbtree -d2 -N

The problem you are having could be a generic problem with samba shares related to firewall related problems.

You may first start by shutting down the firewall in windows xp and see if it helps.

[pupthai]

I think in VM the guest must be using bridge mode for the virtual network card.  I use samba with the VM's I don't like the internal way of VM file shares.  The network as built starts with a NAT switch it to bridge mode so the VM can see both internet and the host via LAN.  I also use local IP's and set up hosts allow/deny in the linux box's.

[vieuxrichard]

Apologies for the slow uptake. I have found out how to open a terminal & type the command smbtree -d2 -N. Now how do I copy the output to this post?
I also clicked on SWAT & Firefox appeared saying that ir could establish a connection at localhost:901

[sling-shot]

Just copy and paste the output you got from that command here. Also better to use CODE and /CODE forum tags to keep it neat.

[vieuxrichard]

I have set up VM to Share Clipboard - bidirectional. However when I copy from the terminal I cannot paste in the Host

[muungwana]

I have set up VM to Share Clipboard - bidirectional. However when I copy from the terminal I cannot paste in the Host

run this command then

smbtree -d2 -N > output.log

a file "output.log" will be created. You can copy the file to your winxp machine,open it and paste its content here.

[vieuxrichard]

Here is the output, I am trying to access the Prades workgroup (is it case sensitive because it should be Prades). FYI Technicolor is the Internet router:

[muungwana]

what computer is running on 192.168.1.253? Try to turn off firewall in that computer and try again.

You are running a very exotic setup and you may have a pretty complicated network setup behind the scenes without you knowing. The two computers for example could be communicating across two different networks or across a NAT.There are two many unknowns with your setup

[vieuxrichard]

All I can tell you is the following; I have set up one workgroup Prades that runs 2 computers: 192.168.1.67 & 192.168.1.64.

The router is the Technicolor TG788 (192.168.1.254) that both computers use to connect to the Internet. I can ping all the IP addresses including 192.168.1.253

[vieuxrichard]

Well, seeing as how I thought that I may have mucked something up - I deleted & then reinstalled PCLinuxOS 2012 from VM Virtual Box.

On the new installation, I tried following the PCLinuxOS user guide to get Windows Shared files accessed through Samba Shares but came up with the same problem as per my Subject matter here, partly it must be said because the documentation is no longer current. I cannot find any relevant help on the PCLOS forums and was saddened to find one post that said they never got Samba Shares working in PCLOS.

So have finally decided to throw in the towel and forget about PCLOS. I regret the decision but there is a lack of information and assistance on this problem generally that seems to me to be particularly problematic to this OS and I would be worried about future difficulties, as I am completely ignorant of the vagaries of Linux.

Never mind, c'est la vie - thanks to everyone who tried to help.

[pupthai]

Sorry your having an issue

Samba shares not working on the vm is a vm problem not a samba or linux problem. 

I have to change from a NAT to the Bridged network adapter in the vm and samba works normal - I posted that here already. 

If I leave the vm with the default NAT card, the guest can see the internet but not the host. 

I use samba shares with linux guest and or host and windows guests as normal nothing special done with samba.  I don't use dhcp but I also don't think that would make the difference - just noting that for ref.  All my linux installs have deny/allow set up in /etc/ to assigned local IP's.

I never use internal vm file shares only samba on the LAN.

The clipboard problem is also a vm problem and I see it with my linux guest but works with my windows guest.  I think the problem is in the extensions which are run after installing the guest.  The clipboard share with linux has worked in the past is at present not working for me ether, but as stated it worked in the past and will work again after an update at some point - I would hope.   

I think at any rate that both of these problems are VM related and not a Samba, PClos or even windows problem.

I am running PClos host and winXP pro guest most the time as well as other linux guest with shares working over the LAN to all.