Can ping but not access server from Win7 using Samba

[erija952]

Hi again!

I'm having troubles with getting my network share with Windows 7 to work with samba, and it is not the same flavour of trouble I've read about in the other posts on this forum (I think). I'm afraid this might be more of a Windows 7 problem, but I figured I try asking here before, here goes

In my network I have
* One server running of HP Proliant MicroServer N40L, configured by the guide on this page
* One WNR3500L Open Source Gateway, giving dynamic IPs to all computers except the server
* One Stationary PC running Windows 7 Professional, where I can connect to my server using samba just fine (!)
* One Arch-Linux laptop where I can mount my server using NFS just fine
* One laptop running Windows 7 Professional that just doesn't know how to behave properly (!!!)

From my laptop I can:
* Ping the server
* Log on to Webmin
* Log on to the server using Putty
* See the stationary PC in the network and access the shared files
But not:
* See my server or access any files, neither by using \\serverName or \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xx (IP)

I'm quite certain that both Windows machines belongs to the same workgroup, and I've played around with some of the security settings I've found on the internet that lowers the amount of encryption bits needed to share files etc. However, I just can't get the server to show up on my network map, despite having rebooted everything on the network multiple times.

A short summary of my smb.conf file is (configured by Webmin using the tutorial on this page):

[global]
log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
passwd chat = *Enter\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *password\supdated\ssuccessfully* .
obey pam restrictions = yes
map to guest = bad user
encrypt passwords = true
passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
passdb backend = tdbsam
wins support = true
dns proxy = no
server string = %h server (Samba, Ubuntu)
unix password sync = yes
workgroup = EILISNET
os level = 20
syslog = 0
usershare allow guests = yes
panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d
max log size = 1000
pam password change = yes

[...]

follow symlinks = yes
wide links = yes
unix extensions = no

[...]

[Media]
comment = Media
writeable = yes
valid users = erija952
path = /mnt/storage/data/media

Any ideas? Isn't it weird to be able to ping and access via Webmin, but not find the server on the network? Is the only solution to format the Win7 laptop (as usual...)?

Grateful for all that might help!

/Erik

[Ian]

Hi Erik,

I agree, that's strange. Do you have different antivirus/firewall software on your w7 laptop to your w7 desktop? Can you access your w7 desktop from the laptop?

Ian.

[Andy Horn]

Are you connecting via wireless from W7 Laptop if so try connecting via a cable to see if that makes a difference.

I had a similar problem when I updated Kaspersky, I had to tweek the firewall in Kaspersky so the network is a local rather than public.

Mind you the bloody stupid "Homegroup" in W7 is a load of garbage oh why could we have not XP2 instead of all this crap that is forced upon us

This may be rather obvious, but have you got "Network Discovery" turned on?

Andy

[erija952]

Thanks alot for the response! Both of your ideas is really good, and Its so valuable when you've run into a wall!

I've tried deactivating the firewall and uninstalling my antivirus software on the Laptop. Yesterday, I've also tried to connect through cable and Network Discovery was turned on. But it might be a good idea to investigate the firewall and its rules closer, maybe compare each setting between the computers.

I'm able to find the shared media on my stationary W7 computer from my laptop, but only as a "media drive" and not by opening the stationary computer itself. It works the other way around though. Got to investigate that further aswell I suppose...