report to local master browser


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Thread: report to local master browser

  1. #1
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    report to local master browser

    i was just looking at the computers that are listed in the local master browser list and it only list 5 computers in it. there are 26 computers on this particular network. i thought that each computer had to list itself with the master browser with its name once it got on the network? if not, how can i obtain a complete listing of all the computers on this network?
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  2. #2
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    the concept of Master Browser is specific to SMB. For all 26 machines to show up in the list, all machines would have to be using the SMB protocol. The MB list is notorious for being out of date and inaccurate anyway so I wouldnt use it for an accurate assessment of what machines are up on the network.

    I was drawing a blank on this one but I guess what comes to mind is nmap. nmap will poll your entire subnet and give you (as detailed as you like) a description of what is running on the network.

    Or you could set up a dns server and use a script that polls the dns server for hostnames and then pings those hosts and reports the results to you. . .

    Mike
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  3. #3
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    Or even etherape, which can also give you a visual assessment of actual ethernet usage....

    or if you have a windows box, you could use ipscan, a little free app to scan IP addresses and names...
    Feel free to PM me for help

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  4. #4
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    As you're probably aware, by default, every time a Windows machine or Linux machine running Samba is powered up or restarted on the network, an election is forced as who is to be the master browser on the network. The result of this is that the browse list can ge in a constant state of flux because it has to be entirely rebuilt when a new master browser is elected.

    From my experience, the best way to guarantee that you'll always have a stable, complete browse list is to run WINS. Make your Samba server the WINS server and then point all the other machines on the network to it as their WINS server.

    The option in smb.conf is wins support = yes.

    If your machines are on multiple IP subnets, then WINS is definitely the only way to go.
    If God hadn't meant for us to use GUI tools, there wouldn't have been a Xerox PARC.

  5. #5
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    Originally posted by cowanrl
    As you're probably aware, by default, every time a Windows machine or Linux machine running Samba is powered up or restarted on the network, an election is forced as who is to be the master browser on the network. The result of this is that the browse list can ge in a constant state of flux because it has to be entirely rebuilt when a new master browser is elected.
    I am aware of that. I have it set in the smb.conf that I am always the MB.

    I will give etherape a try and see what I can find, but I was under the impression that it only detects the connections to my box.
    -------------------------------------
    blobaugh
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