Zorin 15 Can not see Workgroup Computers

Hi, I have to re-open this post as it seems like solution was not 100%.
Here is the issue: As per provided solution to use "smb://IP_ADDRESS_OF_HOST" seems like work temporary as long as computers are "ON" and with the IP address assigned to them at the time but as soon as Workgroup computers renew and obtain new IP address from DHCP from the router, those "smb://Ip_Address_of_Host" needs to be re-enter again with new new Ip address assigned to them by DHCP. It's really painful process to go through for accessing shared files or folders within Workgroup.

I have other 2 computers running Zorin12.4 and those computer don't have any issues browsing and accessing shares on them.

Something must have changed in Zorin15 and I can not find the right answer or solution! Can someone with more knowledge and experience please help me solve this puzzle?

Thank you in advance,
Amrish





Hi,
I just installed Zorin 15 Core 64bit yesterday on Gateway Laptop and using wifi connection. All is working good except can not see any other computer in LAN. I have mix of Linux and Windows machines in LAN (All are in Workgroup) and they can see each other but this new Zorin 15 install can not see any other machines. I have enabled share and make sure samba is running.
Is there anything I am mising? Any help will really appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Amrish

Hopefully this should help:

https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/linux ... workgroup/

I followed steps mentioned in those links but no luck, I still can not see any other computers!!

Done some more delving. Try the solution given here (as Zorin 15 is based on Ubuntu 18.04:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1114991 ... s-network/

Hi, Thank you very much. It worked!

Sorry but I had to re-open this post as the provided solution didn't last long!! Any help will be really appreciated.
Thank you,
Amrish

Glad to help - will mark as [SOLVED]

Hi Swarfendor437,

I have re-open this post because provided solution only worked until Workgroup computer were using same assigned IP address as entered in "smb://IP_Address_of_Host", but every time when it renew new IP address from DHCP from router I have to use new IP address with smb:// and it's kind of pain to go through when IP address changes.
Something must have changed in Zorin15 as I have 2 other Zorin12.4 computers in Workgroup and they works perfectly fine to access any computers shares within Workgroup.
Please let me know if there a permanent solution.
Thank you,
Amrish

Amrish, can you install smbclient, if you haven't already, then edit /etc/samba/smb.conf with this value:

Code:

client max protocol = NT1

Hi Aravisian,
Where exactly in smb.conf you like me to add client max protocol = NT1?

amrish wrote:Hi Aravisian,
Where exactly in smb.conf you like me to add client max protocol = NT1?

It should be in the /etc/samba folder.
If you open your file manager (as root in order to make changes), then navigate upward, you will see the File System Folders. In Nautilus, clicking "File System" or "Other locations" on the left pane view can lead you there.
You will see a grouping of folders that includes "home," "usr," "dev" and so on. One folder is "etc." open that, then open the folder named Samba.
If there is no smb.conf file, create one by opening your Text Editor program as root, pasting the

Code:

add client max protocol = NT1

as the contents of the document, then select save, title "smb.conf" and select save location as /etc/samba
OR open Text Editor normally and save the newly made smb.conf file in your Home Folder and then move it to the etc/samb folder using root file manager after if that if this method is easier to do than opening Text Editor as root.

EDIT, after re-reading your question, it looks like you may be asking Where In The smb.conf file to physically place "add client max protocol=NT1".
Sometimes, I am a little slow, even if I get there eventually...
At the end (Or bottom) of the document should be fine. Just go to the end, hit 'enter key' once to create a new line and paste the protocol there. Then hit "Save."

Hi Aravisian,

No, I know where and how to access smb.conf file, what I am asking is under which section within smb.conf ( like under "Global Setting", "Networking Setting" or somewhere else in the file?) If it is under "Global Setting" below Workgroup = workgroup than I have tried that and it doesn't work. and of course I have installed smbclient.

Note that smbtree doesn't show any output! I think someone can try to install Zorin15 in VM and see what exactly I am trying to say.

Thank you,
Amrish

amrish wrote:Hi Aravisian,

If it is under "Global Setting" below Workgroup = workgroup than I have tried that and it doesn't work.

I think this answers the question. If it was going to work, that should have worked. There is some slight conflict between naming conventions that results in miscommunication, such as client protocol being NT1 with Samba, and SMB3 with the OS, (Instead of SMB1, in case you want to connect with non-SMB client, like Windows 10).

So , what should be my next step to fix this? Any help please.

Amrish, I have been searching this here interwebs thingy, hoping to find some help.
Apparently, the "solution" I offered earlier is a common one...:
https://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/ubu ... hares.html
When I search the web looking for solutions; I try to avoid the ones that have ten different zany solutions with lots of editing. The reason: Most of the time, none of them work and they are confusing.
But, when in Rome...
I don't know what you are seeing on your screen. Is there an error message or nothing at all...
In some online discussions, I see many different descriptions of what others are seeing:
https://unix.stackexchange.com/question ... th-smbtree
Does some of that match your experience?

I also found this instructorial aimed toward students on configuring Samba up to 18.04:
https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-configur ... aver-linux
Maybe reviewing that will help you suss out what is going wrong.

I will keep looking for a gem searching through Ubuntu Forums and so on. So far, having tried looking for solutions online, I am either finding what was suggested to you already, or some gobbledygook convoluted linux-guru-speak.

Code:

Soul -y sell-to-devil --purge inhibitions

Personally... I have experienced that no matter how elusive a solution is, whether it is automotive, computer or 'other,' it far more often turns out to be the Simplest Solution that works.
"Have you checked that your Samba is plugged in?"
Uninstalling Samba and then using a Different Method to install just may do the trick. If you installed from Terminal, try a 'remove --purge' and then try installing from Synaptic, for example.

Aravisian, Thank you for prompt response with details and provided links. I will tried later and keep you posted as now something gone wrong and my Zorin15 computer is not booting up! I may have to re-install it again ( I think that would be better to fresh start) Thanks again.

amrish wrote:Aravisian, Thank you for prompt response with details and provided links. I will tried later and keep you posted as now something gone wrong and my Zorin15 computer is not booting up! I may have to re-install it again ( I think that would be better to fresh start) Thanks again.

I know that feeling!
I must have re-installed Zorin at least 7 times in the first couple weeks when I started. I was fresh from Windows and kinda lost...
I pummeled this poor forum with questions about how to back up data and such.
I have gotten pretty good at installing, then tweaking, changing defaults and settings to my preferences and setting up packages I want within ten or fifteen minutes of the installation finalizing. I don't use Back Up recovery, anymore. Now I just save the files I care about on PCloud, do the re-install and fifteen minutes later, everything on my computer is pretty much the same as it was the week before. Minus the "oops."

Hi Aravisian, Here is the update:
After fresh install of Zorin15, same problem so, I have tried all the suggestions and steps provided on web-links and test again and again but nothing worked so I decided to not to use Zorin15!

I installed Zorin12.4 and all works great with that version. I will wait for Zorin15 team to fix this issue until than I will use 12.4.

Thank you for all the help.
Amrish

Thanks for update. I will flag this thread with Team Zorin.

amrish wrote:Hi Aravisian, Here is the update:
After fresh install of Zorin15, same problem so, I have tried all the suggestions and steps provided on web-links and test again and again but nothing worked so I decided to not to use Zorin15!

I installed Zorin12.4 and all works great with that version. I will wait for Zorin15 team to fix this issue until than I will use 12.4.

Thank you for all the help.
Amrish

Amrish, I am using Zorin 12.4 Core on this machine and 12.4 Lite on another. I really have very few problems, except when I try to make it do something it was never meant to do.
Don't ask... I'll show you the scars, later.

In my humble novice opinion, I think 12.4 is quite solid. Zorin 15 is still fresh off the presses.
I am glad to know that 12.4 is working and that you stuck with Zorin.

I agree and will stay on 12.4. Again thank you for all the help and suggestions.