Windows Workstation Unable To Find Samba Domain

This document (7005360) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 Service Pack 3

Situation

While trying to join a Windows workstation to a Samba domain (the server is setup as the primary domain controller and no Active Directory (AD) is involved) the workstation receives displays the following error:

"A domain controller for the domain YOURDOMAIN could not be contacted. Ensure that the domain name is typed correctly. If the name is correct, click Details for troubleshooting information."

A review of the /var/log/samba/log.nmbd file on the server reveals that the server received the packet request from the workstation, and attempted to respond; however, the response was constructed using a return address of 127.0.0.2 instead of the actual ip address of the server. NMB detects that there is a problem with the return packet (as the address isn't routable), and fails to send the packet:

NOTE: Network ip addresses have been concealed with x.x.x.x for this document.
NOTE: 'log level = 10' must be set (without quotes) under the [global] section of the smb.conf (smb and nmb must also be restarted) in order to capture most of the following details.

[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 9] nmbd/nmbd_namelistdb.c:find_name_on_subnet(127)
  find_name_on_subnet: on subnet UNICAST_SUBNET - found name JDHPDC<1c> source=2
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 4] nmbd/nmbd_packets.c:process_dgram(1276)
  process_dgram: datagram from JDH_XPPRO<00> to JDHPDC<1c> IP x.x.x.x for \MAILSLOT\NET\NETLOGON of type 18 len=65 <--- PACKET RECEIVED
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 4] nmbd/nmbd_processlogon.c:process_logon_packet(95)
  process_logon_packet: Logon from x.x.x.x: code = 0x12
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 5] nmbd/nmbd_processlogon.c:process_logon_packet(326)
  process_logon_packet: SAMLOGON sidsize 0, len = 65
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 5] nmbd/nmbd_processlogon.c:process_logon_packet(333)
  process_logon_packet: len = 65 PTR_DIFF(q, buf) = 57
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 3] nmbd/nmbd_processlogon.c:process_logon_packet(358)
  process_logon_packet: SAMLOGON sidsize 0 ntv 11
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 5] nmbd/nmbd_processlogon.c:process_logon_packet(367)
  process_logon_packet: SAMLOGON user 
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 5] nmbd/nmbd_processlogon.c:process_logon_packet(374)
  process_logon_packet: SAMLOGON request from JDH_XPPRO(x.x.x.x) for , returning logon svr \\JDH21-W domain JDHPDC code 13 token=ffff
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 4] lib/util.c:dump_data(2264)
  [000] 15 00 5C 00 5C 00 4A 00  44 00 48 00 32 00 31 00  ..\.\.J. D.H.2.1.
  [010] 2D 00 57 00 00 00 00 00  4A 00 44 00 48 00 50 00  -.W..... J.D.H.P.
  [020] 44 00 43 00 00 00 01 00  00 00 FF FF FF FF        D.C..... ......
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 4] nmbd/nmbd_packets.c:send_mailslot(1938)send_mailslot: Sending to mailslot \MAILSLOT\NET\GETDC070 from JDH21-W<00> IP 127.0.0.2 to JDH_XPPRO<00> IP x.x.x.x <--- PACKET BEING SENT.  NOTICE ADDRESS[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 4] nmbd/nmbd_packets.c:debug_browse_data(100)
  debug_browse_data():
    0 char ..\.\.J.D.H.2.1. hex 15 00 5c 00 5c 00 4a 00 44 00 48 00 32 00 31 00
   10 char -.W.....J.D.H.P. hex 2d 00 57 00 00 00 00 00 4a 00 44 00 48 00 50 00
   20 char D.C...........   hex 44 00 43 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 ff ff ff ff
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 5] libsmb/nmblib.c:send_udp(779)
  Sending a packet of len 220 to (x.x.x.x) on port 138
[2010/02/18 11:41:41, 0] libsmb/nmblib.c:send_udp(793)  Packet send failed to x.x.x.x(138) ERRNO=Invalid argument <--- PROBLEM WITH PACKET DETECTED.  SEND FAILED

Resolution

To work around this issue add the following line to the [global] section of the smb.conf:

interfaces = your.ip.add.here

This will force nmb to use the specified ip address(s), which will not include the loopback address (unless specified).

Disclaimer

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