Can't browse windows shares by name

simpat1zq · Feb 21, 2007, 3:34 AM

I'm not sure if this has been brought up before; I tried to search the forums but couldn't find anything relevant.

I have 2 LAN interfaces and 1 WAN interface in my pfsense box. Do I need to do something special to be able to browse windows shares across the 2 subnets by name? Using \192.168.1.50 works fine but when i do \computername, it doesn't work. I know that it's resolving the name right because ping computername works just fine, even after clearing the dns cache and stuff.

I've got the firewall configured to let all traffic flow freely between the 2 subnets, and everything else seems to be working, just not browsing by name.

Pootle · Feb 21, 2007, 9:23 AM

if you get the systems on both LANs to register their DNS name (easy if you are using dhcp, other wise I think you'll have to enter them manually), and you're set up with a local domain, then you may be able to use the local FQDN to find the machine.
(I'm assuming you do not have a wins server or a Windows AD server running)

Windows name resolution (WINS) is a really horrible thing though, so this may not work.

For example:
pfsense general setup: domain set to me.local
pfsense services DNS forwarder: register dhcp leases / mappings as appropriate
then use \system1.me.local\sharename

hoba · Feb 21, 2007, 12:50 PM

Pootle is right. However if this doesn't work for some reason you can add static DNS-Mappings if needed to the dns-forwarder. However then you have to make sure the clients stay at their IP by either inroducing static DHCP mappings or using static IPs.

simpat1zq · Feb 21, 2007, 2:03 PM

I have everything setup just like pootle said. The names are resolving just fine, i am able to ping using the name. The only problem is when i try to browse by name.

Pootle · Feb 21, 2007, 2:29 PM

Browsing may well not work, but map network drive and entering the URN for the server / share should work (name registration across subnets is pretty unlikely unless you have WINS servers running)

as before something like \system1.me.local\sharename should work.

dotdash · Feb 21, 2007, 7:17 PM

If you don't have WINS, Netbios names resolve via broadcast, which will not cross a router from one subnet to another. Either setup WINS on a server on each subnet and point them to each other as push-pull partners, or just use DNS names as others have suggested. I suppose you could populate the LMHOSTS file and distribute it, but that is an ugly hack that would not scale well.