RT-N66U: Is WINS Server working?

[MuppetSoul]

I enabled the WINS Server under USB Application > Media Services and Servers > Network Place (Samba) Share / Cloud Disk along with 'Force as Master Browser' option, also entered my correct local Workgroup however I'm not seeing the changes in ipconfig.

Usually when I enable WINS Server in Tomato, I can see my router's IP address as the 'Primary WINS Server' e.g.

However I'm not seeing this even after release/renew/flushdns and reboot. I even entered my router's IP address (192.168.0.1) into the 'WINS Server' box under DHCP in the hopes that it might get forwarded to clients but no dice. Any clue what's going on?

Screenshot of my setting:

I'm using the latest Merlin build 3.0.0.4.376.49_5.

 

[enr00ted]

It works for me: DNS, WINS, DHCP, Gateway, everything is detected and set to the router's ip wich is the standard one 192.168.1.1. Anyway I force it in the settings like this.

 

[MuppetSoul]

I tried that too but couldn't get the router's IP address listed as 'Primary WINS Server'.


EDIT: nvm. restarted the router and settings are now sticking.

 

[crusher888]

Sorry for resurrecting this old thread, but could anyone explain in details what
-set as win server
and
-force as master browser

change in the samba settings? what's the utility?

thank you!

 

[RMerlin]

Enabling wins adds:

wins support = yes

It allows Samba to run as a WINS server, for networks that still rely on this (obsolete) techbology to do name resolution.


Enabling "force as master browser" adds:

os level = 255
domain master = yes
local master = yes
preferred master = yes

See the Samba documentations for details on all of these settings. Basically, it makes the router win any master browser election on your LAN.

 

[sfx2000]

Enabling WINS support can really help out in cross-platform networks if using CIFS/SMB as the primary file access/transport... even if just using WORKGROUP instead of DOMAIN (not shouting here)...

 

[ColinTaylor]

Enabling WINS support can really help out in cross-platform networks if using CIFS/SMB as the primary file access/transport... even if just using WORKGROUP instead of DOMAIN (not shouting here)...

True, but I would urge caution for anyone contemplating using this option.

1) Most typical users aren't running multiple subnets and desire NetBIOS name resolution across them. In which case WINS is mostly irrelevant.

2) WINS requires all clients to be configured to use it to be effective.

3) Blindly enabling this option when there are other WINS servers on the network will cause problems. (I can imagine people reading this and enabling it on every device they have; routers, NAS's etc.)

WARNING
Remember, Samba cannot communicate with Windows WINS servers. If you are using Samba as your WINS server, you must make sure not to allow any Windows systems or other Samba servers on your network to be configured as WINS servers. If you do, their WINS databases will not synchronize, resulting in inconsistent name resolution.

So at the end of the day, if you understand the implications of using WINS then you don't need the forum to explain it. If you don't understand WINS then leave it alone.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[sfx2000]

True, but I would urge caution for anyone contemplating using this option.

1) Most typical users aren't running multiple subnets and desire NetBIOS name resolution across them. In which case WINS is mostly irrelevant.

2) WINS requires all clients to be configured to use it to be effective.

3) Blindly enabling this option when there are other WINS servers on the network will cause problems. (I can imagine people reading this and enabling it on every device they have; routers, NAS's etc.)

Case dependent - but like I said, in mixed networks, WINS can help out with client/server discovery...

As far as item (2) above - DHCP can configure the WINS address, just need to ensure that the clients are configured to be in the same WORKGROUP - which needs to be done whether WINS is used or not.

Concur that there should be only a single WINS instance on the network, that's a valid consideration... but having that single WINS server, like I mentioned earlier, it a big help with resource discovery - esp. with Macs and Linux, along with Pre-Windows 8 machines...

There are other ways as well - but a blanket statement about WINS as far as yes/no is likely incorrect - each network needs to be taken in context.

 

[crusher888]

thanks for your clarifications guys!!!