setting up suse 9.1 client

Simon Marsden

17 Oct 2004 17 Oct '04

14:43

Hi I am interested in setting up Suse 9.1 client in my school. Although we use Linux servers and I use Suse on my laptop. I could do with some help or suggestions as to how I can set it up so that any of our users can log on as they would on a Windows client. The server is running Samba 3.? something. I know Samba reasonably well but I guess smbclient would not be the best route to go down. Any help gratefully received. Kind regards Simon

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Thomas Adam

17 Oct 17 Oct

15:02

New subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] setting up suse 9.1 client

--- Simon Marsden wrote:

...

suggestions as to how I can set it up so that any of our users can log on as they would on a Windows client.

I don't understand what it is you're asking - are you wanting people from a windows machine to access this Linux box (samba authentication) or via some other means?

...

I know Samba reasonably well but I guess smbclient would not be the best route to go down.

Can you be more specific, please? -- Thomas Adam ===== "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- http://linuxgazette.net "TAG Editor" -- http://linuxgazette.net "<shrug> We'll just save up your sins, Thomas, and punish you for all of them at once when you get better. The experience will probably kill you. :)" -- Benjamin A. Okopnik (Linux Gazette Technical Editor) ___________________________________________________________ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun! http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

Matt Johnson

15:24

New subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] setting up suse 9.1 client

--- Simon Marsden wrote:

...

Hi I am interested in setting up Suse 9.1 client in my school. Although we use Linux servers and I use Suse on my laptop. I could do with some help or suggestions as to how I can set it up so that any of our users can log on as they would on a Windows client.

Sounds like (like myself) you're from the windows networking world. NIS is your friend. You could just have the SuSE client use NIS to authenticate. The server that handles Windows logons must have *already* have unix accounts for each user. So these unix accounts (standard linux users) can be distributed to any linux clients. Setup the server to be an NIS server, and your new SuSE client to be an NIS client. There's a handy howto at the linux documentation project on this bit.

...

The server is running Samba 3.? something.

I'm envious of your position. I've got the opposite problem. I've inherited an NT4 PDC network and I want to put linux (debian) clients into our library. I've done it, but I've had to setup a *new* (second) user account for each user. So I'm "m johnson" on the nt4 network, and "mjohnson" in the library :( I'm trying to get the debian workstations to authenticate from the NT server (using winbind and security = domain, and PAM). It's possible, but not easy. Some muppet allowed whitespaces into the NT4 usernames, which are just one of the problems I have to get over. Winbind is very clever (and I've got the debian machines allowing access to to windows clients to themselves via winbind, but the holy grail is getting them to allow local logins to usernames such as "john smith" with no password! Not proving easy.

...

I know Samba reasonably well but I guess smbclient would not be the best route to go down.

Someone will mention that NIS isn't secure... It isn't secure. NIS isn't secure. -- Matt ___________________________________________________________ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun! http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

Simon Marsden

15:57

New subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] setting up suse 9.1 client

Thanks Matt for this. You are right I am used to setting up Windows clients and Linux Servers and I think that is my problem. I will try the NIS server route. Stupid of me to think of a Windows solution when the Linux one should be easier to set up. Something had gotten into my head that made me think that I would have to set up a second layer of users -doh of course the unix users already exist (I even wrote a script to help with changing passwords so I know this, making me feel more stupid) (Sorry that I was not clear about my needs Thomas - thanks for replying though. I want a Suse 9.1 client to log on to a Fedora server) <snip>

...

I'm envious of your position. I've got the opposite problem. I've inherited an NT4 PDC network and I want to put linux (debian) clients into our library. I've done it, but I've had to setup a *new* (second) user account for each user. So I'm "m johnson" on the nt4 network, and "mjohnson" in the library :( It took me a lot of effort to get school to go down the Linux server route. Can't you just use smbclient (admittedly I couldn't get this to work - hence my question ;)

...

I'm trying to get the debian workstations to authenticate from the NT server (using winbind and security = domain, and PAM). It's possible, but not easy. Some muppet allowed whitespaces into the NT4 usernames, which are just one of the problems I have to get over. Winbind is very clever (and I've got the debian machines allowing access to to windows clients to themselves via winbind, but the holy grail is getting them to allow local logins to usernames such as "john smith" with no password! Not proving easy. Beyond me. We thought we might have to get involved with winbind at one point and it left me feeling sick it seemed so complicated. White space ugh! you have my sympathies <snip> Someone will mention that NIS isn't secure... It isn't secure. Why is it not secure?

Thanks again I will try it tomorrow. kind regards Simon

Thomas Adam

16:48

New subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] setting up suse 9.1 client

--- Simon Marsden wrote:

...

(Sorry that I was not clear about my needs Thomas - thanks for replying though. I want a Suse 9.1 client to log on to a Fedora server)

That's Ok. So NIS is one possible solution.

...

Can't you just use smbclient (admittedly I couldn't get this to work - hence my question ;)

You can, but if it is just authentication, using samba is overkill, when NIS suits your needs far better.

...

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getting them to allow local logins to usernames such as "john smith" with no password! Not proving easy.

Start thwacking PAM for that. It's possible.

...

Why is it not secure?

Oh, for many reasons. I could list them, but the following page has done that for me: http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-7/node135.html#nisthreats -- Thomas Adam ___________________________________________________________ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun! http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

Rob Keeling

18:31

New subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] setting up suse 9.1 client

----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Adam" To: "SuSe" Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2004 4:01 PM Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] setting up suse 9.1 client

...

--- Simon Marsden wrote:

...
suggestions as to how I can set it up so that any of our users can log on as they would on a Windows client.

I don't understand what it is you're asking - are you wanting people from a windows machine to access this Linux box (samba authentication) or via some other means? For authentication you can use winbind, part of samba 3, if you need to mount home dirs you might want to look at pam_mount.

Works for me in a NT 4 domain, we are starting to look at the implications of Win 2003. Contact me of list if you want some sample config files. Rob Keeling Network Manager Queen Elizabeth`s Grammar School

...

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I know Samba reasonably well but I guess smbclient would not be the best route to go down.

Can you be more specific, please?

-- Thomas Adam

===== "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- http://linuxgazette.net "TAG Editor" -- http://linuxgazette.net

"<shrug> We'll just save up your sins, Thomas, and punish you for all of them at once when you get better. The experience will probably kill you. :)"

-- Benjamin A. Okopnik (Linux Gazette Technical Editor)

___________________________________________________________ALL-NEW Yahoo!

Messenger - all new features - even more fun! http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

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Matt Johnson
Rob Keeling
Simon Marsden
Thomas Adam