How do I get my laptop and my desktop to recognize each other? Both running 7.10 with router in between. I am obviously new to this.

ok, more information would be nice, does the ubuntu computer see the xp computers?
do the xp computer see each other?

can you please open a terminal and type:
gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf
that will open up a text editor, please paste everything back here

as well, are you on a domain, or a workgroup, whats is the name of the domain/workgroup? (as accoriding to the xp)

Thanks for the reply.

My network is set as follows:
 Desktop1: WinXP Pro (hard wired)
 Desktop2: WinXP Pro (hard wired- this acts as my print server)
 Desktop3: Ubuntu 7.10 (hard wired)
 Laptop1: WinXP Pro (wireless)
 Laptop2: Ubuntu 7.10 (wireless)

All machines are P2P and all can "see" each other except for Desktop3
which can see but not be seen by others on the network. I can access my
Ubuntu files on Laptop2 from Desktop3 but for some reason it still
remains invisible. I am on a workgroup (MSHOME). I have configured the
Ubuntu machines to print through the XP printer and that works fine but
still am mystified by the invisible Desktop3.

As per your instructions, here is what came back to me from the the
terminal info you requested. A lot of stuff that I do not understand but
here it is:

#
# Sample configuration file for the Samba suite for Debian GNU/Linux.
#
#
# This is the main Samba configuration file. You should read the
# smb.conf(5) manual page in order to understand the options listed
# here. Samba has a huge number of configurable options most of which
# are not shown in this example
#
# Any line which starts with a ; (semi-colon) or a # (hash)
# is a comment and is ignored. In this example we will use a #
# for commentary and a ; for parts of the config file that you
# may wish to enable
#
# NOTE: Whenever you modify this file you should run the command
# "testparm" to check that you have not made any basic syntactic
# errors.
#

#======================= Global Settings =======================

[global]

## Browsing/Identification ###

# Change this to the workgroup/NT-domain name your Samba server will
part of
   workgroup = MSHOME

# server string is the equivalent of the NT Description field
   server string = %h server (Samba, Ubuntu)

# Windows Internet Name Serving Support Section:
# WINS Support - Tells the NMBD component of Samba to enable its WINS
Server
; wins support = no

# WINS Server - Tells the NMBD components of Samba to be a WINS Client
# Note: Samba can be either a WINS Server, or a WINS Client, but NOT
both
; wins server = w.x.y.z

# This will prevent nmbd to search for NetBIOS names through DNS.
   dns proxy = no

# What naming service and in what order should we use to resolve host
names
# to IP addresses
; name resolve order = lmhosts host wins bcast

#### Networking ####

# The specific set of interfaces / networks to bind to
# This can be either the interface name or an IP address/netmask;
# interface names are normally preferred
; interfaces = 127.0.0.0/8 eth0

# Only bind to the named interfaces and/or networks; you must use the
# 'interfaces' option above to use this.
# It is recommended that you enable this feature if your Samba machine
is
# not protected by a firewall or is a firewall itself. However, this
# option cannot handle dynamic or non-broadcast interfaces correctly.
; bind interfaces only = true

#### Debugging/Accounting ####

# This tells Samba to use a separate log file for each machine
# that connects
   log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m

# Put a capping on the size of the log files (in Kb).
   max log size = 1000

# If you want Samba to only log through syslog then set the following
# parameter to 'yes'.
; syslog only = no

# We want Samba to log a minimum amount of information to syslog.
Everything
# should go to /var/log/samba/log.{smbd,nmbd} instead. If you want to
log
# through syslog you should set the following parameter to something
higher.
   syslog = 0

# Do something sensible when Samba crashes: mail the admin a backtrace
   panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d

####### Authentication #######

# "security = user" is always a good idea. This will require a Unix
account
# in this server for every user accessing the server. See
# /usr/share/doc/samba-doc/htmldocs/Samba3-HOWTO/ServerType.html
# in the samba-doc package for details.
; security = user

# You may wish to use password encryption. See the section on
# 'encrypt passwords' in the smb.conf(5) manpage before enabling.
   encrypt passwords = true

# If you are using encrypted passwords, Samba will need to know what
# password database type you are using.
   passdb backend = tdbsam

   obey pam restrictions = yes

; guest account = nobody
   invalid users = root

# This boolean parameter controls whether Samba attempts to sync the
Unix
# password with the SMB password when the encrypted SMB password in the
# passdb is changed.
; unix password sync = no

# For Unix password sync to work on a Debian GNU/Linux system, the
following
# parameters must be set (thanks to Ian Kahan
<<email address hidden> for
# sending the correct chat script for the passwd program in Debian
Sarge).
   passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
   passwd chat = *Enter\snew\sUNIX\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\sUNIX
\spassword:* %n\n *passwd:*password\supdated\ssuccessfully* .

# This boolean controls whether PAM will be used for password changes
# when requested by an SMB client instead of the program listed in
# 'passwd program'. The default is 'no'.
; pam password change = no

########## Domains ###########

# Is this machine able to authenticate users. Both PDC and BDC
# must have this setting enabled. If you are the BDC you must
# change the 'domain master' setting to no
#
; domain logons = yes
#
# The following setting only takes effect if 'domain logons' is set
# It specifies the location of the user's profile directory
# from the client point of view)
# The following required a [profiles] share to be setup on the
# samba server (see below)
; logon path = \\%N\profiles\%U
# Another common choice is storing the profile in the user's home
directory
; logon path = \\%N\%U\profile

# The following setting only takes effect if 'domain logons' is set
# It specifies the location of a user's home directory (from the client
# point of view)
; logon drive = H:
; logon home = \\%N\%U

# The following setting only takes effect if 'domain logons' is set
# It specifies the script to run during logon. The script must be stored
# in the [netlogon] share
# NOTE: Must be store in 'DOS' file format convention
; logon script = logon.cmd

# This allows Unix users to be created on the domain controller via the
SAMR
# RPC pipe. The example command creates a user account with a disabled
Unix
# password; please adapt to your needs
; add user script = /usr/sbin/adduser --quiet --disabled-password
--gecos "" %u

########## Printing ##########

# If you want to automatically load your printer list rather
# than setting them up individually then you'll need this
; load printers = yes

# lpr(ng) printing. You may wish to override the location of the
# printcap file
; printing = bsd
; printcap name = /etc/printcap

# CUPS printing. See also the cupsaddsmb(8) manpage in the
# cupsys-client package.
; printing = cups
; printcap name = cups

# When using [print$], root is implicitly a 'printer admin', but you can
# also give this right to other users to add drivers and set printer
# properties
; printer admin = @lpadmin

############ Misc ############

# Using the following line enables you to customise your configuration
# on a per machine basis. The %m gets replaced with the netbios name
# of the machine that is connecting
; include = /home/samba/etc/smb.conf.%m

# Most people will find that this option gives better performance.
# See smb.conf(5)
and /usr/share/doc/samba-doc/htmldocs/Samba3-HOWTO/speed.html
# for details
# You may want to add the following on a Linux system:
# SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
   socket options = TCP_NODELAY

# The following parameter is useful only if you have the linpopup
package
# installed. The samba maintainer and the linpopup maintainer are
# working to ease installation and configuration of linpopup and samba.
; message command = /bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/linpopup "%f" "%m" %s; rm %s'
&

# Domain Master specifies Samba to be the Domain Master Browser. If this
# machine will be configured as a BDC (a secondary logon server), you
# must set this to 'no'; otherwise, the default behavior is recommended.
; domain master = auto

# Some defaults for winbind (make sure you're not using the ranges
# for something else.)
; idmap uid = 10000-20000
; idmap gid = 10000-20000
; template shell = /bin/bash
;
; The following was the default behaviour in sarge
; but samba upstream reverted the default because it might induce
; performance issues in large organizations
; See #368251 for some of the consequences of *not* having
; this setting and smb.conf(5) for all details
;
; winbind enum groups = yes
; winbind enum users = yes

#======================= Share Definitions =======================

# Un-comment the following (and tweak the other settings below to suit)
# to enable the default home directory shares. This will share each
# user's home directory as \\server\username
;[homes]
; comment = Home Directories
; browseable = no

# By default, \\server\username shares can be connected to by anyone
# with access to the samba server. Un-comment the following parameter
# to make sure that only "username" can connect to \\server\username
# This might need tweaking when using external authentication schemes
; valid users = %S

# By default, the home directories are exported read-only. Change next
# parameter to 'yes' if you want to be able to write to them.
; writable = no

# File creation mask is set to 0700 for security reasons. If you want to
# create files with group=rw permissions, set next parameter to 0775.
; create mask = 0700

# Directory creation mask is set to 0700 for security reasons. If you
want to
# create dirs. with group=rw permissions, set next parameter to 0775.
; directory mask = 0700

# Un-comment the following and create the netlogon directory for Domain
Logons
# (you need to configure Samba to act as a domain controller too.)
;[netlogon]
; comment = Network Logon Service
; path = /home/samba/netlogon
; guest ok = yes
; writable = no
; share modes = no

# Un-comment the following and create the profiles directory to store
# users profiles (see the "logon path" option above)
# (you need to configure Samba to act as a domain controller too.)
# The path below should be writable by all users so that their
# profile directory may be created the first time they log on
;[profiles]
; comment = Users profiles
; path = /home/samba/profiles
; guest ok = no
; browseable = no
; create mask = 0600
; directory mask = 0700

wins support = no
[printers]
   comment = All Printers
   browseable = no
   path = /var/spool/samba
   printable = yes
   public = no
   writable = no
   create mode = 0700

# Windows clients look for this share name as a source of downloadable
# printer drivers
[print$]
   comment = Printer Drivers
   path = /var/lib/samba/printers
   browseable = yes
   read only = yes
   guest ok = no
# Uncomment to allow remote administration of Windows print drivers.
# Replace 'ntadmin' with the name of the group your admin users are
# members of.
; write list = root, @ntadmin

# A sample share for sharing your CD-ROM with others.
;[cdrom]
; comment = Samba server's CD-ROM
; writable = no
; locking = no
; path = /cdrom
; public = yes

# The next two parameters show how to auto-mount a CD-ROM when the
# cdrom share is accesed. For this to work /etc/fstab must contain
# an entry like this:
#
# /dev/scd0 /cdrom iso9660 defaults,noauto,ro,user 0 0
#
# The CD-ROM gets unmounted automatically after the connection to the
#
# If you don't want to use auto-mounting/unmounting make sure the CD
# is mounted on /cdrom
#
; preexec = /bin/mount /cdrom
; postexec = /bin/umount /cdrom

[douglas]
path = /home/douglas
available = yes
browsable = yes
public = yes
writable = no

[Documents]
path = /home/douglas/Documents
available = yes
browsable = yes
public = yes
writable = no
comment = shared folder on Ubuntu

On Sun, 2008-02-17 at 05:14 +0000, Brian Michalski wrote:
> Your question #24848 on gnome-nettool in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-nettool/+question/24848
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> Brian Michalski requested for more information:
> ok, more information would be nice, does the ubuntu computer see the xp computers?
> do the xp computer see each other?
>
> can you please open a terminal and type:
> gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf
> that will open up a text editor, please paste everything back here
>
> as well, are you on a domain, or a workgroup, whats is the name of the
> domain/workgroup? (as accoriding to the xp)
>

this part in the file:
; wins server = w.x.y.z
needs to be changed, replace"w.x.y.z" with the ip address of your router
a wins server is a mini-database of computers on your network that are sharing files, if your computer doesnt publish itself, no other computers will see it.
example of modified ; wins server = w.x.y.z:
wins server = 192.168.0.1
note how i removed the ";" this is important because ";" disables wins server

also, find:
; security = user
and remove the ";" in front of it as well as the space in front of it. it should then look like:
security = user
this is a critical part, with out the security=XYZ part, the server doesnt know how it should run. make note that this will NOT force you to indentify with username and password when accessing desktop3 remotly.

-------------------
to make changes to /etc/samba/smb.conf, go to the terminal and type:
sudo gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf
this will ask for your password, enter it, it will not show it onscreen, hit enter and then a text editor will show up allowing you to make changes and save them.
after doing this i recommend a reboot.

I have tried the suggested changes and only resulted in crashing my
network. After resets of router and computers I reset the files
(security and wins server) to their original form and now have the
network back to its original situation - still unable to use Desktop3
with Ubuntu - it can see but not be seen. When i go to "network" it does
not even see itself. So for now I will leave well enough alone. I love
Ubuntu but it has a long way to go when it comes to developing a
seamless network - with or without windows. Additional thoughts are
welcome.

On Sun, 2008-02-17 at 20:02 +0000, Brian Michalski wrote:
> Your question #24848 on gnome-nettool in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-nettool/+question/24848
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Brian Michalski proposed the following answer:
> this part in the file:
> ; wins server = w.x.y.z
> needs to be changed, replace"w.x.y.z" with the ip address of your router
> a wins server is a mini-database of computers on your network that are sharing files, if your computer doesnt publish itself, no other computers will see it.
> example of modified ; wins server = w.x.y.z:
> wins server = 192.168.0.1
> note how i removed the ";" this is important because ";" disables wins server
>
> also, find:
> ; security = user
> and remove the ";" in front of it as well as the space in front of it. it should then look like:
> security = user
> this is a critical part, with out the security=XYZ part, the server doesnt know how it should run. make note that this will NOT force you to indentify with username and password when accessing desktop3 remotly.
>
> -------------------
> to make changes to /etc/samba/smb.conf, go to the terminal and type:
> sudo gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf
> this will ask for your password, enter it, it will not show it onscreen, hit enter and then a text editor will show up allowing you to make changes and save them.
> after doing this i recommend a reboot.
>

ok.....

i have this exact same problem in Karmic Koala 9.10 -- fresh installs on two Dell laptops:

Inspiron 1440
XPS m1330

Identical network setups. The m1330 works normally -- is visible on the home network. the 1440 is invisible, but can browse the other computers on the home network fine as a client.

i have no firewall installed.