[SOLVED] Access Issue on Local Network

[Snowhog]

Posting here because my 25.04 installation on my laptop is the one with the 'issue'.

Local Network PCs:

Desktop PC running Kubuntu 24.04 LTS
Laptop running Kubuntu 25.04
iMac running macOS Big Sur

From my iMac I:
CAN access my Desktop PC
CANNOT access my Laptop

From my Desktop I:
CAN access my iMac
CANNOT access my laptop

From my Laptop I:
CAN access my Desktop PC
CAN access my iMac

What am I missing? What specifically do I need to look for?

[oshunluvr]

What type of access? SAMBA, NFS, SSH, etc...

Generally, sounds like a needed port isn't open on the laptop.

[Snowhog]

What type of access? SAMBA, NFS, SSH, etc...

SAMBA on all three.

But on the Desktop and Laptop I didn't do any kind of configuring; the samba packages were just installed.

The iMac only requires that Sharing is enabled, then any local network computers can then see and access it.

[oshunluvr]

There was a default security level change on SAMBA awhile back. IIRC it had to do with "client max protocol = NT1"

I assume you've compared your smb.conf files.

[Snowhog]

I assume you've compared your smb.conf files.

They are identical. Compared them in KDiff3.

[oshunluvr]

Well then it seems like a 25.04 issue...

[oshunluvr]

Or maybe plain old permissions

[oshunluvr]

User group membership?

[Snowhog]

Well then it seems like a 25.04 issue...

I tend to agree.

Having two Kubuntu PCs on the same local network should just work when it comes to sharing. It used to be a chore, 'back in the day', but it's supposed to be easy-peasy now.

[Snowhog]

Seems that smbd wasn't running on the laptop. systemctl status smbd reported it was loaded but disabled and inactive (dead).

I restarted smbd: sudo systemctl restart smbd and rechecked the status. Now is shows as active (running). Maybe of concern; the Loaded line shows as:

Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/smbd.service; disabled; preset; enabled)

The same line on the Deskop PC shows as:

Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/smbd.service; enabled; preset; enabled)

Should I be worried/concerned that the service, while loaded, is listed as disabled?

But, having restarted smbd on the Laptop, now I can access it from the Desktop PC.

Still some niggles with accessing the Laptop from my iMac, but I can do it IF I access it from my browser (Firefox) with URL smb://[laptops IP address] first. The first time I did this, after restarting smbd on the laptop, I was prompted for the user name and password for the laptop. I don't get that challenge if I try to access the laptop directly from Finder > Network > MACCAT (the hostname of the laptop).

[Snowhog]

I restarted smbd: sudo systemctl restart smbd and rechecked the status. Now is shows as active (running).

But this doesn't survive a reboot. Rebooting and smbd is again, not loaded/not running. I have to restart it again.

RESOLVED!

Okay, smbd.service needs to be enabled to startup automatically when the system boots. Done with:

sudo systemctl enable smbd.service

Now systemctl status smbd reports:

Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/smbd.service; enabled; preset; enabled)

Just like it shows on my Desktop PC.

Happy camper here!