Master Browser - which system on a LAN, how to configure?

x509 said:

After reading innumerable threads in this forum as to why someone's home LAN is not working as expected, I have learned about the "master browser" that manages the connections between systems in a workgroup network. In all the years I have worked with Windows, workgroup networking causes me the most issues.

I was wondering if issues with the master browser configuration, etc, are the root cause of many people's issues, including mine. So I have these questions.

• How do I identify the system that is currently running the master browser?
• When a new system joins the LAN, or is rebooted, how can I be sure that the master browser knows about that machine?
• If the system running the master browser is rebooted, what happens with the master browser?
• If the system running the master browser goes offline, what happens with the master browser?
• Are there any utilities or cmd-box commands to manage the master browser?

Hi there

@x509

if Non Windows system e.g LAN using samba

look in samba.cnf (samba config file usually in folder /etc/samba)

set in global section (the section marked [global]

...........


# local master = when set to no, Samba does not become the master browser on
# your network. When set to yes, normal election rules apply.
#
# os level = determines the precedence the server has in master browser
# elections. The default value should be reasonable.
#
# preferred master = when set to yes, Samba forces a local browser election at
# start up (and gives itself a slightly higher chance of winning the election).
#

local master = yes
preferred master = yes
os level = 25


...............................

set the os level to an appropriate value --if you have more than one NAS (non windows system) the highest OS level "wins".

As far as all windows systems are concerned I think it's a case of "Smith and Wesson always beats 4 aces" ==probably the Windows system that boots first is the master. I can't see any Windows config file to set the master browser.

If the master browser goes offline then the windows system should take over but I don't know as all my Linux systems run 24/7 --it's only my Windows systems that get re-booted frequently.

If a new Linux / NAS type system, joins the Lan it's easy to see the status -- type as root (or sudo) systemctl status nmb l
that will show you what you need.

Just running 1 NAS system - so no Windows currently

console shows :



cheers
jimbo

This does it all https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/netbios_scanner.html