Run the command ping BIGSERVER from the PC and ping ACLIENT from the UNIX box. If you do not get a valid response, then your TCP/IP software is not correctly installed.

You will need to start a “DOS prompt” window on the PC to run ping.

If you get a message saying “ host not found ” or a similar message, then your DNS software or /etc/hosts file is not correctly set up. If using DNS, check that the /etc/resolv.conf has correct, current, entries in it. It is possible to run Samba without DNS entries for the server and client, but it is assumed you do have correct entries for the remainder of these tests.

Another reason why ping might fail is if your host is running firewall software. You will need to relax the rules to let in the workstation in question, perhaps by allowing access from another subnet (on Linux this is done via the appropriate firewall maintenance commands ipchains or iptables ).