Linux Mint 17 Windows network shares

Question

I have installed Linux Mint 17 Cinnamon on my desktop in an effort to migrate from Windows (and only keeping a VM with Windows) but soon I discovered that I can't see any workgroups after I click on the network link on the left. I know it should show a WORKGROUP folder if that is the workgroup used and configured in Samba but this just displayed an empty folder.

I did check my smb.conf to see that the same workgroup the Windows machines use is being used by my machine. I am also able to find the IP addresses of all the machines on the network using arpscan eth0 192.168.1.0/24 proving that there is network connectivity. i also checked that our subnets match.

Strangely enough on the Windows machines the Linux Mint box isn't visible as well. I did try disabling the firewall as well but no success.

So the only way to access a Windows or any other share(as I have a Ubuntu server) is to do it via the IP address.

What could I still try as I feel that I have tried most of the common solutions.

Answer 1

Did you make a network share (shared folder) on your Linux machine. - If no share is defined, the linux machine (and workgroup) doesn't show; unlike Windows, that shows C$, printers etc. Also allow some time after booting, for Windows network and Samba server to find each other. - Hope this wil help you.

Btw computers are still on the same network, even if you are using different workgroups. They do not need to be in the same workgroup to communicate, share etc.