Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

fengshaun · 2013-09-07 20:45:12

I have been trying to get Thunar to browse network (on openbox) to no avail. When I click on "Browse network", I get this error message:

Failed to open "/ on".
Operation not supported.

So far, I have installed gvfs, gvfs-smb, fuse, samba, smbclient, and smbnetfs.
Per wiki's instruction, I have uncommented the following line in /etc/fuse.conf:

user_allow_other

and enabled the fuse module (modprobe fuse).

and per another forum post, changed my .xinitrc's exec line to read:

exec dbus-launch openbox-session

So far, I can view all the shares with smbtree and connect to them with smbclient //SERVER/share, but Thunar still refuses to browse the shares.
Is there any way I can get Thunar to browse the local network shares?

Last edited by fengshaun (2013-09-07 20:45:38)

rufus · 2013-09-07 21:24:26

there are a variety of plugins try https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/thun … es-plugin/
good luck!

Last edited by rufus (2013-09-07 21:26:47)

henk · 2013-09-08 03:44:31

You could try in Thunar: go to View-->Location Selector and change to Toolbar Style.
Then type in the networkaddress: smb://192.168.xxx.xxx
I presume you did set smb.conf, and enabled smbd.service?

fengshaun · 2013-09-08 17:47:38

@rufus: my problem is browsing the shares, not sharing folders.

@henk: I tried that, but as soon as I enter smb:// in the location bar, the icon turns red and pressing enter won't do anything.

henk · 2013-09-08 20:08:04

Do you clear the addres bar completely before you enter it? If it looks like '/home/<username>/smb://' or '/smb://' then yes , it wil not work.
If this is not the problem, you should check your smb.conf.

B.T.W we have the same packages installed apart from fuse and smbnetfs which I don't use.

fengshaun · 2013-09-08 20:24:05

Yea, I made sure the location bar reads only "smb://". As soon as I enter the first slash, the icon turns red.

headkase · 2013-09-09 05:29:32

Make sure smbclient is installed for the following.

I've found that gvfs-smb is terrible. It hangs all the time when copying files when it even works. What I now do, after fighting that piece of love, is just put some cifs mount points in my fstab.

See: Here.

If you want to omit the "ip=" parameter then edit "/etc/nsswitch.conf" and on the "hosts:" line put "wins" AFTER "dns" so it looks like this:

hosts: files dns wins myhostname

Adding "wins" enables NETBIOS name lookups so you don't need ip addresses. You want wins after dns because if you put that lookup before dns you'll slow down your web-browsing.

Edit: then just mount and unmount the fstab shares as you need them.

Last edited by headkase (2013-09-09 05:31:17)

headkase · 2013-09-10 00:21:27

Here is something that might be an issue as well:

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/c … Num-5.html

When using Samba with Microsoft Windows networks on the Windows side of things you should really put the encryption down to 40 or 56 bit if you expect it to work with Linux.

Last edited by headkase (2013-09-10 00:34:13)

fengshaun · 2013-09-10 01:27:06

Thanks a lot headkase! I'm thinking I should just set aside Thunar and stick to the fuzzy and comfortable terminal given it's not the first time I'm reading about gvfs performance problems. I'm just wondering, is the cifs/fstab reliable when the shares connect and disconnect randomly throughout the day? (the systems might shutdown or leave the network briefly).

headkase · 2013-09-10 01:37:16

You're welcome. I've not tested when a share goes down. However, transferring files when a share is up: gvfs-smb locks within 1GB, cifs/fstab share: happily transfer 100GB without a hiccup.

fengshaun · 2013-09-10 01:47:59

just as a reference for later viewing. It seems the 'nofail' option in /etc/fstab solves the problem of "what if it's not there to be mounted"?

Thanks!

headkase · 2013-09-10 01:56:56

Right on, you're welcome again!

Edit: Also, put in noauto as a parameter if you don't want them mounted at boot.. uid=xxx, and gid=xxx are also some parameters to use with rw if you want write support for the shares.

Last edited by headkase (2013-09-10 02:00:44)

henk · 2013-09-10 03:37:28

headkase wrote:

transferring files when a share is up: gvfs-smb locks within 1GB

Having the same problem, although the 1GB mark is somewhat fuzzy. Thanks for this information.
Will try your suggestions when I have more time to deal with it.

headkase · 2013-09-10 03:39:38

henk wrote:

headkase wrote:
transferring files when a share is up: gvfs-smb locks within 1GB
Having the same problem, although the 1GB mark is somewhat fuzzy. Thanks for this information.
Will try your suggestions when I have more time to deal with it.

Yes, the value is always different before it locks. Could be as low as tens of kilobytes and might make it up to a few hundred megabytes. However, for myself, gvfs-smb will always hang within a gigabyte of transfer.

Arch Linux

#1 2013-09-07 20:45:12

Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#2 2013-09-07 21:24:26

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#3 2013-09-08 03:44:31

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#4 2013-09-08 17:47:38

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#5 2013-09-08 20:08:04

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#6 2013-09-08 20:24:05

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#7 2013-09-09 05:29:32

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#8 2013-09-10 00:21:27

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#9 2013-09-10 01:27:06

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#10 2013-09-10 01:37:16

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#11 2013-09-10 01:47:59

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#12 2013-09-10 01:56:56

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#13 2013-09-10 03:37:28

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

#14 2013-09-10 03:39:38

Re: Can't browse samba networks using Thunar

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