[SOLVED] Which device should be the Samba (SMB) "Master Browser"?

[tmchow]

I'm wondering if there is any problem with my router being the SMB Local Master Browser on my network vs my unraid box?

 

I didn't even know my router was acting as one, until i installed the Dynamix Local Master plugin which told me my router was.  My router is running the Merlin firmware, which advertises as one of it's features that it can act as a local master browser.

 

Are there any consequences to having my router be the local master browser vs the unraid box?

[ken-ji]

The router might be a better choice since it stays up and around the longest. And it can presumably see all the devices by being the router. The local master browser allows windows to resolve all devices by their SMB name so that a default unRaid install is known as Tower and can be found by most default Windows installs. I've seen some Linux distros use this naming scheme, but usually OSX and Linux will use regular FQDNs, which most home users will not have, which is why they can't just type http://tower and access the WebUI.

 

 

 

 

I am not aware of any special requirements for the local master browser just that it should have the longest uptime and best visibility of all machines.

[itimpi]

I'm wondering if there is any problem with my router being the SMB Local Master Browser on my network vs my unraid box?

 

I didn't even know my router was acting as one, until i installed the Dynamix Local Master plugin which told me my router was.  My router is running the Merlin firmware, which advertises as one of it's features that it can act as a local master browser.

 

Are there any consequences to having my router be the local master browser vs the unraid box?

that is the best possible choice if your router supports it.  You want the device that is going to be switched on the longest and also that the most devices will realise is there.    Your router fills that requirement admirably as it is almost certainly left switched on 24x7.  It is normally already acting as the name lookup for ordinary TCP requests and extending that to handle it for netbios requests is logical expansion of its role.

[tmchow]

thanks all!