[SOLVED] New to Linux networking, cannot see any of my network devices from my laptop ?

Ajfer03

Great
Jan 10, 2021
36
4
65
Hey everyone, networking enthusiast here. I ended up switching my Lenovo Thinkpad E455 over to Linux Mint today, and really enjoyed the fact that it was a lot less taxing on my system resources. I have no other issue with his new install other than the fact I cannot see any network devices through the file manager. Not even my router shows up as a device. I know it is nothing hardware related because it was working perfectly on Windows 10. I have a rack-mount server with iLO2 enabled on it and I cannot even access the webpage for that either. Not sure if there is some sort of driver I need to install here, but update manager is reporting that everything is up-to-date. Stumped, any recommendations are appreciated.
 
Solution
I wouldn't expect windows to work very well against a computer with a different os just like that, in my experience even sharing files between different windows versions have been difficult.

I believe the method that have the best chance for success is to use Samba to set up a share on the Linux computer - rather than the other way around.

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
Hey everyone, networking enthusiast here. I ended up switching my Lenovo Thinkpad E455 over to Linux Mint today, and really enjoyed the fact that it was a lot less taxing on my system resources. I have no other issue with his new install other than the fact I cannot see any network devices through the file manager. Not even my router shows up as a device. I know it is nothing hardware related because it was working perfectly on Windows 10. I have a rack-mount server with iLO2 enabled on it and I cannot even access the webpage for that either. Not sure if there is some sort of driver I need to install here, but update manager is reporting that everything is up-to-date. Stumped, any recommendations are appreciated.
Are you trying to use wired or wireless connectivity ?
 

Ajfer03

Great
Jan 10, 2021
36
4
65
Both. Using the ethernet jack does not grant me any success. I also just installed Ubuntu MATE on my HP DL380 G5, and not it is now showing up on the network as NAS or seeing anything else on the network, even though it did before on Windows Server 2008 in the exact same networking configuration, no cables were moved or changed. It is also worth noting that both my laptop and rackmount server do have internet access, which is kind of strange considering I cannot see the network.
 
If both are on linux, you will need to set up your shares again. Otherwise, I think it's a nic driver issue. Pretty strange too as linux is really good at picking up nics automatically--unless the build is so new that the older nics have been dropped.
 
I wouldn't expect windows to work very well against a computer with a different os just like that, in my experience even sharing files between different windows versions have been difficult.

I believe the method that have the best chance for success is to use Samba to set up a share on the Linux computer - rather than the other way around.
 
Solution

Ajfer03

Great
Jan 10, 2021
36
4
65
Thanks for the replies guys. I just ended up using an older version of Windows Server on my server and reinstalled Windows on my laptop. Works so much better than Linux.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I just ended up using an older version of Windows Server on my server and reinstalled Windows on my laptop. Works so much better than Linux.
Off course a MS product works better with another MS product.

Look, the way you put the words on this, may sound like this is a fault of Linux for not working properly. I assume that was not the purpose - but let me clarify:

The way MS windows share folders, is made by microsoft. The excact protocol and inner workings - proper documentation is never being shared to people outside of MS (maybe except for some business partners, but that doesn't help) - so much of the way Linux are able to actually work with Microsoft products/services as because somebody have spent a lifetime trying to reverse engineering.

That is why - when file sharing between Linux and Windows doesn't work - the blame lies with MS.
 

Ajfer03

Great
Jan 10, 2021
36
4
65
No, I'm not talking about shares between computers here, I mean that on my Linux computers I couldn't see anything AT ALL on the network. Not my router, not my Samsung tv, not my printer, and I couldn't see my windows computers either. I understand the blame lies with MS. Linux is great because it is open source and all, but for my application, it just wasn't working. I couldn't even see the thumb-drive that I hook up to my router's USB port! Any windows computer I have sees all the devices in a couple of seconds. My school Macbook too. It's something with Linux. Keep in mind, this happened with three different distros on three different computers.
 
I couldn't even see the thumb-drive that I hook up to my router's USB port! Any windows computer I have sees all the devices in a couple of seconds. My school Macbook too. It's something with Linux. Keep in mind, this happened with three different distros on three different computers.
Ok, but that's a slightly different problem. In adition to what I said before, you need to know that Linux is by default more geared to safety, so to be able to see your network shares (on the router) you probably need to tweak something. So what you repport back here is about "windows just working while Linux do not" is quite obvious.

If you still want to resolve this particular problem I suggest you make a new post - or just continue using Windows if that is best for you 🆒
 
No, I'm not talking about shares between computers here, I mean that on my Linux computers I couldn't see anything AT ALL on the network. Not my router, not my Samsung tv, not my printer, and I couldn't see my windows computers either. I understand the blame lies with MS. Linux is great because it is open source and all, but for my application, it just wasn't working. I couldn't even see the thumb-drive that I hook up to my router's USB port! Any windows computer I have sees all the devices in a couple of seconds. My school Macbook too. It's something with Linux. Keep in mind, this happened with three different distros on three different computers.
This is super weird. I've never not been able to boot some sort of linux live cd and have it work on a system. You should try the TENS live cd:
https://www.spi.dod.mil/docs/TENS-3.0.2_public.iso