Using Unix to access OS/2 machines

  1. Samba's client, smbclient, is a very basic piece of software. You'll probably not like the text-mode based user interface. So, if you to access resources on an OS/2 machine from a Unix machine, the best solution would probably be to use an FTP server on the OS/2 machine. Warp 4 and Warp Connect already come which such a beast, while there are several shareware FTP servers available as well. Once the FTP server is installed, you can use Unix X based FTP clients (including Webbrowsers) to access that OS/2 machine. An alternative would be to buy the OS/2 NFS kit, but it's quite expensive.
  2. When you connect with the Samba client (smbclient) to a Warp 4 or Connect machine, and the Samba binaries have been compiled without encrypted passwords (search for 'libdes' in the Makefile), you need to enter the password in CAPITALS, otherwise Warp will not accept it! An smbclient with encrypted password accepts passwords in either case.
  3. If you use Linux and you want to access a Warp machine: no need to use the cumbersome smbclient! Just use smbfs and you will be able to mount the Warp machine into the Linux directory tree! You need a recent version of the Linux kernel, compile in smbfs support (or use the modular support for it), download the smbfs kit from the Samba FTP server and compile the smbfs utilities such as smbmount.
  4. If you don't use Linux but still would like to mount Warp machines as a directory, check out Rumba. So far, it has been ported to Linux and Nextstep but it is expected to be portable to other platforms as well. It runs in user space.
  5. Only OS/2 machines which can act as servers can be accessed from Unix. This means: Warp 4 and Warp Connect. And Lan/Warp Server too, of course. But not OS/2 2.x or Warp 3 non-Connect machines (unless you install extra software such as Lantastic or Samba/2).
  6. From a Unix command prompt window, use the Samba client to see if you can get the shares from your Warp machine listed:

    7. smbclient -L myPCname
  7. Now to something even more advanced: set up a connection to a share of your Warp machine and copy some files, list them on screen etc.:

    8. smbclient '\\myPCname\fdrive'
    (Note the quotes! They are relevant!) If you use a public share, the password you enter should not matter. Once you are in, cd and dir around as you please. It works more or less like the Unix command line FTP client (/usr/bin/ftp).
  8. Another thing you can try is to send a message ('WinPopUp', 'Network Messaging') with:

    9. smbclient -M myPCname
    Or you can print to a printer connected to the Warp machine (if you have a printer share defined on that machine):
    smbclient '\\myPCname\faxprn' -P
    and then use the "print" command on the command line.

    Warp Connect and Warp 4 both come with support for LPR style printing, so you don't really have to use smbclient. However, setting it up on the Warp machine may be a bit tricky and for good performance you need to install the LPR update.

  9. There's now a graphical front-end for smbclient in development! Smb2www allows you to view files and directories located on SMB servers (Windows, Warp etc.) from any webbrowser. Plus, if you click on a file, it will be downloaded and/or be viewed (e.g. JPEG picture).
  10. The Samba client (smbclient/SMBCLNT.EXE) could crash the peer-to-peer networking software of Warp 4 and Warp Connect. A quick fix (for Samba, not OS/2!) is now available. Read this.
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