How to know the service name of a samba server

Question

The samba address is given by

//<server>/<service>

Knowing the BIOS name <server>, how do I get to know the <service> field remotely (other machine than the server)?

Answer 1

From a Linux host, I would install the smbclient package and use /usr/bin/smbclient to list the shares

from man smbclient

   -L|--list
       This option allows you to look at what services are available on a server. 
       You use it as smbclient -L host and a list should appear. 
       The -I option may be useful if your NetBIOS names don't match
       your TCP/IP DNS host names or if you are trying to reach a 
       host on another network.


$ /usr/bin/smbclient --help | grep -A1 list
   -L, --list=HOST                           Get a list of shares available on
                                             a host
$

Some shares may require authentication.

Example:

$ /usr/bin/smbclient --user 'MYDOMAIN\account' --list 192.168.123.20
Enter MYDOMAIN\account's password: 
Domain=[MYDOMAIN] OS=[Windows 7 Enterprise 7601 Service Pack 1] Server=[Windows 7 Enterprise 6.1]

    Sharename       Type      Comment
    ---------       ----      -------
    ADMIN$          Disk      Remote Admin
    C$              Disk      Default share
    IPC$            IPC       Remote IPC
    print$          Disk      Printer Drivers
NetBIOS over TCP disabled -- no workgroup available
$ 

Answer 2

It'll be whatever has been defined in the Samba config.

Assuming it's a Linux server, run

testparm

to get a dump of services.

If the services have been configured to be discoverable, you might be able to navigate to //server and see a list of services.