# OPS345 Lab 3 — Continue From Current Progress (Urgent)
You are helping **Saad** complete **Seneca Polytechnic OPS345 Lab 3: Configuring DNS and Samba Server** as quickly as possible.
**IMPORTANT: Do not restart this lab from scratch. Significant work has already been completed. Continue from the exact point described below.**
## 1. My environment
I am using Ubuntu installed on an external SSD, currently booted on a Seneca lab computer.
I have four existing QEMU/KVM virtual machines managed through Virtual Machine Manager:
| VM | Operating system | IP configuration |
|---|---|---|
| deb-router-1 | Debian 13 | 192.168.122.175 (internet), 192.168.100.11 (backbone), 192.168.125.11 (cnet1) |
| deb-router-2 | Debian 13 | 192.168.100.12 (backbone), 192.168.150.11 (cnet2) |
| mint-client | Linux Mint | 192.168.125.12 |
| win-client | Windows 11 | 192.168.150.12 |
Lab 2 was previously completed, including IP addressing, NAT, IP forwarding and FRR/OSPF.
**Important unresolved issue:** After restarting the VMs, the OSPF neighbor table appeared empty. We did not fully investigate this. If cross-subnet connectivity fails, verify routing before changing DNS.
The Ubuntu host initially had an Ethernet DHCP issue (169.254.x.x address). This was resolved by configuring Ethernet to obtain an address automatically. Host internet access is now working.
## 2. What we have completed in Lab 3
### Investigation 1 — Installing and configuring BIND9
On `deb-router-1`:
- Installed BIND9 and DNS utilities.
- Configured `/etc/bind/named.conf.options` according to the professor's instructions.
- Corrected multiple syntax errors, including missing semicolons.
- Successfully started the `named` service.
- Confirmed `sudo systemctl is-active named` returned `active`.
The BIND9 options include:
- Listening on `127.0.0.1`, `192.168.100.11` and `192.168.125.11`.
- Allowing queries and recursion from the three internal subnets.
- Forwarders `1.1.1.1` and `8.8.8.8`.
- Recursive DNS enabled.
### Investigation 2 — Creating DNS zones
Configured `/etc/bind/named.conf.local` with six zones:
**Forward zones:**
- `ops345.org`
- `cnet1.ops345.org`
- `cnet2.ops345.org`
**Reverse zones:**
- `100.168.192.in-addr.arpa`
- `125.168.192.in-addr.arpa`
- `150.168.192.in-addr.arpa`
Initially, all six zone files were missing. We subsequently created all six using a single shell script.
The zone files are:
- `/etc/bind/db.ops345.org`
- `/etc/bind/db.cnet1.ops345.org`
- `/etc/bind/db.cnet2.ops345.org`
- `/etc/bind/db.192.168.100`
- `/etc/bind/db.192.168.125`
- `/etc/bind/db.192.168.150`
DNS records follow the professor's addressing scheme.
### Investigation 3 — DNS validation (partially completed)
We ran:
```bash
sudo named-checkconf -z
sudo systemctl restart named
sudo systemctl is-active named
dig @192.168.100.11 win-client.cnet2.ops345.org +short
```
**Latest reported result: The DNS test worked.** The expected answer is `192.168.150.12`.
The user has confirmed success, although the exact terminal output was not independently reviewed.
### SSH access — IMPORTANT
**SSH from the Ubuntu host to deb-router-1 is now working.**
This is a major improvement because I can now copy and paste long commands from my Ubuntu host terminal into the Debian router using SSH.
**Use SSH for all remaining long commands on Router 1. Do not make me type large configuration files inside the VM console.**
## 3. What is still left to complete
### A. Finish Investigation 3 — DNS across all VMs
1. Configure `deb-router-1` to use itself as DNS server (`192.168.100.11`), following the professor's `/etc/resolv.conf` instructions. Be careful about DHCP overwriting the file.
2. Configure `deb-router-2` to use `192.168.100.11` as DNS.
3. Configure Linux Mint's DNS to `192.168.100.11` using NetworkManager.
4. Configure Windows 11's preferred DNS server to `192.168.100.11`.
5. Verify both internal and external DNS resolution.
6. Verify all four VMs can communicate using FQDNs.
**Important:** Check network routing if cross-subnet tests fail. Don't automatically assume every failure is caused by DNS.
### B. Investigation 4 — Samba Server
On `mint-client`:
1. Install Samba.
2. Verify `smbd` and `nmbd` services.
3. Add my existing Linux Mint username to the `sambashare` group.
4. Set a Samba password.
5. Create `~/sambadir`.
6. Set group ownership and permissions (`sambashare`, `2770`).
7. Back up `/etc/samba/smb.conf`.
8. Add the professor's `[Share]` configuration, using my actual Mint username.
9. Validate the Samba configuration and restart the services.
On `win-client`:
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Map drive `H:` to:
`\\mint-client.cnet1.ops345.org\Share`
3. Authenticate using my Samba username and password.
4. Create `test.txt` in the Mint Samba directory.
5. Open the shared file from Windows.
6. Write `Hello World!`, save it and close it.
7. Confirm the changes are visible on Linux Mint.
8. Verify the mapped drive remains available after restarting Windows, and test what happens when Mint is powered off and back on.
## 4. EXACT five screenshots required by my professor
The final submission must include these five labeled screenshots:
1. **Linux Mint:** Successful ping to `win-client.cnet2.ops345.org`.
2. **Windows 11:** Successful ping to `mint-client.cnet1.ops345.org`.
3. **Debian Router 1:** Successful ping to `deb-router-2.ops345.org`.
4. **Debian Router 2:** Successful ping to `deb-router-1.ops345.org`.
5. **Windows 11:** `test.txt` visible inside the mapped Samba share `\\mint-client.cnet1.ops345.org\Share`.
The screenshots must be organized into one document with clear captions.
**Tell me exactly when to capture each screenshot. Do not leave all screenshots until the end.**
## 5. How I want you to guide me
My priority is to finish this lab **as fast as possible without skipping professor requirements**.
Follow these rules:
- Give me one short, actionable stage at a time.
- Always specify which VM I should use.
- Provide exact copy-paste commands wherever possible.
- Prefer SSH for Router 1.
- For other Linux VMs, help establish SSH if it saves time.
- Avoid unnecessary explanations and repeated troubleshooting.
- Don't ask me to repeat completed work.
- Don't reinstall or delete existing configurations without a clear reason.
- Verify commands before suggesting them.
- If an error appears, diagnose the actual output rather than guessing.
- Tell me when to take each required screenshot.
- Do not guarantee that there will be no errors.
- Keep the process efficient and focused on completing Lab 3.
## 6. Where to start NOW
Start with the **remaining DNS configuration in Investigation 3**.
First verify that Router 1's DNS service responds to both internal and external queries. Then configure the remaining three VMs to use Router 1 for DNS.
After DNS is working, proceed immediately to Samba.
**Do not restart Investigation 1 or recreate the six DNS zone files unless validation reveals a specific problem.**
Please guide me through the next step now.