CIFS/SMB difference

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Level 2

230 points

CIFS/SMB difference

If I try to access my windows share on my network using smb://servername/sharename - it cannot find the box.

If I use CIFS://servername/sharename it works like a charm.

What is the difference between CIFS and SMB?

[the above holds true for accessing only some of the windows machines on the network... but is consistent... same servers never can be see, other can always be seen]

Power Book G4 17, Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Dec 23, 2005 10:37 PM

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Answer 1

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Top-ranking reply

Lazarus Long

Level 3

499 points

Dec 24, 2005 4:00 AM in response to Ashler

CIFS (Common Internet File System) is a refinement of SMB (Server Message Blocks). SMB is the term for Microsoft's file sharing technology as used in Windows. CIFS was proposed by them as an "open" version of SMB for filesharing over the Internet and is used by other platforms such as Unix.

If you're having trouble with SMB then something in your setup related to Windows file sharing, perhaps WINS server settings or authentication, is not quite right, whereas the more generic CIFS is able to connect.

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Answer 2

Dec 26, 2005 1:28 PM in response to Lazarus Long

Also, SMB uses TCP 139, while CIFS uses TCP 445 -- CIFS also uses DNS resolution before NetBIOS name resolution.

If there is a firewall blocking TCP 139 or NetBIOS name resolution isn't working properly, this could be the cause of SMB:// not working properly.

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CIFS/SMB difference