[Discuss] Network IP Conflicts and Dropped Samba Connections Oh My!

[eric at aaca-boston.org (Eric Chadbourne)]

Hi All,

So I have these two problems.

1.  On the company shared drive (samba) once in a while people report 
microshaft word files getting locked and then they can't use them until 
they delete the lock files, but it's only one person using the file. 
The samba server has been running almost a year with zero problems until 
this recent complaint from a couple of users.

2.  Staff is occasionally getting IP conficts.  I've checked to make 
sure my servers have the proper static IPs and that the Comcast SMC 
Networks router doesn't use these addresses in it's dns range.  We have 
a couple of wireless routers and I'm verifying now they are not the cause.

Here's my current guess as to what's happening.

1.  One of the cicso switches burned out a fan which I replaced.  I 
think the old bugger is reaching it's end of life.  Maybe this is 
intermittently screwing up samba connections?

2.  The IP conflicts are because the smc router has the hiccups and we 
need to purchase a real business router / vpn.

I'm also googling for a good network monitor application that can run on 
Ubuntu and could maybe help me figure out which (if any) switch is in 
poor health.

All clues welcome.

Thanks!
- Eric C