Mac Tiger Does Not Autheticate When Connecting To WIndows 2003

Symptom:

When trying to access a file share (SMB share) from a Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger) to Windows 2003 Server which is in a Windows domain, you get a login screen, but it always fails on authentication.

Cause:

The "Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (always)" is Enabled in the Security Options of Local Policies of Security Settings in the Default Domain Controller Security Settings.

Fix:

This applies to Tiger which is running an older version of Samba software. A new version of it will not have this issue, and I have not checked that with Leopard.

Note that this may violate your general local security policy and may expose your windows server with additional security issues.

1. From the Start Menu, open Administrative Tools
2. Select Domain Controller Security Policy
3. In the Default Domain Controller Security Settings applet navigate through Security Settings, Local Policies, Security Options
4. Scroll down the list and find "Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (always)
5. Disable it.
6. From the command line tool type in "gpupdate" to load the change into the OS.

Time Took To Research and Fix This

About year and half.