Windows 10 network mapping using server name in hosts file

network-sharesambawindowswindows 10

I want to map a samba shared folder on my Windows 10 Home PC.
The server is a Linux – CentOS 7 with Samba 4.4.4.
If I use the server IP address then it works fine however if I create an entry in the hosts file to name my server then I got path not found error.

First with simple net view this works:

net view \\192.168.0.10

I added the following to my hosts file:

192.168.0.10 myserver

But got the following result:

net view \\myserver

System error 53 has occurred.
The network path was not found.

Pinging the server works fine using myserver

UPDATE

Using the IP I can access the server and the Get-SMBConnection result is:

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-SMBConnection

ServerName   ShareName UserName               Credential              Dialect NumOpens
----------   --------- --------               ----------              ------- --------
192.168.0.20 IPC$      DEVELOPER-PC-01\vilma DEVELOPER-PC-01\unixmen 3.1.1   1

Using the server name I can not even browse the server.

Best Answer

Disable strict name checking on the server:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters
Value name: DisableStrictNameChecking
Data type:  REG_DWORD
Value:      1