This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of file sharing and samba. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO commands can be used to list Samba shares on a remote server?
smbstatus
Why wrong: Incorrect; smbstatus shows local active connections.
nmblookup -S server
Why wrong: Incorrect; nmblookup resolves NetBIOS names, not lists shares.
net view \\server
Why wrong: Incorrect; net view is a Windows command, not typically available on Linux.
findsmb
Correct; findsmb queries the network for Samba servers and shares.
smbclient -L //server
Correct; smbclient can list remote shares.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
findsmb
Option D is correct because `findsmb` is a utility that scans the local subnet for Samba/CIFS servers and lists their shares. Option E is correct because `smbclient -L //server` queries the specified remote server for its available shares using the SMB protocol, making it a direct and reliable method for listing shares.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
smbstatus
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; smbstatus shows local active connections.
nmblookup -S server
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; nmblookup resolves NetBIOS names, not lists shares.
net view \\server
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; net view is a Windows command, not typically available on Linux.
findsmb
Why this is correct
Correct; findsmb queries the network for Samba servers and shares.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
smbclient -L //server
Why this is correct
Correct; smbclient can list remote shares.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `nmblookup -S` with a share-listing command, when in fact it only resolves NetBIOS names and displays service type flags, not actual share names.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect; smbstatus shows local active connections.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `smbclient -L` uses the SMB protocol's `NetShareEnum` call (over SMB over TCP/IP) to retrieve the list of shares from the remote server. `findsmb` relies on NetBIOS name service broadcasts (UDP port 137) to discover Samba servers on the local subnet, then queries each for its share list; this makes it effective only on local networks where NetBIOS broadcasts are allowed. In real-world scenarios, `smbclient -L` is preferred for remote servers across routed networks, while `findsmb` is useful for quick local discovery without needing the server's hostname.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.
What to study next
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FAQ
File Sharing and Samba — This question tests File Sharing and Samba — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: findsmb — Option D is correct because `findsmb` is a utility that scans the local subnet for Samba/CIFS servers and lists their shares. Option E is correct because `smbclient -L //server` queries the specified remote server for its available shares using the SMB protocol, making it a direct and reliable method for listing shares.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LPIC-2 exam.
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