HOWTO: Setup Samba peer-to-peer with Windows

[acanning]

Hello All

I wonder if you might be able to help. I have a common setup in that I want to use an Ubuntu machine for basic file sharing within a small Windows 7 network. I can create shares using Samba with guest access but I really want proper secure user access although all users will access the same folder on the server. The problem is that it doesn’t work. Windows can see the shared folder but always asks for a password when I try to access the folder. The username/password I enter never works.

This is what I have done so far...

Installed Ubuntu Desktop ver 10.04 (as my server)

Installed Samba

Created User ‘Ash’ on Server using the same password as my Windows 7 machine.

Also created a samba user using command ‘sudo smbpasswd –a Ash’

My Samba config file is default other than this section at the end;

[MyFiles]
path = /Home/server/Public/Dropbox/
available = yes
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = no
writable = yes

What am I doing wrong? Why does my Windows machine always ask for a password and then not let me access the folder saying that my login or password isn’t correct. When I boot-up the Windows machine I have to enter my username and password so I thought that should cover the login to the shared folder. If I enable guest access then it works without asking for a password.

I haven’t enabled sharing using the Nautilis file browser...that’s right isn’t it? I configure using the smb.conf file.

I don’t operate a domain only a workgroup called ‘workgroup’.

I know lots of people have problems like this but I feel like I’ve tried everything with no success. Anyone have any suggestions.

Many thanks

[acanning]

I think I may have posted my question in the wrong place. I'll re-post in a more up to date area.

Thanks

[Fraoch]

You know, as old as this HOWTO is...it deserves a bump.

Sometimes when I upgrade Ubuntu I lose access to all my network shares and have to start all over again. This was the case with the upgrade to 12.04.

Each upgrade there are better and better GUI tools to configure samba but none of them seem to work for me. This HOWTO just always works.

Thanks to the OP!

[hanhanafi]

Hello, I have some problem with my Samba server.
I can't configure Samba with IPV6.
Can you tell me how to solve it?
My computer server use Ubuntu 10.4 and client use windows 7
Sorry my english is bad

[Crackouch]

Thanks for previous help.

My Samba shares suddenly became offline on my Windows 7 machine and I cannot access the contents saying "Access is denied," "you don't have the permissions," etc.

For some time, my original /etc/samba/smb.conf-iguration worked like a charm, as follows:

workgroup = HOMENET

[NetworkFileSystem]
path = /NetworkFileSystem
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = no
force user = homeuser
...Along with the proper permissions statement: sudo chmod 0777 /NetworkFileSystem

I decided to add a 1TB drive to my Ubuntu machine to store my music. I mounted the drive (set up automatically at boot), set the same permissions as /NetworkFileSystem, and then added another share to the Samba file:

[MusicFiles]
path = /media/MusicFiles
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = no
force user = homeuser

It originally worked OK. Both shares were accessible and I was able to play the Ubuntu music files on my W7 box. Then I shut down I machines for the day. When I turned them on again, the W7 machine indicated that I could not connect to the network drives, even the NetworkFileSystem. I tried commenting out the MusicFiles share in my Samba file, unmapping and remapping the NetworkFileSystem share. The folders of that share appear with an "X" and I cannot get in them.

Please help if and when you can...
Thanks, Crackouch

[Crackouch]

Thanks for previous help.

My Samba shares suddenly became offline on my Windows 7 machine and I cannot access the contents saying "Access is denied," "you don't have the permissions," etc.

For some time, my original /etc/samba/smb.conf-iguration worked like a charm, as follows:

workgroup = HOMENET

[NetworkFileSystem]
path = /NetworkFileSystem
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = no
force user = homeuser
...Along with the proper permissions statement: sudo chmod 0777 /NetworkFileSystem

I decided to add a 1TB drive to my Ubuntu machine to store my music. I mounted the drive (set up automatically at boot), set the same permissions as /NetworkFileSystem, and then added another share to the Samba file:

[MusicFiles]
path = /media/MusicFiles
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = no
force user = homeuser

It originally worked OK. Both shares were accessible and I was able to play the Ubuntu music files on my W7 box. Then I shut down I machines for the day. When I turned them on again, the W7 machine indicated that I could not connect to the network drives, even the NetworkFileSystem. I tried commenting out the MusicFiles share in my Samba file, unmapping and remapping the NetworkFileSystem share. The folders of that share appear with an "X" and I cannot get in them.

Please help if and when you can...
Thanks, Crackouch

I found out on my own. More of a Windows 7 issues. I had to remount the drives.

[c2tarun]

You know, as old as this HOWTO is...it deserves a bump.

Sometimes when I upgrade Ubuntu I lose access to all my network shares and have to start all over again. This was the case with the upgrade to 12.04.

Each upgrade there are better and better GUI tools to configure samba but none of them seem to work for me. This HOWTO just always works.

Thanks to the OP!

I agree, anyone who setup Samba on *buntu 12.04 can please share the tutorial. It will be helpful to all of us.

[GaryRixon]

Thank you so much. I'm not lying when I say I have been attempting to setup a password protected samba share for about a month now.

I don't have masses of free time, but I really enjoy administrating the servers I have setup and you have no doubt saved me many hours of tinkering.

I simply had no idea you had to add a samba user.

Here is my home network/server setup if you're interested...

[megamister]

Samba Server and Windows machine isn't very difficult with a simple little tool called System-Config-Samba a simple Graphical Samba tool.

Once you install it with your favorite package manager it will be listed in your menu as “Samba”. Some versions you will get an error saying KDEInit could not launch 'gksu' Could not find 'gksu' executable. Don't worry like I did it's only a little glitch. Just means you have to go to a Terminal and type “Sudo system-config-samba” then enter the root password. I'm sure there is a more complicated way to fix it...but I don't know it.

Once you get it up and running, set up a new Samba User and password(REQUIRED for Samba operation and must be a local user) from the drop down menu. Then click the green + icon and browse the folders to your desired Targeted share folder.

Once folder is selected you can set a name for your share that will show up on all other computers.
You will also have to setup the permissions for access, being write or read only.

Then click the tab labeled Access this is where you select who can access the share, a user from the list(your new user should be listed) or select Everyone. If you select a user, that will require a username and password to be entered to access the shared folder.

Once you click OK your share should be listed and shared. You also have to make sure your permissions are set correctly for the actual shared folder and the files. For example if your Samba share says everyone can access, but the actual file permissions say read only then your gonna have a problem. If you make changes to your Samba share, they likely won't be immediately initiated. Sometimes you have to restart the Samba server or logoff the client machine then login again to get the changes.

I have used System-Config-Samba currently on Kubuntu 12.10 Alpha, Linux Mint 13(12.04) and earlier versions of Kubuntu.

[Morbius1]

The value of this HowTo - which is no longer being maintained BTW since the author has left Ubuntu - is that it's a step by step to changing your Ubuntu machine into a WINS server. The post above is something else.

And if you want ease of use you can create a share without installing system-config-samba simply by using Nautilus. Make believe you are sitting in from of a WinXP machine and you want to create a Windows Simple Share ( guest accessible ):
Right click a file you own.
Select sharing options.
Select all the options.
Done.

You can also use it to create a Private share requiring authentication. It automatically creates the Samba share and modifies permissions so you don't have to.

KDE can do this as well but you need to install "kdenetwork-filesharing". Curiously in KDE's case it doesn't automatically modify permissions. XFCE can't do this but in a few minutes you can enable it by creating your own Thunar Custom Actions.

The one thing nautilus-share or kdenetwork-filesharing can't do is provide a GUI to add a user to the Samba password database but in most cases people are only creating guest shares so it's not necessary to create users and add them to the samba password database.