How to Install Samba Server on Ubuntu

What is samba?

Samba is an easy way to share files over Linux And Windows environment. Samba is presented by samba.org and is an Open Source/Free Software suite that provides seamless file and print services to SMB/CIFS clients.

Installing Samba.

lets update first the repositories.

open a terminal and type the following :

sudo apt-get update

now install samba

sudo apt-get install samba

now lets edit the configuration file of samba, but before that lets backup the initial configuration file.

cd /etc/samba/

sudo mv smb.conf backsmb.conf

Setup public folder:

First we will create the configuration for a share folder accessible from everyone without any user need it

sudo nano smb.conf

for that add the following to this file:

#
[global]
workgroup = Workgroup
server string = My Samba Share %v
security = user
map to guest = bad user
dns proxy = no
#
[ShareFolder]
comment = This is a folder accessible from everyone
path = /sharefolder
browsable = yes
guest ok = yes
read only = no
create mask = 0755

next we need to create the directory that will host the share folder and change the user permissions

sudo mkdir /sharefolder

sudo chown -R nobody:nogroup /sharefolder/

sudo chmod 755 /sharefolder/

now lets restart the samba server

sudo /etc/init.d/smbd restart

Normally at that point you should be able to access this share folder from Linux or Windows without any user credentials

Setup Private Folder:

Next lets create a private folder only for Unix users

lets first create the a user named smbuser:

sudo useradd smbuser

lets create a password for smbuser that will be used for accessing the samba share

sudo smbpasswd -a smbuser

now the directory for that user:

sudo mkdir /smbuserdir

sudo chown -R smbuser /smbuserdir/

sudo chmod 755 /smbuserdir/

edit the samba config again:

sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

add the following:

#

[smbuserdir]
comment = This is a folder accessible from smbuser

path = /smbuserdir
browsable = yes
guest ok = no
read only = no
create mask = 0755

now restart samba deamon

sudo /etc/init.d/smbd restart

In order to access the share folder you need to use for username: “smbuser” and for password the password you create when you add the user.

Have Fun!

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