The goal of this tutorial is to show you how to set up a public share on your Samba server that can be used by everyone on your network with all rights. This will enable everyone on a Windows machine to access this without a password. Of course, this has security implications but it is a good way to get something working. The next article will show you how to create a share for one user in which that one user is the only one who can access the share.
1. Install Samba
yum install samba samba-client samba-common
chkconfig – -level 35 smb on
service smb start
2. Create a New smb.conf file
First, change the default smb.conf file to a backup copy, and then create a whole new one.
# mv smb.conf smb.conf.backup
# vim smb.conf
Here’s the new smb.conf file:
Note the workgroup should be the workgroup that you are using on your Windows machines.
[global]
netbios name = linuxserver
workgroup = WORKGROUP
server string = Public File Server
security = user
map to guest = bad user
guest account = smbguest
[public]
path = /public
guest ok = yes
read only = no
3. Test with testparm
This will help you determine if you have any major problems with the set up you placed in smb.conf.
# testparm
Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf
Processing section “[public]”
Loaded services file OK.
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE
Press enter to see a dump of your service definitions
[global]
server string = Public File Server
map to guest = Bad User
guest account = smbguest
[public]
path = /public
read only = No
guest ok = Yes
4. Create a public user
Since the purpose is to map the users to a special guest account, open the /etc/passwd file for editing, and add the following line to the end of the file.
smbguest:x:525:525:Samba Guest Account:/dev/null:/bin/false
This creates the guest account. Now, create a smbguest group with a group ID, here the GID of 525 was used, it does not matter which number as long as it is not used and over 500.
# groupadd -g 525 smbguest
Now, change to the root of the file system, and create the new directory that to share.
# mkdir public
# chown -R smbguest:smbguest public
# ls -l
drwxr-xr-x 2 smbguest smbguest 184 2007-08-03 15:18 public
5. Access the share from Windows
Once you create public folder it should be visible on the network from an XP machine.
Expand “My Network Places”, and then expand “Workgroup”. You’ll then see all of the members of the workgroup that’s named “Workgroup”. Note also that you can have other workgroups with different names. Even though a Windows computer can only be a member of one workgroup at a time, Windows Explorer will still show all workgroups that are on the network.
{ 6 comments }
On ubuntu at least, you don’t need any of this. Just right click on any folder and enable “Sharing Options”. Any prerequisite packages will get automatically installed.
Dont take this the wrong way but are you kidding?
There HAS to be a better and easier way to do this.
Ok, If you are attempting this remember to open the 445, 139 and maybe the 80 port(Firestarter makes this easier).
In ubuntu it can be easier with just sharing a random folder.
Also when it asks for a connection authentication user in windows it is smbguest with no password.
Wow, I’m staying with Windows, no need for additional “packages” and everything works.
Great how to for a command line only install – simple, straight to the point, and easy.
@Chris: It may just work without additional packages, but this is for users attempting to share files in their definitely-more-secure-than-Windows Linux machines with just ANY OTHER operating system that needs to understand such share.