How to configure SAMBA

SAMBA is a Windows AD and SMB/CIFS fileserver for UNIX. To use this service you need to edit its configuration file /etc/samba/smb.conf. Structure of this file is similar to windows ini-files:

ini file

[section]
name = value

So, let's edit our configuration file, open it in your favorite text editor and let's go.

Write here your workgroup, this group will be visible to your windows clients:

global section

[global]
# Change this to the workgroup/NT-domain name your Samba server will part of
   workgroup = WORKGROUP

Don't forget to specify networks that can use the server:

restricted access

[global]
    hosts allow = 192.168.0.128/28 192.168.1.0/24

Now let's specify some share for our windows friends:

share definition

[tmp]
   comment = Temporary data
   path = /var/tmp
   browseable = yes
   writable = yes
   public = yes

Here section name is the name of shared resource (what clients see); comment is a description of the share; path is the full path to the shared directory on your samba server. All other options (and more) are described in the samba documentation.

Check rights for directory in "path = shared_directory_path"

It's time to start the service.

starting the service

root@dilos:~# svcs smbd
STATE          STIME    FMRI
disabled       14:54:55 svc:/smbd:default
root@dilos:~# svcadm enable smbd
root@dilos:~# svcs smbd
STATE          STIME    FMRI
online         17:15:15 svc:/smbd:default

Let's check the server is working now:

checking the server

debian# smbclient -L 192.168.13.3
Enter root's password: 
Domain=[DILOS] OS=[Windows 6.1] Server=[Samba 4.5.6-Debian]

    Sharename       Type      Comment
    ---------       ----      -------
    print$          Disk      Printer Drivers
    tmp             Disk      Temporary data
    IPC$            IPC       IPC Service (Samba 4.5.6-Debian)

That's all. You can see in this output name of the shared resource (tmp) and its description (Temporary data).

Sometimes you may want to run windows name service, just start nmbd service like we did it with smbd:

starting nmbd

root@dilos:~# svcs nmbd
STATE          STIME    FMRI
disabled       14:50:58 svc:/nmbd:default
root@dilos:~# svcadm enable nmbd
root@dilos:~# svcs nmbd
STATE          STIME    FMRI
online         17:27:10 svc:/nmbd:default

Another simple configuration:

[global]
   workgroup = DILOS
   server string = DilOS Example Server
   dns proxy = no
   interfaces = 172.16.1.0/24
   log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
   max log size = 1000
   syslog = 0
   panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d
   server role = standalone server
   passdb backend = tdbsam
   obey pam restrictions = yes
   unix password sync = yes
   passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
   passwd chat = *Enter\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *password\supdated\ssuccessfully* .
   pam password change = yes
   map to guest = bad user

   usershare allow guests = yes

[guest]
   comment = Example of shared resource
   path = /var/tmp/samba
   browseable = yes
   read only = no
   guest ok = yes

and the result on a windows computer, scan the network:

here we see the dilos server:

and the only shared resource from the configuration above (guest):

create a folder on the shared resource:

Now let's downlad something real from the Internet:

so, the file is local now:

copy it to the shared resource:

See the properties of the file:

Now, let's copy it to the desktop:

et voilà: