Some stupid SAMBA questions

[bigjohn]

I'm trying to follow the howto at the FAQ for samba.

 

Forgive me if my questions are stupid, I know absolutely nothing about this kind of thing.

 

: Windows

To enable sharing in Windows open up the Control Panel and go to Network Connections.

Right Click on your connection and select Properties

Make sure that both Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Printer Sharing are checked.

Then right click on My Computer and go to Properties

Go to the Computer Name tab and click on the Change button.

Select a sensible name for your computer And change the workgroup to the same one that made when you configured the samba server. It doesn't have to be the same, but it's neater this way.

 

My laptop doesn't have a "network connections" icon, only "network" - is there a difference?

 

How can I identify which is my connection? as I just get a list of stuff thats installed i.e. "Client for Microsoft Networks", "Intel PRO/100 Mobile Adapter 16", "TCP/IP->Intel PRO/100 Mobile Adapter 16", "File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Networks", amongst others that are to do with the infrared adapter and port ?? Is the entries that I've just mentioned the same thing?

 

Then if I look at the properties for "My computer" I get the box with 4 tabs (general, Device manager, Hardware Profiles and performance). Theres nothing that mentions "computer name" - would that be somewhere else as I can't find anything that mentions workgroup etc.

 

Again, sorry if these questions sound really stupid, but as I say, I've never done anything like this before, but I don't want to screw anything up - I've done that too many times before by trying the "hit and miss" approach.

 

regards

 

John

[polemicz]

What is important is setting your workgroup and computer name. When you installed Windows (or started off if pre-installed) it probably picked up your network info and set up TCP/IP etc. Each Windows has slightly diffrent menu layouts so don't worry about that. You then have to decide just what you will be sharing (files, printers). To do that (still all in Windows) simply right click on the file and set the sharing, for sharing a printer on a Windows system go to Printers via Control Panel and again right click on the printer you want to share and set the sharing. On the Linux side you have to configure Samba. A key thing to remember in Samba is that you have to add the Samba users via smbpasswd -a "user name" as root (no quotes, just the name). These Samba users also have to be Linux users. You can configure Samba with Swat by entering localhost:901 in the url of a browser, make sure swat is running when requested (MCC, services). How you set all this up dpends on what you want to do with sharing betweeen Windows and Linux. Also which Windows you are using is important as there are differences. Also if you are running firewalls that will also affect you. Good luck.

[bigjohn]

Well, so far, I've had to follow the tried and trusted (NOT!) method of "hit and miss". V scarey and nerve wracking!

 

The howto, is trying to be helpful, but as is often the problem with linux documentation, it presumes a lot of prior knowledge.

 

I _THINK_ that I may have got the windows setting right (can't tell though), but the smb.conf is proving a real headache.

 

I've tried by opening the /etc/samba/smb.conf but that's no help, as I really haven't a clue as to what I'd need to edit, even with the bits of the howto as guidance.

 

I've got swat installed, but can't work out how to start it in the first place. Using swat as a command starts something then hangs. Trying the LAN IP :901 won't open, just errors with "connection refused by server" (thats with http and https). I was expecting to be able to get a log in request "a la cups" but no such login dialogue box was forthcoming.

 

Why is this so hard to do? I see shed loads of references to people using samba - am I just being thick ? or am I missing something here ?

 

Any help or assistance is much appreciated

 

regards

 

John

[polemicz]

For swat: go to MCC -> System -> Services (whatever it's called) and check "run when requested" for swat. That will allow you to run swat. To run it go to your browser or Konqueror (my pref is konq) and simply enter localhost:901 in the address pane. You will then be in Swat from where you can set up Samba. Not sure what you mean by LAN IP :901. Just enter localhost:901

 

For Samba: depending on what you will be doing you don't have to do much at all. Set your workgroup, and your server string (how you want to be called). Defaults should be all you need. You can also set up Samba from MCC under the Sharing menu. There you can set up directories and printers to share. A hitch, though, is that you should have your Samba users set up if you are going to let them share your folders. Samba users seems to be something some folks trip over. You use smbpasswd to add them. They should be users on your system, but don't need directories. The command is smbpasswd -a [user name]. You will then have to add a password and retype it. For simple sharing of files and printers between linux and windows you don't need much more than plain vanilla Samba.

[bigjohn]

Ok, that sounds simple enough (sounds being the operative word :) )

 

I'll post back with how I get on.

 

Many thanks so far.

 

regards

 

John

[bigjohn]

Well, I've managed to start swat, and run through the options putting stuff in various boxes (after checking any help files that might be available), but I still haven't managed to get anywhere (no suprise there!).

 

Looking at the NT-06 samba FAQ/Howto, I saw the bit about smbpasswd -a USER, but I just got "smbpasswd not valid command".

 

Ho Hum! ?????

 

regards

 

John

[aioshin]

you may try my smb.conf file, just rename your orig smb.conf by doing (as root) #mv /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf.orig (or whatever filename you want it to be) then #vi /etc/samba/smb.conf then enter then you can copy and paste the config then save it (I assume u know vi on how to edit and saved, if not try to use the editor you are more familiar with)

 

[Global]
       workgroup = MYNETWORK
# workgroup could be anything, but its better to have all pc in the network to be in the same 
# workgroup
       netbios name = Linux PC
       security = user
       encrypt passwords = yes
       log level = 1
       max log size = 1000
       local master = yes
       preferred master = yes
       os level = 65

[homes]
       browsable = no
       map archive = yes
# if you enable this, when you access your linux machine from windows, using you linux account
# if no other shares defined below, you will only see your home folder when you browse the network

[sharedfolder1]
       comment = your shared folder 1
       writable = yes
       browsable = yes

       valid users = user1 user2 root
#all users defined as valid users will be able to access the sharedfolder1 from network

       path = /home/www
#the folder you intend to share from you rlinux box, here, the folder /home/www assuming you 
#have that folder created

[Floppy]
       comment = Floppy
       writable = yes
       browsable = yes
       valid users = user1 user2 

       path = /mnt/floppy
#here, you might want to share your floppy drive, if you still have one
#just for example though

 

and then, the smbpasswd, I have not tried to run it as a regular user, I' d always run it as root, so you may try it as root#smbpasswd -a user1 and it will prompt you to enter a passwd. after doing so, that user1 should be able to access linux shared folder from your windows box. The user1 password you assigned in your smbpasswd should not be necessarily the same linux system passwd password or it should be different, but making it thesame would still work

 

try also #/usr/bin/smbpasswd -a user1

 

FYI, if you only want to access files from your linuxbox to your windows box, you dont really need samba to run.. you can use your konqueror browser and at the location type smb://<ip of you windows box> w/o quote then enter and if promted with a username and password, if your windowsbox is NT or 2k or XP, enter the particular user that has access to the shared folder you wish to access, or you may try the administrator user so you'll be able to access all shared folder including the administrative share

Edited May 25, 2005 by aioshin