[SOLVED]Setting up a network share

celettu · 2009-09-20 10:24:33

I've tried to do this myself, but my knowledge is just too limited...

The issue is this: I have an old PC I want to use as a file server, specifically for mp3s. These files have to be accessible for all the other computers on my home network, including my desktop (wired connection, Arch + Openbox), and two laptops (wireless), one with Arch + Openbox and one with Windows 7. All of these machines get a dynamic IP.
I want to hassle my girlfriend as little as possible, so I don't want the share asking for a password, and it must be writable.

That's pretty much it. I looked at NFS and at Samba, but the problem is: I don't understand what I'm reading, which means Idon't understand what I'm doing either. Could anybody guide me through this? Thanks.

Last edited by celettu (2009-09-25 06:30:14)

tomk · 2009-09-20 10:38:37

I'm not the right temperament for guiding people, but I will tell you that as long you have a Windows client in there, Samba is your only option.

Also,, you say you've read some stuff, and don't understand it. Have you actually tried to do anything yet? You learn a lot from practical effort IMO.

Cdh · 2009-09-20 11:07:12

Sorry, but you are wrong. I'm running Windows 7 RC at the moment (waiting for xf86-video-ati) and there seems to be a native nfs client installable.

(sorry for german but you get the idea)

@ celettu,
I would use Samba, it's not too hard to set up and your Shares will be visible to windows PCs as windows shares.
Was there a concrete problem when following this article?
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Samba

tomk · 2009-09-20 11:10:33

Cool - and yes, I know nothing about Windows beyond XP.

celettu · 2009-09-20 11:10:58

Thanks for the replies.

Basically editing smb.conf I guess. There are like a gazillion options and I don't know what each one does. There seem to be multiple possibilities to setup a share that doesn't ask for a passwpord, I'm not quite sure whether I have to create a samba user or not, and when I tried to moint the share manually from my own pc it didn't detect it.

I decided to ask for help at that point

Cdh · 2009-09-20 11:45:32

You don't have to change much.
You should change the workgroup and the netbios name (this is how it shows up in the windows neighbourhood).
I would recommend security=share. Windows will not ask for a password. When you mount on Linux per commandline it will ask, but you can just press enter. Mounting per (/etc/fstab) or accessing the share per gui will not ask for a password.

Then you can copy the sample for a shared folder:

[sharedfolder]   # this is how the folder will be named when accessing through the network, i.e. mount //192.168.0.5/sharedfolder /bla
comment = Public Share   # whatever you like, shows up some additional information on windows clients
path = /sharedfolder   # the path to the folder
available = yes
browsable = yes
public = yes
writable = yes

To make it easy you could add the line

force user = your_username

The samba server will then perform any filesystem action with your user so your read/write permissions are uses (maybe it would be more secure with a new user with only permissions for this folder)

Arch Linux

#1 2009-09-20 10:24:33

[SOLVED]Setting up a network share

#2 2009-09-20 10:38:37

Re: [SOLVED]Setting up a network share

#3 2009-09-20 11:07:12

Re: [SOLVED]Setting up a network share

#4 2009-09-20 11:10:33

Re: [SOLVED]Setting up a network share

#5 2009-09-20 11:10:58

Re: [SOLVED]Setting up a network share

#6 2009-09-20 11:45:32

Re: [SOLVED]Setting up a network share

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