How to Build a Samba Server
Samba is a network tool that enables Windows XP, Vista and 7 to communicate with Ubuntu Linux. Unlike Ubuntu Linux, which uses Network File System, or NFS, to share files and printers with other computers on a network, Microsoft Windows uses Server Message Block, or SMB -- also known as Common Internet File System, or CIFS -- to share network data. Samba, however, bridges communication between these two different network protocols. To build a Samba server, install Samba to Ubuntu, then run Samba Server Configuration to set up file sharing between Ubuntu and Windows.
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Instructions
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Click "Applications." Go to "Accessories," then select "Terminal" from the list of applications. Input the following into Terminal:
sudo apt-get install samba
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Press "Enter." Input your password, then press "Enter" again to install Samba Server to Ubuntu Linux.
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Input "sudo apt-get install system-config-samba" into Terminal once the installation of Samba Server is complete. Press "Enter" to install Samba Server Configuration, a graphical user interface tool for configuring Samba Server.
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Click "System." Go to "Administration" and select "Samba" from the list. Input your password, when prompted, then press "Enter."
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Click "Preferences" and "Server Settings." Enter the name of your workgroup or homegroup into the "Workgroup" field.
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Go to the "Security" tab and select an authentication mode from the drop-down menu. If you don't know which mode to select, leave the option set to "User."
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Select "Yes" or "No" from the "Encrypt Passwords" drop-down menu, depending on your preferences.
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Select a guest account, if desired, from the drop-down menu next to "Guest Account"; otherwise, leave the setting as-is.
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Click "OK." Click "Preferences," then select "Samba Users" and click "Add User." Select an Ubuntu Linux user from the drop-down menu and input the Windows username into the applicable field.
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Create a Samba password for the user, then click "OK." Repeat the steps to add additional users to Samba Server.
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Click "Add Share" from the "File" menu. Click "Browse," then select a directory to share. Enter a name for the share folder, then enter a description.
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Check "Writable" to allow other network users to modify the file; check "Visible" to make the network share visible to other network users.
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Select the "Access" tab. Select "Allow Access to Everyone" to enable all users to access the Samba share. Select "Only Allow Access to Specific Users," then check the box next to the user, to allow access to only those users.
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Click "OK," then close Samba Server Configuration to finish building a Samba server.
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