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Step 1
Configure your Ethernet interface card with an available IP address or DHCP. Under most Linux variants, you can go to the “main menu” (similar to the “start” button in Windows) and select “system settings” and “network.” If you are entering a static IP address, be sure to set the subnet mask to the same as the rest of your network (i.e. 255.255.255.0 for most).
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Step 2
Configure Samba to accept incoming connections. Go to “main menu,” “system settings” and “security level.” Check the box next to your Ethernet card, making it a trusted device.
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Step 3
Initialize SMB service by going to “system settings,” then “server settings” and “services.” In the box that appears, scroll down to “SMB” and ensure a checkmark is placed next to it.
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Step 4
Establish users on your Linux home server. Go to “system settings” and “users & groups.”
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Step 5
Establish your Samba server settings. Go to “system settings,” “server settings” and “Samba.” Once under “server settings” (within the “preference” menu), set the workgroup to the same as your Windows workgroup. Select “OK” when you’re done.
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Step 6
Set up Samba users by selecting “Samba users” under the “preferences” menu item. Click the “add user” button. Fill out the information as necessary, and click “OK” when finished.
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Step 7
Shut down and restart your Linux server. Make sure to do this according to protocol.
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Step 8
You should now be able to connect to your Linux server. You can access an Internet Explorer window and type “\\[servername]” or “\\[ip address]” (where [servername] is the name you’ve assigned to the server and [ip address] is the IP address given to the server).
