How to Set Up a Basic Samba Server on Linux

Samba is a popular open-source software suite that provides seamless file and print services to SMB/CIFS clients, such as Windows and macOS systems. By setting up a Samba server on your Linux machine, you can share files and folders across your network with various operating systems. In this guide, we will show you how to set up a basic Samba server on your Linux system.

Steps

Step 1: Open Terminal

Open the terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard or by searching for it in the applications menu.

Step 2: Install Samba

On Debian/Ubuntu-based systems:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install samba

On Fedora/RPM-based systems:

sudo dnf update && sudo dnf install samba

Step 3: Create Shared Directory

Create a directory that you want to share on your network:

sudo mkdir /srv/samba/shared_folder

Replace shared_folder with the desired folder name.

To set the appropriate permissions, use the following commands:

sudo chown -R nobody:nogroup /srv/samba/shared_folder && sudo chmod -R 0775 /srv/samba/shared_folder

Step 4: Configure Samba

To configure Samba, edit the main configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

This example uses nano. You can use the text editor of your choice.

Add the following lines at the end of the file, replacing shared_folder and Share Description with the appropriate folder name and description:

[shared_folder]
path = /srv/samba/shared_folder
browsable = yes
guest ok = yes
read only = no
create mask = 0775
directory mask = 0775
force user = nobody
force group = nogroup
comment = Share Description

Save the file and exit the text editor.

Step 5: Restart Samba Services

After making changes to the Samba configuration, restart the Samba services:

On Debian/Ubuntu-based systems:

sudo systemctl restart smbd && sudo systemctl restart nmbd

On Fedora/RPM-based systems:

sudo systemctl restart smb && sudo systemctl restart nmb

Step 6: Enable Samba Services at Startup

To ensure that Samba services start automatically at boot, enable them with the following commands:

On Debian/Ubuntu-based systems:

sudo systemctl enable smbd && sudo systemctl enable nmbd

On Fedora/RPM-based systems:

sudo systemctl enable smb && sudo systemctl enable nmb

Step 7: Access Shared Folder

From a Windows system, open File Explorer and enter the following address in the address bar:

\\your_server_ip\shared_folder

Replace your_server_ip with your Linux server’s IP address and shared_folder with the folder name you specified in the Samba configuration.

From a macOS system, open Finder, click on Go in the menu bar, and select Connect to Server. Enter the following address:

smb://your_server_ip/shared_folder

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully set up a basic Samba server on your Linux system, allowing you to share files and folders across your network with various operating systems. This setup can help you improve file sharing and collaboration within your home or office network.