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Samba - Please simplify for me

I have tried reading lots of docs about Samba and everything that it can do. The only problem is that I only want it to do 2 things.

1) Share out 2 folders on my Linux box (already done and working)

2) Access network drives on our Domain. I just want my linux box to be able to "Browse" the network neighborhood like my windows box does. How can I do this? I am a newbie (1 month in) to linux, and all this stuff about setting up a Samba server is way over my head. Can anyone dumb down the steps for me so that I can veiw the network.

A preferable explanation would be involve using GUI's. I am running Redhat AS3, and soon to be running Fedora also.

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wesly_chen

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wesly_chen

It's /usr/bin/redhat-config-samba. Sorry for the typo.

Wesly

Caseybea

"smbclient" is a command-line tool that can be used to browse and get/put files from other shares. Think of it as a simplified FTP.

Example:

smbclient \\hostname\sharename -U remoteuser%remotepassword

then you get a "smb:>" prompt. From there, you can "cd" (change directory" to different directories on the remote share, "get" (retrieve) files, or "put" (store) files.

--kcb

Caseybea

Another note:

SAMBA's **main purpose** is to SHARE out directories to look like a Windows file server. If you're disappointed with the limitations in "browsing", it's because SAMBA' primary purpose is to be a SERVER-- and not a client.

Tools like "smbclient" (included) or xSMBrowser (not included, but see URL above) help bridge the gap and allow you to browse around.

badrulnm

You can also use a GUI utility called nautilus to browse the Microsoft networks. I don't know about Redhat AS3, but nautilus comes with Redhat 9.

On your command prompt, type:

nautilus smb:

hoonexpert

The easiest way to browse ur windows network on linux is Nautilus as someone has mentioned above. Its avlb on Main menu --> Network Servers. Here you will see all the workgroups that ur linux pc is able to see in your network.

Manish.
Baroda.
India.

angel_f

Hi Intern,

First of all Samba is a service, it provides service to others computers in the network. You want that Linux browse others computers shared resources, so what you are looking for is a client.

Samba is the implementation of a protocol called SMB, this protocol is supported by the Linux Kernel, so the first thing to check if you have support for it, look for the CONFIG_SMB_FS entry in the kernel config file (/usr/src/linux/.config, if it's not there yoy need to install your kernel sources from the rpm).

If you need help recompiling the kernel let me know.

After add support for SMB in the kernel you can do things like:

mount -t smbfs -o username=Win32UserName //your-win-machine/C$ /mnt/another_machine

Look at the mount manpage for more options in smbfs.

Also smbmount and smbumount can be used.

wesly_chen

Well, the key issue is
> want my linux box to be able to "Browse" the network neighborhood like my windows box

So "nautilus" which comes with RedHat would be easier.
Other alternative is xSMBrowser ( http://www.public.iastate.edu/~chadspen/ )

For configure Samba, /usr/bin/redhat-config-samba which comes with Redhat is easier and simple.
Other alternative is webmin ( http://www.webmin.com ) which is very good all-in-one configuration GUI for a newbie.

Regards,

Wesly

revantine

Gnome: Open Nautilus and type smb:/// in the location field. Nautilus will display active workgroups on the network.

KDE: Open Konqueror (file manager or browser) and type smb:/ in the location field.

There is an article at Linux Journal that has more information about the command line version and the two WMs at http://linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=7526