NFS, Links, and Permissions

Garrett85 · 12-23-2014, 06:55 PM

I just created a standard no GUI Debian NFS server to host my DVD rips. The client device will usually be my Western Digital TV Live streamer, luckily it can read a Linux NFS share. My problem is that the TV Live wants write access to the library which in this case is stored at /home/garrett/Videos/Movies but I do not want my TV Live to have write access to my DVD rips. Can someone give me a solution through links that I could use to allow the TV Live to believe it has access to the library while keeping my actual .mkv DVD rips in another direcotry? I know this has been done on Samba servers that in homes that use the WD TV Live so I don't know why it wouldn't work for an NFS server. I just need a detailed explanation on what to do.
I tried to creat a soft link that points to my Movies directory but because of the permissions set on that directory the link directory was unable to have files created in it.

Here is my /etc/exports file
# /etc/exports: the access control list for filesystems which may be exported
# to NFS clients. See exports(5).
#
# Example for NFSv2 and NFSv3:
# /srv/homes hostname1(rw,sync,no_subtree_check) hostname2(ro,sync,no_subtree_check)
#
# Example for NFSv4:
# /srv/nfs4 gss/krb5i(rw,sync,fsid=0,crossmnt,no_subtree_check)
# /srv/nfs4/homes gss/krb5i(rw,sync,no_subtree_check)
#
/home/garrett/Videos/Movies *(rw,sync,subtree_check)

Termina · 12-25-2014, 04:07 PM

If I understand your question correctly, you'd want to do something like

/home/garrett/Videos/Movies IP_OF_PC1(rw,sync,subtree_check)
/home/garrett/Videos/Movies IP_OF_PC2(ro,sync,subtree_check)

If the TV is actually checking it can write something to that dir, there is not a way to fake that (afaik)

lleb · 12-26-2014, 08:23 PM

ive used the WDTV List for over a year, it does not require write permissions to the NFS share, although running your share as 655 is not horrid for NFS. the WDTV Live is not horrid. its a bit slower then the RoKu player, but it has the advantage that it will play ISO files and VOB files that the RoKu will not play without a major hack that will void its warranty.

i did run with rw permissions as i use my NFS for more then just my media, its also backup location for my families laptops:

Code:

$ cat /etc/exports 
#
#       /etc/exports

#       NFS4
/exports *(rw,insecure,subtree_check,crossmnt,fsid=0)

#       NFSv3
/exports/centos/public *(rw,insecure,no_subtree_check,fsid=3010)
/exports/NFS_TV_Shows *(rw,insecure,no_subtree_check,fsid=3020)

note the insecure, that is due to having OSx in the network and note the fsid. without the fsid i had many many MANY issues with not just my WDTV, but with my NFS in general. something you might want to consider adding to your exports.

Garrett85 · 12-30-2014, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lleb

ive used the WDTV List for over a year, it does not require write permissions to the NFS share, although running your share as 655 is not horrid for NFS. the WDTV Live is not horrid. its a bit slower then the RoKu player, but it has the advantage that it will play ISO files and VOB files that the RoKu will not play without a major hack that will void its warranty.

i did run with rw permissions as i use my NFS for more then just my media, its also backup location for my families laptops:

Code:

$ cat /etc/exports 
#
#       /etc/exports

#       NFS4
/exports *(rw,insecure,subtree_check,crossmnt,fsid=0)

#       NFSv3
/exports/centos/public *(rw,insecure,no_subtree_check,fsid=3010)
/exports/NFS_TV_Shows *(rw,insecure,no_subtree_check,fsid=3020)

note the insecure, that is due to having OSx in the network and note the fsid. without the fsid i had many many MANY issues with not just my WDTV, but with my NFS in general. something you might want to consider adding to your exports.

Could you explain you 'note the insecure' a little better? What about OSx, I don't use a Mac.
My idea is to make a RW NFS share for my WD TV Live and then write a script to auto populate that directory with link to my .mkv movie files that are in another RO directory. Would that not work?

Also, about the ROKU. Can teh Roku read Linux networks?

lleb · 01-08-2015, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett85

Could you explain you 'note the insecure' a little better? What about OSx, I don't use a Mac.
My idea is to make a RW NFS share for my WD TV Live and then write a script to auto populate that directory with link to my .mkv movie files that are in another RO directory. Would that not work?

Also, about the ROKU. Can teh Roku read Linux networks?

yeah sorry for the slow response. OSx does not use NFSv4 and will only connect to an NFSv3 server with insecure settings as it can not deal with specific ports.

Something to do with licensing. sorry thats all i know for the insecure settings.

there is also a known issue with the most current version of OSx and NFS in general. There is a known bug (not sure if its been addressed at this time or not) that does not allow for an OSx system to connect to many NFS servers does not matter if v3 or v4. This is a bug that apple is aware of and claims to be working on. Again as my OSx is much much older (10.6.x) i have not kept up with that situation. There was an other poster here having OSx and NFS issues. thats when I read about the most current vs of OSx having these issues.

as for the roku, i run a PlexMediaServer on CentOSv7. the Roku connects to it with zero issues. The Roku is not capable of connecting directly to an NFS server without hacking the firmware. there are plenty of links out there in a google search that will help you with that path if you choose.