proper way for windows clients to use linux file server

jwstric2 · 05-10-2004, 04:27 PM

Does anyone have any experience with using seeting up windows clients to use a linux file server? I can properly set it up as to share single directories viewable to all clients. I however want to create home directories for windows clients on the linux machine and map them a network drive to their machine. The main gyst of this problem of course are proper authenication methods between client and server. Does anyone have any experience in this?

Thanks in advance,
Jonathan Strickland

MS3FGX · 05-10-2004, 06:38 PM

I'm not sure exactly what you want.

Do you want the Windows clients to login to the Samba server (have it act as a domain controller) or do you just want to have them type in a password when they try to access the shared directory?

Or do you want no passwords at all, the Windows user simply sees their shared directory, and nobody else's.

All of the above are possible methods to do what you want. Which one are you looking for?

jwstric2 · 05-10-2004, 07:34 PM

"Or do you want no passwords at all, the Windows user simply sees their shared directory, and nobody else's."

This would be the most reasonable option I think. Seems like the authenication information would have to be kept synced between Windows and Linux. This is where I am definately a newbie.

MS3FGX · 05-10-2004, 09:44 PM

This should give you what you want:

Code:

# Start of smb.conf
# Global parameters
[global]
        workgroup = WorkGroup_Name
        server string = File Server
        encrypt passwords = yes

       # This should be the IP range of your clients
        hosts allow = 192.168.1.
        security = share
       
        # This is supposed to speed things up
        socket options = TCP_NODELAY

        # Keep the logs from choking the system
        max log size = 50

[User Shares]
        path = /User_Files/%u
        valid users = %S
        writeable = yes

# EOF

That isn't particularly secure, but it will get the job done.

There is one important part you have to do. You need to type:

smbpasswd -a username

For every client that is going to be connecting to the server. When smbpasswd prompts for a password, you must put in their Windows password (if they don't have one, leave it blank).

If there is no matching smbpasswd entry for the Windows client accessing the file server, "%u" will be replaced with "nobody", which will lead to a directory that doesn't exist, and the client will get an error.

Also, the directories under the "path = " variable must exist. If you used my example, and a user named "Mike" connected, you would need to have the directory:

/User_Files/mike

On the system (with the proper permissions set so a user can access it).