Hello

I am relatively new to Linux and am struggling to get a SMB share up and running between two Linux boxes.

I have two Linux boxes (A and B), both running the same fully patched versions of RedHat 6.9

Both have Samba installed, Box A acts as a file server to Box B

On box A I have configured a Samba share on a directory called test101, if I then go to box B and issue a smbclient -L X.X.X.X I can see the share, I am then also able to mount the share on box B which all works fine.

The issue is that when I access the directory on box B where the share has been mounted and simply run “ls” I receive a message “ls: reading directory: permission denied”.

The /etc/samba/smb.conf has these entries:

[test101]
comment = test101
path = /test101
read only = no

I have run smbpasswd and have set up the root account on Box A (I have also tried a specific new user with no different outcome)

On box A the directory /test101 has rwxr.xr.x

The mount successfully works on box B and that is also showing permissions of rwxr.xr.x – (mount -t cifs -o user=root,password=xxxxxxx //<Box IP Address>/test101 /test101)

In this test I am using the root account on both machines – I have also tried setting up a new user and that fails in the same manner.

I am quite confused as to what the issue is – any thoughts?

Long story – but I cannot use NFS in this situation, hence the use of Samba

Welcome to LinuxQuestions.

My first guess is the permission error is due to selinux. The notes at the top of the smb.conf file should contain sufficient information to add your share directory. If you have fully patched versions of RHEL then I assume you have a paid subscription and can call them for specific help?

SAMBA is a windows compatibility module - you will be forcing a minimum of two access translations - one on the client one on the server. Windows is not exactly one-to-one in conversions. Specially with user identities.

You may even be running into an anonymous identity not being permitted to access anything.

For Linux to Linux, you have an easier time with NFS.

Since you haven't included which distribution, SELinux (which would be Fedora/CentOS/SL/RH distributions) can block all access UNLESS it is directed to permit SAMBA.

FYI

I see that you have mounted the samba share with root's credential on the client machine. Any chance you are trying to access/view the share as a normal user?

Also, you could try switching to a multiuser samba setup and see if the issue resolves. You'll need a few users (samba users) at the minimum.

Thank you all for responding - the answer was indeed selinux permissions :-)