How do I tap into my linux server from my windows PC's?
 

I've setup a linux gateway, but I'm wondering how to DL files from it from all the surrounding windows PC's. Do you have to specify a folder as shared, or is there a set folder that's in a specific place?

Somewhere in the /home branch, there's a bunch of "users" files which are where all the users' files are - is that the "set folder" which I have to use?

I used the "add network place wizard" and tried \\<servername>\<folder>, but it didn't seem to work. I've tried everything from "root" to "home" to <user>, but it doesn't seem to find the folder. Instead, it says "The folder you entered does not appear to be valid".

There's three questions I have from this experience:
How do you find out for sure what your server's name is?
Do you have to specify a folder to be shared, or are the shared ones locked into a certain specific folder?
Is there a 3rd party program I need for linux and windows to find each other?

Thanx to anyone who could help me out with this seemingly easy task.

you need samba : http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...G=Search&meta=

This allows you to set up shares on the linux server which everyone can access

hamish

While I wouldn't mind testing out samba and playing with the program, there is another way of getting files off my linux server. I know because i've seen it done on my linux computer. My friend did it, but since then I've reformatted my windows PC. My guess is that my version of linux (mitel sme beta 6.0 server, which is a mod of redhat with serving features) already has a sharing ability. My only other guess is that samba's already on it. I've looked around and I've yet to see any evidence of samba on my PC. How can I tell for sure?

if both the computers are linux, then you can use NFS.

if there are windows and linux computers, then the only way to share files (AFAIK) is samba.

hamish

^^Ageed

But since you reinstalled windows did you share the drives again? Also try opening konqueror and in the address bar type: smb:/

If samba is there and the share are availible from the other computers, this will work.

One last thing if that don't work open a terminal and type: smbd ,then, nmbd and try again.

you could just use putty.
You need to be running an ssh server (sshd) on the linux box though.

also filezilla is an excellent open source windows sftp-client.

THere are several ways to connect to your linux box from a windows box, but you need to be more specific. For example the web pages you download from the internet are most likely on a linux box. Files you download from an FTP site are most likely on a linux box.

When you say 'tap' into do you want windows style browsing to work?

if so you will need to as previously stated install and configure samba. Most distros have samba on CD, and you can probably just install of CD and then edit the appropriate config file to export the directories to the network.

If i remember correctly its /etc/smbd/smbd.conf ?? not sure.

Okay, I've found out that it was the server configuration on Mitel SME that had a windows workgroup setup.

Problem is, I can't get it back up again and only somebody experienced with SME would know this.

But, I'll check out samba for sure. Thanks for the advice.