The Accidental Admin: Linux File Server Step-by-Step Config Guide By X-root

Installing Samba

1.    Use yum to install the Samba package:

        yum -y install samba

Creating Samba Test Directory and Files

For this part of the procedure, you'll use the su - (switch user) command to work as root. Although it’s not best practice to do this regularly, there are times where it's much more practical to work directly as root instead of trying to use sudo to do everything. This is one of those times.

You're going to create a new directory containing three empty files which you'll share using Samba.

2.    While logged on as root, create the new directory /smbdemo with the following command:

       mkdir /smbdemo

3.    Change the permissions on the new directory to 770 with the following command:

       chmod 770 /smbdemo

4.    Navigate to the new directory with the following command:

       cd /smbdemo

5.    Add three empty files to the directory with the following command:

        touch file1 file2 file3

Adding the Samba User

You must add users to the Samba database in order for them to have access to their home directory and other Samba shares.

6. Use the following command to add a new Samba user (the new Samba user must be an existing Linux user or the command will fail):

smbpasswd -a <username>

For example, to add the user don, use the command smbpasswd -a don.

Creating the Samba Group

7.  Perform the following steps to create a smbusers group, change ownership of the /smbdemo directory, and add a user to the smbusers group:

groupadd smbusers
chown :smbusers /smbdemo
usermod -G smbusers don

Configuring Samba

Samba configuration is done in the file /etc/samba/smb.conf. There are two parts to /etc/samba/smb.conf:

Global Settings: This is where you configure the server. You’ll find things like authentication method, listening ports, interfaces, workgroup names, server names, log file settings, and similar parameters.

Share Definitions: This is where you configure each of the shares for the users. By default, there’s a printer share already configured.

Configuring smb.conf

8.    In the Global Settings section, at line 74, change the workgroup name to your workgroup name. I’m going to use soundtraining as a means of shamelessly promoting my company during your quest for knowledge. I’m sure you understand.

9.   Now, confirm that the authentication type is set to user by going to the authentication section, still in Global Settings, and line 101. Make sure there is no hash mark at the beginning of the line to enable user security.

This change allows users on your Red Hat/CentOS server to log in to shares on the Samba server.

10.    Next, add a section for /smbdemo, which you created earlier. You can just add it to the very bottom of /etc/samba/smb.conf with the following lines:

11.    Be sure to save your changes with a :wq. 

You can use the command testparm to test the configuration. In order for the server to re-read the configuration file and make the changes, you must restart the Samba service with the commands service smb restart and service nmb restart.

When properly configured, you should be able to connect from a computer running the Windows operating system and see both the general share and the user’s home directory:

You can test it by opening the user’s home directory in Windows, adding a file, and then viewing that file on the Linux server.

Troubleshooting Samba

In addition to checking for spelling and typographical errors, check to ensure the Linux firewall is permitting Samba traffic. Similarly, if you're using SELinux on your system, you must explicitly permit Samba traffic, and finally you must enable Network Discovery on the Windows client machine.