SAMBA-Server

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Last revision of this document:
2005-05-09

This document gives instructions to activate and configure the SAMBA-server-demon.

The Standard-Application-Message-Block-Architecture-Server provides the defined directories as network-drives.
With this method, computers in the network with Windows** as operating-system can use the network-drives like local drives.
Additionally printers on the Server can be defined to be shareable for other computers in the network.

The SAMBA-server enables users on computers with the operating-system Windows*, to access the directories accessible for all users (see 'Linux - file-structure and users') and printers connected to the Server.

Prerequisites:

Operating-system installed ;-).
The file- and user-structure as described in the document 'Linux-Server - file-structure and users' is already implemented on the Server.

Programs for Samba and SWAT installed on the Server; this can be checked with the following commands:
which swat
respectively
which samba
Useful hint: To install packets of the RedHat**-packet-manager (rpm), I use the installation-option 'Upgrade Existing Installation' and select the packets to be installed by anwering [Yes] on the screen 'Customize Packages to Upgrade' thereafter.
samba-client, samba-common and samba-swat are found under Applications/System.
This procedure does not work under Fedora Core 3. In this case use the installation with RedHat**-Packet-Manager (rpm) as described below.
If a printer is connected to the Server and this printer should be accessible to other computers via SAMBA, this printer must already be installed as 'local printer' on the Server.

Installation-instructions:

Install the Samba-Web-Administration-Tool (SWAT) with the RedHat**-Packet-Manager (applicable for Linux Fedora-Core-3)

As mentioned under Prerequisites , the SWAT has to be installed with the RedHat**-Packet-Manager.
To do so, perform the following steps:
* Insert CD 4 into the CD-ROM drive.
The CD will be automounted and the CD-icon is visible on the GNOME-dektop.
* Click with the right mouse-button onto the CD-Icon and select 'Browse Folder'.
* Manouvre into the directory /Fedora/RPMS .
* Find the icon for the the file samba-swat-3.0.8-0.pre1.3.i386.rpm and click it with the right mouse-button and select 'Open with “Install Packages”'.
Follow the instructions of the installation-process.

The number of the CD and the version may differ depending on the version of the Fedora-Core.

Automatic start of the SMB-server-demon and the Samba-Web-Administration-Tool (SWAT)

To configure automatic startup the command
ntsysv
is executed on the command-line.

On the following 'Services'-menu the selections [ ] smb and [ ] swat are marked with the space-bar and the and confirmed with the OK-button.

Configuration of SWAT

SWAT is the SAMBA-Web-Administration-Tool; which allows to configure a SMB-server over a web-browser on any computer in the network.

That SWAT can be called from any computer in the network, the configuration-file /etc/xinetd.d/swat must look like following:

service swat
{
disable = no
port = 901
socket_type = stream
wait = no
# only_from = 127.0.0.1 //SWAT should be callable from any PC
user = root
server = /usr/sbin/swat
log_on_failure += USERID
}

To avoid a shutdown and restart of the Linux**-Server, the new configuration can be activated immediately by restarting service xinetd with the following command:
service xinetd restart

Configuration of the SMB-Settings:

Further settings of the SMB-server can be done on any computer in the network (which has TCP/IP and a web-browser installed).

To configure the SMB-server, its TCP/IP-address and the port 901 is entered as URL (1) on the web-browser.
A window opens where the entering of user-name and password is requested (2).

Configuration of global SMB-Values

After clicking onto the icon 'GLOBALS'

the page for 'Global Variables' will be shown.
On this page the following settings of configuration-parameters can be entered:
(1) 'workgroup': The name of the workgroup the server will be a member of.
(2) 'netbios name': The unique name of the Computer within the workgroup.
(3) 'server string': Descriptive name of the computer; it is recommended to enter the string 'Samba Server %v at %h'.
This leads to a display including the netbios-name and the version.
(4) 'encrypt passwords': selection 'yes'.

All other settings will be unchanged and the changes are commited by clicking the button 'Commit Changes' (5).

After committing the changes, the button 'Advanced View' (6) is clicked. This results in showing a mask with extended settings.
The following parameters will be changed:
(7) 'create mask': new value '770'.
(8) 'directory mask': new value '770'.

The changes will be commited by clicking the button 'Commit Changes' (9), too.

Aktivation of changes

To activate the change of a configuration-parameter-setting, a Restart of the SMB must be performed.

This restart can be done at any by clicking onto the icon 'STATUS' and

on the displayed page clicking the buttons 'Restart smbd' (1) and 'Restart nmbd' (2).

Keying in passwords

The keying in of the passwords has to be done for all users als listed in the document Linux – file-structure and users .

To do this, after clicking onto the icon 'PASSWORD', the user (1) and its chosen password (2) (3) is keyed in on the displayed page.

The setup of a new user is committed by clicking the button 'Add New User' (4).

Configuration of printers

After clicking onto the icon 'PRINTERS' the page for 'Printer Parameters' will be displayed.
After selecting a printer installed at the server using the combo-box (1) and clicking the button 'Choose Printer' (2) a page with the setting-options for the configuration-parameters will be displayed:
On this page the following settings will be keyed in:
(3) 'comment': descriptive-name of the printer; it is recommended to use the string 'Printer xxx at %h'; this will show the netbios-name of the SMB-server.

All other settings will be left unchanged and the changes will be committed by clicking onto the button 'Commit Changes' (4).

Additional hint:
Under RedHat**-Linux** Version 9 there is a bug which allows the setup of a printer under SMB but the printer does not print due to missing command-strings in the smb.conf file. A bugfix is described in document Printer Setup under RedHat-Linux 9, part SAMBA-Bugfix in RedHat**-Linux** 9.

Definition and configuration of network-drives

The configuration of the network-drives must be done for all directories listed in 'Linux – file-structure and users') .

After clicking the icon 'SHARES' the page for 'Share Parameters' will be displayed.

First the SMB-ressource-name (which is given to the network drive) will be keyed in and confirmed by clicking the button 'Create share' (2).

Thereafter a page is displayed which allows the entry of addional configuration-settings:
(3) 'comment': descriptive name of the network-drive; it is recommended to use the string 'xxx at %h'; to include the netbios-name of the SMB-server in the display.
(4) 'path': directory on the SMB-server which will be used as network-drive.
(5) 'writeable': selection 'yes'.

All other settings are left unchanged and the change is committed with 'Commit Changes' (6).