How do I use Ubuntu Server as file server?
Solution 1
File Servers
If you have more than one computer on a single network. At some point you will probably need to share files between them. In this section we cover installing and configuring FTP, NFS, and CUPS.
SOURCE -> File Servers
Windows Networking
Computer networks are often comprised of diverse systems, and while operating a network made up entirely of Ubuntu desktop and server computers would certainly be fun, some network environments must consist of both Ubuntu and Microsoft® Windows® systems working together in harmony. This section of the Ubuntu Server Guide introduces principles and tools used in configuring your Ubuntu Server for sharing network resources with Windows computers.
Securing a Samba File and Print Server
Samba Active Directory Integration
SOURCE -> Windows Networking
Solution 2
The important thing to remember is that Desktop and Server are the same underlying OS, with different packages & configuration In Windows that isn't true (tx to @jay-bazuzi)
This is a step-to-step answer.
Install samba
sudo apt-get install samba samba-common
Install some dependencies for Configuration tools
sudo apt-get install python-glade2
Installa samba configuration tool
sudo apt-get install system-config-samba
Make a new user Jones
adduser Jones
Make a Linux password for user jones
passwd pirat9
Open samba configuration tool.
Add the folder you want to share and setup the permissions
Create a samba user
sudo smbpasswd -a jones
New SMB password
retype New SMB Password
You can chose any directory you want to share by right click on the folder directory and open the share options
Now at this point if your ubuntu server has ip: 192.168.1.10 you can access to your folder with a Linux Machine typing on Nautilus address bar:
smb://192.168.1.10/pirat9
or on a windows machine with:
\\192.168.1.10\pirat9
Thanks Linuxman for screen and refs: http://www.unixmen.com/howto-install-and-configure-samba-share-in-ubuntu/
Solution 3
The short answer is yes, you can set up file sharing with Samba. See
There's also a beginner-friendly tutorial here http://www.howtogeek.com/74459/how-to-create-samba-windows-shares-in-linux-the-easy-way/. If you search for Samba in the Ubuntu Software Center, you'll find a nice little GUI for this.
Solution 4
From my point of view, you have taken the first step towards a good and stable file server :) I have also managed a Windows server 2003 in the past at the company I was working. In the end we migrated towards SuSE Enterprise. I would always recommend a Linux server for every job that includes the word server in it.
So now, because you are new Ubuntu, I am wondering if you are new to Linux environments? Also, you haven't mentioned what your file server is suppose to do. If you only want to manage home files (movies, music, etc...) between internal desktops/laptops, then I would reckon a regular Ubuntu installation would be enough.
Comments
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bamirthampr almost 2 years
In our company we would like to install Ubuntu server for file sharing, is it possible to use Ubuntu as file server for windows based client Operating systems.
what is the procedure to make Ubuntu file server, and i have installed Ubuntu 12.4 server.
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Farid Nouri Neshat over 12 yearsWhat is that desktop widget showing the system stats? Looks damn cool.
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Michal over 10 yearsYou're sharing pirat9's home folder, and then creating a user "Jones." This makes no sense. You should be creating user "pirat9," and creating an SMB password for him/her. Just look at the link you referenced, which shows your errors - unixmen.com/howto-install-and-configure-samba-share-in-ubuntu. Luckily I figured it out, but other noobs might not.
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Martlark over 9 yearsFirst link is now 404.