How does Remmina sharing folder work? Can I access Linux folder from Windows without Remmina?

Question

I frequently use my Ubuntu and access my Windows through Remmina (remote desktop). On Remmina, I can set to share a local Linux folder to Windows so that Windows shows the shared folder as a disk drive.

Now the requirements changed. My Ubuntu is still running and accessible through network. I now mainly work on Windows, and want to access the same folder that I used to share from Linux to Windows. I searched a bit and found many articles ask me to install additional tools to Windows.

I'm wondering how come Remmina allow Windows to access Linux folders without installing additional tools?

If Remmina did install something on Windows, can I make use of thing and connect back to the Linux and get the folder?

Is Remmina sharing folder based on Remote Desktop Protocol? I used RDP from Windows to Windows a while back, but didn't notice such an option.

Solution 1

Remmina uses a standard Remote Desktop feature ("Drive Redirection" channel). It is one of several channel types allowing the RDP server to send requests back to the client; all file access goes through the RDP client and is only possible as long as the RDP connection is active.

You can find the same feature in Windows' Remote Desktop client (mstsc), although it is only implemented in the form of sharing whole drives. (The Linux RDP clients cheat a bit by inventing a virtual drive for each folder you share.)

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For non-RDP file access, however, your best option is to provide SMBv2/3 by installing Samba on the Ubuntu system. (Over LAN it will also be quite a bit faster than RDPDR.)

1. If you have an up-to-date Windows 10 system, configure Samba's smb.conf like this:

   [global]
       disable netbios = yes
       server min protocol = SMB3_02
       smb encrypt = mandatory
   

2. Add a share:

   [Home]
       path = /home/gqqnbig
       read only = no
       valid users = gqqnbig
   

3. Set a password for SMB by running:

   sudo smbpasswd -a gqqnbig
   

The other option is SFTP (file transfer over SSH). Install openssh-server on Ubuntu, then a client such as WinSCP on Windows.

Solution 2

While the client side of this feature is implemented by Remmina, it is specified by the underlying protocol (RDP a.k.a. Windows Terminal Services).

The RDP server built into Windows implements the server side - this is the reason, why no additional tools are necessary within Windows.

Microsoft's Windows (and Mac) RDP client also implement this feature, so you can use it for Windows-to-Windows and Mac-to-Windows folder sharing as well.