How to share files between Ubuntu and OSX?

Question

Is there any links/tutorials/videos that helps me share files between Ubuntu and Mac OSX?

Solution 1

A bit of Google-fu found a guide for Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid) and Mac OS X. I haven't got a Mac handy to test on, so haven't tested it.

Solution 2

Setup a Samba Server in Ubuntu

In OSX:

• Open a finder window and hit cmd-K
• Type 'smb://ipAddress' where 'ipAddress' is your ipaddress
• Select the share you're connecting to (as per the samba setup)
• Authenticate
• It should mount the share the same as it mounts anything else

In Windows:

• Configure your firewall to allow smb connections if it doesn't already
• Open Start->Run
• Type '\ipAddress' where 'ipAddress' is your ipaddress
• Authenticate
• Under the 'Network Places' folder the shared folders should appear

Here's a really long drawn-out explanation for windows including how to setup the server in *nix.

Samba is basically Windows NFS (Network File System) that is completely cross platform and easier to setup/use.

Note: There is a GUI tool for configuring Samba but I can't remember how to access it off the top of my head. Also, I think you can connect to Samba in OSX under connect-to (or something similar) from the top bar menu but I can't remember exactly what it's called since I haven't used a mac in over 6 years.

IMHO, this method is a lot easier and straight forward to use than FTP because it mounts the remote folder as if it's a local folder on your system. It doesn't get much more transparent than that.

Solution 3

I accomplished this by doing the following:

I have a Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger) on a G5 PowerPC and Ubuntu on an Acer Aspire One.

1. In mac OS, go to system preferences>sharing and enable "Personal File Sharing"

2. In Ubuntu open DashHome and open "Files" folder. (or however you know how to get to the files folder.)

3. In the sidebar, choose "Browse Network"

4. As long as the two machines are on the same network, your mac should be in there as a directory that you can mount within Ubuntu.

I had very little idea what do do, having only ready this page, and it turned out pretty easy. It works for me, sharing files within a home office. It wouldn't work if you need to work remotely because you would be off your own network.

Solution 4

I am on Ubuntu 14.04 My aim is to share all external device which registered under /media (e.g. external hdd, enternal optical drive) with my Mac OS X (yosemith)

On Ubuntu, Open a Terminal windows

$sudo nautilus

Enter your root password when prompt

A nautilus window will be opened, browse to system /media

Right click an choose Properties. Click Share. Click Guest Share. Apply changes.

On Mac Os X, Open Finder, Click Go to server Command + K Enter the Ubuntu IP and click Guest

Solution 5

Samba works well in my setup, a home network with three Macs and a server running Ubuntu (since 9.04, currently at 10.10). The Ubuntu machine automatically shows up in the Finder along with the other Macs.

I followed this install guide for the Samba setup. The guide is for Ubuntu server, but it's the same setup and it works the same for the desktop version.

The only change I made was to set the "create mask" to 0777 ("world writable") instead of 0755, otherwise creating folders on the Ubuntu machine from the Macs didn't work properly.

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Comments

[Melebius]

This should be a site for questions and self-contained answers, not links.

[Déjà vu]

Bravo! Was looking for that info since October 20, 2004!

[H_7]

uh... Windows? Question is about Mac and Ubuntu.. I don't know how, but I am pretty sure you doesn't need Samba to connect a Mac and a Linux box. If I am wrong, please point me out.

[Serkan KOCAMAN]

What my experience is, is that AFP on Ubuntu using netatalk is way slower than Samba.

[Luis Alvarado]

@fluteflute hi, The link is broken, is there another one?

[Code.Decode]

@LuisAlvarado: have updated with a archived version of the page. Of course it's three years old so the method may no longer work.

[Duncanmoo]

Although this contains extra info re:Windows it simply solves the connection issue with a Mac by using smb://ipAddress No extra module installation required! AFP is fine, but then you have the reverse issue of getting Windows machines connected.

[user68186]

Are you using an Ethernet crossover cable, or are the two computers connected by cable to a router?

[Eric]

It still works with Ubuntu 15.05

[Kyle Falconer]

This also works if you r-click on a folder and go to sharing options and choose the "Share this folder". The first time you do it, it will prompt you to install samba. When connecting from OS X, be sure to use the correct protocol: smb://[ip address]

[Blairg23]

Don't forget about this solution: askubuntu.com/a/561391/306972

[AnotherKiwiGuy]

Can you please expand on your answer? At the moment, it's primarily opinion based, and provides very little in the way of an answer. Providing a quick little step by step tutorial would be ideal :)

[Joshua K]

I agree with this being the easiest and most bulletproof implementation.

[Joshua K]

I recommend Samba instead.

[Joshua K]

Wow... Disconnecting from the network and connecting a cable? This is a hassle. For large files, this might be a good idea, because it should be fast, but I'd probably choose a temporary medium like an external drive instead.

[ijoseph]

This works, but it's sickeningly slow (around 200 kilobits per second); at this rate, it's not even as fast as uploading all the way to some cloud service (e.g. Dropbox®). Any idea why this might be the case? I'm connected via my WRT54G router, which is theoretically 54 megabits per second.

[Franklin Yu]

@JoshuaK Did you encounter any issue with this method (AFP server on Linux)?

[adfaklsdjf]

@FranklinYu I've never used AFP, but I can imagine someone recommending samba because of wider platform compatibility (windows)--like if someone were to recommend using exfa' filesystem over hfs+/apfs--which admittedly may not be at all relevant to some people's situations.

[Henrik R.]

The above looks great, but: On Ubuntu 20.04 I open Files (also called Nautilus) -> Other Locations -> I choose "MacBook Pro ..." under Networks. Then I am asked for Username, Domain, Password. But no matter whether I use name and password for the Mac or Ubuntu it doesn't work. And what is "Domain"?

[Henrik R.]

To connect to the MacBook from Ubuntu I had to use Terminal commands. See discussions.apple.com/thread/252656492