Samba Server Installation and Configuration in CentOS 6.3 / RHEL 6.3

Samba is used to allow users to share and use files, folders and printers between Linux and Windows systems. In this how-to tutorial let us see how to install and configure samba server.

ScenarioIn this tutorial, i use two systems as described below

Samba server:Operating system : CentOS 6.3Hostname : sambaserver.unixmen.comIP Address : 192.168.1.50/24

Samba client:Operating system : Windows 7 ProfessionalHostname : clientIP Address : 192.168.1.51/24

Install Samba packageCheck and remove any previously installed samba package[root@sambaserver ~]# rpm -qa | grep samba[root@sambaserver ~]# yum list installed | grep sambaIf it installed, remove it using the below command[root@sambaserver ~]# yum remove samba*Now install samba[root@sambaserver ~]# yum install samba* -y

Configure a fully accessed anonymous shareCreate a directory called ‘/samba/share1′ and set full permission[root@sambaserver ~]# mkdir -p /samba/share1[root@sambaserver ~]# chmod -R 0777 /samba/share1/Edit and add the following lines in samba config file as shown below[root@sambaserver ~]# vi /etc/samba/smb.conf

## Line no 58 - Add the following lines below line 58 ##unix charset = UTF-8dos charset = CP932## Line no 75 - Change the to windows default workgroup ##workgroup = WORKGROUP## Line no 81 - Uncomment and set the IP Range ##hosts allow = 127. 192.168.1.## Line 102 - set no authentication ##security = share## Add the following lines at the bottom ##[myshare]path = /samba/share1writable = yesbrowsable = yesguest ok = yesguest only = yescreate mode = 0777directory mode = 0777Start samba server[root@sambaserver ~]# vi /etc/samba/smb.conf[root@sambaserver ~]# /etc/init.d/smb startStarting SMB services: [ OK ][root@sambaserver ~]# /etc/init.d/nmb startStarting NMB services: [ OK ][root@sambaserver ~]# chkconfig smb on[root@sambaserver ~]# chkconfig nmb onTest the Samba serverWe can test the Samba server configuration using the command ‘testparm’.[root@sambaserver ~]# testparmLoad smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.confrlimit_max: increasing rlimit_max (1024) to minimum Windows limit (16384)Processing section "[homes]"Processing section "[printers]"Processing section "[myshare]"Loaded services file OK.Server role: ROLE_STANDALONEPress enter to see a dump of your service definitions

[global]dos charset = CP932server string = Samba Server Version %vsecurity = SHARElog file = /var/log/samba/log.%mmax log size = 50

hosts allow = 127., 192.168.1.cups options = raw

[homes]comment = Home Directoriesread only = Nobrowseable = No

[printers]comment = All Printerspath = /var/spool/sambaprintable = Yesbrowseable = No

[myshare]path = /samba/share1read only = Nocreate mask = 0777directory mask = 0777guest only = Yesguest ok = YesAllow Samba server through firewall[root@sambaserver ~]# vi /etc/sysconfig/iptables# Firewall configuration written by system-config-firewall# Manual customization of this file is not recommended.*filter:INPUT ACCEPT [0:0]:FORWARD ACCEPT [0:0]:OUTPUT ACCEPT [0:0]-A INPUT -s 192.168.1.0/24 -m state --state NEW -p udp --dport 137 -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -s 192.168.1.0/24 -m state --state NEW -p udp --dport 138 -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -s 192.168.1.0/24 -m state --state NEW -p tcp --dport 139 -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -s 192.168.1.0/24 -m state --state NEW -p tcp --dport 445 -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -s 192.168.1.0/24 -m state --state NEW -p tcp --dport 901 -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -m state --state ESTABLISHED,RELATED -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -p icmp -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT-A INPUT -j REJECT --reject-with icmp-host-prohibited-A FORWARD -j REJECT --reject-with icmp-host-prohibitedCOMMITRestart iptables to save the changes[root@sambaserver ~]# service iptables restartiptables: Flushing firewall rules: [ OK ]

iptables: Setting chains to policy ACCEPT: filter [ OK ]iptables: Unloading modules: [ OK ]iptables: Applying firewall rules: [ OK ]Disable SELINUX[root@sambaserver ~]# vi /etc/sysconfig/selinux# This file controls the state of SELinux on the system.# SELINUX= can take one of these three values:# enforcing - SELinux security policy is enforced.# permissive - SELinux prints warnings instead of enforcing.# disabled - No SELinux policy is loaded.SELINUX=disabled# SELINUXTYPE= can take one of these two values:# targeted - Targeted processes are protected,# mls - Multi Level Security protection.SELINUXTYPE=targetedRestart the server and goto windows client systemClick Start -> Run. Enter the samba Server IP as shown below.

Now create some folders and files

Check whether the newly created files or folders present in the samba server[root@sambaserver ~]# ls -l /samba/share1/total 4drwxrwxrwx 2 nobody nobody 4096 Mar 8 22:59 unixmen

Configure a authenticated share using samba serverCreate a user called “sk” and a group called “smbgroup”. Add the user “sk” to the group “smbgroup”[root@sambaserver ~]# useradd sk[root@sambaserver ~]# groupadd smbgroup[root@sambaserver ~]# usermod -a -G smbgroup sk[root@sambaserver ~]# smbpasswd -a skNew SMB password:Retype new SMB password:Added user sk.Create a new share called “/samba/share2″ and set the permissions to that share.

[root@sambaserver ~]# mkdir /samba/share2[root@sambaserver ~]# chmod -R 0755 /samba/share2/[root@sambaserver ~]# chown -R sk:smbgroup /samba/share2/Add the below lines at the bottom of samba config file.[root@sambaserver ~]# vi /etc/samba/smb.conf[secure]path = /samba/share2writable = yesbrowsable = yesguest ok = novalid users = @smbgroupTest the configuration for any errors[root@sambaserver ~]# testparmLoad smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.confrlimit_max: increasing rlimit_max (1024) to minimum Windows limit (16384)Processing section "[homes]"Processing section "[printers]"Processing section "[myshare]"Processing section "[secure]"Loaded services file OK.Server role: ROLE_STANDALONEPress enter to see a dump of your service definitions

[global]dos charset = CP932server string = Samba Server Version %vsecurity = SHARElog file = /var/log/samba/log.%mmax log size = 50hosts allow = 127., 192.168.1.cups options = raw

[homes]comment = Home Directoriesread only = Nobrowseable = No

[printers]comment = All Printerspath = /var/spool/sambaprintable = Yesbrowseable = No

[myshare]

path = /samba/share1read only = Nocreate mask = 0777directory mask = 0777guest only = Yesguest ok = Yes

[secure]path = /samba/share2valid users = @smbgroupread only = NoRestart samba server[root@sambaserver ~]# /etc/init.d/smb restartShutting down SMB services: [ OK ]Starting SMB services: [ OK ][root@sambaserver ~]# /etc/init.d/nmb restartShutting down NMB services: [ OK ]Starting NMB services: [ OK ]Now goto windows client and try to access the secured share.

Configure samba server in GUI modeIf you struggle with command line configuration, you can configure samba server in GUI mode too using “samba-swat” package. I prefer and suggest you command line mode only.Install the “samba-swat” package if it is not installed.[root@sambaserver ~]# yum install xinetd samba-swat -y

Configure SWATOpen the “samba-swat” config file and edit as shown below[root@sambaserver ~]# vi /etc/xinetd.d/swat# default: off# description: SWAT is the Samba Web Admin Tool. Use swat \# to configure your Samba server. To use SWAT, \# connect to port 901 with your favorite web browser.service swat{port = 901socket_type = streamwait = noonly_from = 127.0.0.1 192.168.1.0/24user = rootserver = /usr/sbin/swatlog_on_failure += USERIDdisable = no}Restart samba and xinetd services[root@sambaserver ~]# /etc/init.d/xinetd restartStopping xinetd: [ OK ]Starting xinetd: [ OK ][root@sambaserver ~]# /etc/init.d/smb restartShutting down SMB services: [ OK ]Starting SMB services: [ OK ][root@sambaserver ~]# /etc/init.d/nmb restartShutting down NMB services: [ OK ]Starting NMB services: [ OK ]Open the web browser from any client syatems. In the address bar type “http://server-ip-address:901″ and press enter. Now the console screen will open. You can start configure samba server here.

Thats it. Enjoy.- See more at: http://www.unixmen.com/samba-server-installation-and-configuration-in-centos-6-3-rhel-6-3/#sthash.ktcFaZGP.dpuf