Sharing files over the network via Samba

This recipe will show how to set up a Samba server on the Banana Pi. Moreover, we will investigate how we can connect Windows and Linux clients to the Samba server. Samba is a re-implementation of the SMB/CIFS networking protocol to provide file and print sharing among Windows and Linux systems.

Getting ready

For this recipe, you require the following:

• A running Banana Pi with a Debian-based Linux system

• A configured network on the Banana Pi

How to do it…

We are splitting this recipe into the installation and configuration of the Samba server and the setup of clients.

Installing the Samba server

Installing the Samba server is done quickly.

We are working with the default user bananapi in the upcoming recipe. Furthermore, we are using the default hostname lemaker. If you have your own user or hostname, replace in the following steps where appropriate:

1. Open a shell.

2. Create a directory that is shared later:

   $ mkdir /home/bananapi/first_share
   

3. Put a test file into...