I have installed and set up a Samba server on my Linux (Ubuntu) using this simple tutorial ...

https://help.ubuntu.com/11.04/server...ileserver.html

The config looks like this ...

[share]
comment = Ubuntu File Server Share
path = /srv/samba/share
browsable = yes
guest ok = yes
read only = no
create mask = 0755

restart ...

sudo restart smbd
sudo restart nmbd


I cannot however see /srv/samba/share from the windows machine using win explorer.

What might I be doing wrong ?

As I understand it Samba enables windows clients to connect to Linux servers running a Samba server ...


How can a Linux client connect to another windows machine within the same LAN ?

regards,

Steven M

Try windows explorer to connect you server directly (not browsing) e.g. type into the adderss \\my-server-ip\share

If that works, check workgroup settings and wins, windows uses that to detect network shares. If it doesn't work, check if firewall enables samba.

Linux can connect windows shares (samba) over samba protocol. Use smb* commands for CLI communication or mount samba share as a local path. That depends on your system, most common cases are:

mkdir /mnt/share
mount -t cifs windows-pc-or-ip/share -o username=vivek,password=myPassword /mnt/share
or
mount -t smbfs windows-pc-or-ip/share -o username=vivek,password=myPassword /mnt/share

or use GVFS, so when you are running linux desktop (GNOME or other), find 'Connect computer' or something so in the menu.

How does your smb.conf look in the global part (see example below):

[global]
workgroup = WORKGROUP
netbios name = servername
netbios aliases = SERVERNAME
server string = Samba Server 1
log level = 1
max log size = 50
max xmit = 65535
time server = Yes
socket options = TCP_NODELAY IPTOS_LOWDELAY
preferred master = Yes
domain master = Yes
wins support = Yes
socket address = xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
usershare max shares = 100
usershare allow guests = No
security = user
encrypt passwords = true
passdb backend = smbpasswd:/etc/samba/smbpasswd
map to guest = bad user
username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
strict locking = no