Samba Server on Ubuntu 24.04: Installation and initial configuration
Last week, we shared a first updated guide, focused on offering them the theory and practice, essential or basic so that anyone can achieve, quickly, directly and easily, the implement a simple Samba Server in Ubuntu 24.04. Something that can be really useful to carry out, both within a small home and a small office. Above all, why in it, we only address the use of one or more public folders (without access users/passwords), on a partition or folder of the operating system's own hard drive, such as from an additional hard drive automatically mounted via fstab.
But, given that when it is required to implement something more robust and efficient, in order to offer an efficient and safe storage and sharing of files within a network and administrative structure, the ideal thing is to create folders for different types or groups of users, since today we will explain in this second part how we can achieve this objective. That is, the "how you can implement a complete Samba Server in Ubuntu 24.04" with folders protected by username and password.
But, before starting this new and second quick guide on implementing «a very complete Samba Server on Ubuntu 24.04, we recommend you explore the previous related post with this topic, at the end of reading it:
Samba is a multifunctional server product, which also provides an implementation of the file server, print service, and identity server (winbind).
A complete Samba Server on Ubuntu 24.04: Final configuration
Steps to build a complete Samba Server on Ubuntu
Continuing with the working scenario of the first quick guide on Samba, we will pretend that we are in a Work network of a school institution, so that in addition to a public folder accessible to all workers and students, shared folders can be offered for all those work groups that are necessary. Such as the staff: Manager, Teacher, Administrative and Worker.
Step 1: Start and check the previously created Samba Server
Step 2: Management of virtual users within the Operating System and Samba
Keep in mind that the users to be created due to good computing practice will be through the "useradd" command and the "nologin" parameter, with the objective that they have restricted access to the server, that is, they cannot actually make a physical login into the server with said user account.
Or in other words, this way of creating users allows us to create accounts that do not require interactive login capabilities within the manipulated server or host. Therefore, its ideal purpose is prevent users from logging in, but still have a valid Shell to execute actions.
Command orders used
Creation of users within the operating system
useradd -M -s /sbin/nologin usersdir #Dirección general
useradd -M -s /sbin/nologin usersaca #Subdirección Academica
useradd -M -s /sbin/nologin usersadm #Subdirección Administrativa
useradd -M -s /sbin/nologin userstec #Subdirección Técnica
useradd -M -s /sbin/nologin usersdoc #Docentes
useradd -M -s /sbin/nologin usersobr #Obreros
Password creation for each previous user
passwd usersdir
passwd usersaca
passwd usersadm
passwd userstec
passwd usersdoc
passwd usersobr
Process of adding (associating) users to the Samba Server using a password
smbpasswd -a usersdir
smbpasswd -a usersaca
smbpasswd -a usersadm
smbpasswd -a userstec
smbpasswd -a usersdoc
smbpasswd -a usersobr
User group creation process
groupadd dirgen
groupadd sdiraca
groupadd sdiradm
groupadd sdirtec
groupadd obreros
groupadd docentes
Process of adding (associating) user groups and valid users
usermod -aG dirgen usersdir
usermod -aG sdiraca usersaca
usermod -aG sdiradm usersadm
usermod -aG sdirtec userstec
usermod -aG obreros usersobr
usermod -aG docentes usersdoc
Process of creating folders (directories) for user groups
sudo mkdir /media/disk2/dirgen/ ; sudo chmod -R 777 /media/disk2/dirgen/ ; sudo chown nobody:nogroup -R /media/disk2/dirgen/
sudo mkdir /media/disk2/dirgen/sdiraca ; sudo chmod -R 777 /media/disk2/dirgen/sdiraca ; sudo chown nobody:nogroup -R /media/disk2/dirgen/sdiraca
sudo mkdir /media/disk2/dirgen/sdiradm ; sudo chmod -R 777 /media/disk2/dirgen/sdiradm ; sudo chown nobody:nogroup -R /media/disk2/dirgen/sdiradm
sudo mkdir /media/disk2/dirgen/sdirtec ; sudo chmod -R 777 /media/disk2/dirgen/sdirtec ; sudo chown nobody:nogroup -R /media/disk2/dirgen/sdirtec
sudo mkdir /media/disk2/dirgen/obreros ; sudo chmod -R 777 /media/disk2/dirgen/obreros ; sudo chown nobody:nogroup -R /media/disk2/dirgen/obreros
sudo mkdir /media/disk2/dirgen/docentes ; sudo chmod -R 777 /media/disk2/dirgen/docentes ; sudo chown nobody:nogroup -R /media/disk2/dirgen/docentes
Step 3: Managing the Samba configuration file and new shares
At this point, we must open our "smb.conf" file, previously backed up, to then insert the following content, and continue the process:
[DirGen]
comment = Carpeta compartida DirGen
path = /media/disk2/dirgen
valid users = root @usersdir
write list = root @usersdir
browsable = yes
writable = yes
guest ok = no
force create mode = 0770
force directory mode = 0770
read only = no
force group = dirgen
[SubDirAca]
comment = Carpeta compartida Sub Dir Academica
path = /media/disk2/dirgen/sdiraca
valid users = root @usersaca
write list = root @usersaca
browsable = yes
writable = yes
guest ok = no
force create mode = 0770
force directory mode = 0770
read only = no
force group = sdiraca
[SubDirAdm]
comment = Carpeta compartida Sub Dir Administrativa
path = /media/disk2/dirgen/sdiradm
valid users = root @usersadm
write list = root @usersadm
browsable = yes
writable = yes
guest ok = no
force create mode = 0770
force directory mode = 0770
read only = no
force group = sdiradm
[SubDirTec]
comment = Carpeta compartida Sub Dir Tecnica
path = /media/disk2/dirgen/sdirtec
valid users = root @userstec
write list = root @userstec
browsable = yes
writable = yes
guest ok = no
force create mode = 0770
force directory mode = 0770
read only = no
force group = sdirtec
[Obreros]
comment = Carpeta compartida Trabajadores Obreros
path = /media/disk2/dirgen/obreros
valid users = root @usersobr
write list = root @usersobr
browsable = yes
writable = yes
guest ok = no
force create mode = 0770
force directory mode = 0770
read only = no
force group = obreros
[Docentes]
comment = Carpeta compartida Trabajadores Docentes
path = /media/disk2/dirgen/docentes
valid users = root @usersdoc
write list = root @usersdoc
browsable = yes
writable = yes
guest ok = no
force create mode = 0770
force directory mode = 0770
read only = no
force group = docentes
Restart of processes associated with the Samba Server and NetBIOS
After saving the changes and exiting the Samba configuration file, we must restart the services associated with it, with the command order:
systemctl restart smbd nmbd
Checking and validating the current Samba configuration
It is then recommended to test the changes made with the following command order:
testparm
Step 4: Local and remote verification of access to the created Samba resources
From the same Ubuntu 24.04 Server
From computers on the Internet
Finally, we can validate access and permissions granted to each folder, group and user created. And if everything is already working correctly, we can terminate the entire process until we are requested or require a new change.
Summary
In summary, we hope that this new useful quick guide on implementing «a Samba Server on Ubuntu 24.04 », both simple and complete, allows many, with a few and accurate steps, to enjoy a small and efficient Samba storage service, about your any home or office. And in case you know other useful tips or advice to improve or complement this quick guide, we invite you to tell us about them via comments for everyone's knowledge and usefulness.
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