Sharing Folders in Mixed Environments

Sharing and exchanging documents is a must-have in corporate environments. Konqueror offers you file sharing with Samba, which makes your files and folders available to both Linux and Windows users. To configure Samba file sharing with Konqueror, proceed as follows:

  1. Open Konqueror.

  2. Select Home Folder, right-click the window background and then select Properties from the context menu.

  3. In the Properties dialog, click the Share tab. When file sharing is not yet generally enabled, you are informed about this on the tab. To enable file sharing or select the files to share, click Configure File Sharing and enter the root password.

  4. To enable or disable file sharing, select or deselect Enable Local Network File Sharing.

    Figure 5.2. Enabling File Sharing

    Enabling File Sharing

  5. Select the appropriate sharing option: Simple sharing or Advanced sharing.

  6. To limit the number of users allowed to share folders to certain groups, click Allowed Users, select Only users of a certain group are allowed to share folders, click Choose Group, and select the appropriate group from the list in the window that opens.

  7. Add the folder to share to the list of shared items at the bottom of the dialog by clicking Add and specifying the folder's exact path.

    Figure 5.3. Detailed Sharing Options

    Detailed Sharing Options

  8. Activate Share with Samba to enable Samba file sharing. If needed, apply some fine-tuning to the Samba options:

    Name

    Specify a name other than the preset default.

    Public/Writable

    Determine which kind of access to grant others to your share. You can grant users full read and write access or limit their access to just reading your shares.

    More Samba Options

    These contain basic settings like name, an optional comment, and basic access rights as well as user and security settings and an option to hide particular files and subfolders in the shared folder.

  9. Apply your settings and leave the file sharing dialog with OK.

    The folder icon now appears in Konqueror with a plug.

    Figure 5.4. Shared Folder

    Shared Folder

    To revoke the share, enter the file sharing dialog again and remove the folder from the list of shared items. The folder icon then appears without a plug.

Other members of your network can reach your share by entering smb:/ in the location bar of Konqueror and clicking the appropriate workgroup icon and hostname.

[Important]Samba Domain Browsing

Samba domain browsing only works if your system's firewall is configured accordingly. Either disable the firewall entirely or assign the browsing interface to the internal firewall zone. Ask your system administrator about how to proceed.