Linux and Windows

Getting Linux and Windows on Speaking Terms

Sharing Files and Printers

For the impatient: These instructions may look intimidating, but you probably don't need to do most of the steps described here.

All About

Getting Linux and Windows to communicate

with as little pain as possible, using the Linux/Unix software suite called SAMBA (www.samba.org). This is not intended to replace the extensive documentation that comes with Samba, but as a quicker way to get your Linux and Windows network running. Samba should run on any version of Linux or Unix. It comes with most of them and is usually installed by default.

If you can install Windows, you can install Linux

Acquiring and installing Linux is covered copiously by others. Try the on-line documents at www.linux.org, for example, or search Google for "install linux". You'll get a few million matches.

What is Samba?

Samba is a suite of programs which enable file and print sharing. When properly installed and running on a Linux machine(s), that Linux machine will appear to be a Windows server to another Windows machine, thus allowing files and printers to be shared between Linux and Windows. The Linux machine will also be able to access any shares on the Windows machine(s), including printers.

Samba 3.0.23c is the latest stable version as of this writing.

Assumptions

I assume a few things here:

1) You already have Windows (any version after 3.1) up and running on at least one machine.

2) You have another machine with some recent version of Linux.

3) You have the necessary network hardware properly physically installed, and you know it works.

4) Your network is a basic peer-to-peer setup; proxy servers, firewalls, domain controllers, etc., introduce complications, and these documents do not (yet) address such matters. Go ahead and try it, of course, but don't be surprized if the machines can't communicate. Send me an email for possible solutions (remove spaces from address).

Disclaimer

The author in no way guarantees the accuracy of the information in these documents, nor that these instructions will work on any computers running any software whatsoever. Proceed at your own risk.