How to Install Samba in FreeBSD 9

By
Roy s

I will not give a definition of Samba because every Unix/Linux Administrator should know about it. I will skip directly to show you an easy step-by-step how-to article to setup your FreeBSD Samba server.

My server

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # uname -a
FreeBSD FreeBSD-unixmen 9.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE #0 r243826: Tue Dec 4 06:55:39 UTC 2012 root@obrian.cse.buffalo.edu:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC i386

Install Samba

You need to have ports installed. After you have it installed, you need to go to the Samba directory in ports by using this command:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # cd /usr/ports/net/samba36
root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # make install clean

samba1-freebsd

You can add extra components to your Samba server. If you want like Webind and Swat.

Now edit /etc/rc.conf so that Samba will start with every system boot. Add this line to the file and save:

samba_enable="YES"

Configure Samba

Edit /usr/local/etc/smb.conf:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # vi /usr/local/etc/smb.conf

Specify where you will be able to connect:

; hosts allow = 192.168.1. 192.168.2. 127.

Remove the semi-colon and change the IP address so it matches your network. For example, in my case:

hosts allow = 192.168.1.  192.168.0.  127.  10.1.1.

Now configure the share in the same configuration file:

[unixmen]
comment = Unixmen FreeBSD SAMBA
path = /Unixmen
valid users = pirat9
public = no
writable = yes

Save and exit.

Adding Samba user

Use command adduser to add unix user. In my situation pirat9:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # adduser
Username: pirat9
Full name: test1 test2
Uid (Leave empty for default): 
Login group [test]: 
Login group is test. Invite test into other groups? []: 
Login class [default]: 
Shell (sh csh tcsh bash rbash nologin) [sh]: 
Home directory [/home/test]: 
Home directory permissions (Leave empty for default): 
Use password-based authentication? [yes]: 
Use an empty password? (yes/no) [no]: 
Use a random password? (yes/no) [no]: 
Enter password: 
Enter password again: 
Lock out the account after creation? [no]: 
Username : pirat9
Password : *****
Full Name : test1 test2
Uid : 1002
Class : 
Groups : pirat9 
Home : /home/pirat9
Home Mode : 
Shell : /bin/sh
Locked : no
OK? (yes/no): yes
adduser: INFO: Successfully added (pirat9) to the user database.
Add another user? (yes/no):

Add the directory you want to share for Samba:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # mkdir -p /Unixmen

Adding the Samba group and the user pirat9:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # pw groupadd smbprivate -M pirat9

Change permission on the Samba folder:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # chgrp smbprivate /Unixmen
root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # chmod 770 /Unixmen

Now it’s time to set the password:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # smbpasswd -a pirat9
New SMB password:
Retype new SMB password:
Added user pirat9.

Start the Samba server:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # /usr/local/etc/rc.d/samba start
Removing stale Samba tdb files: . done
Starting nmbd.
Starting smbd.

Testing the server

Run this command to test the server:

root@FreeBSD-unixmen:/root # smbclient -U pirat9 -L localhost
Enter pirat9's password: 
Domain=[MYGROUP] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.6.9]
 Sharename Type Comment
 --------- ---- -------
 unixmen Disk Unixmen FreeBSD SAMBA
 IPC$ IPC IPC Service (Samba Server)
 pirat9 Disk Home Directories
Domain=[MYGROUP] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.6.9]
 Server Comment
 --------- -------
 FREEBSD-UNIXMEN Samba Server
 Workgroup Master
 --------- -------
 MYGROUP FREEBSD-UNIXMEN

Now try to connect from a Windows OS machine and login with the Samba credentials:

\\ip-to-your-freebsd-server

This is how it displays from Windows 7.

samba2-freebsd