Configuring Samba as a Home File-Server

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Samba is a very powerful software that can act as File-server & print-server using SMB/CIFS protocol. Here I describe a Home environment  and provide a appropriate Samba server configuration.
Assumptions
Samba is installed correctly and it execute with out issues.
Samba configuration file is located in /etc/samba
Samba Configuration file name is smb.conf ( This is the default )
Samba is installed on Debian Linux distribution. ( This should not matter much )

Description of the Home Environment
  • A Linux server with huge disk-space
  • A Mac desktop system
  • A Windows XP desktop
  • Office Laptop that needs to work in both Office and Home environment
  • A DSL Internet from ISP. DSL model Cum wireless router acts as the firewall for Home Network
  • All these computers form a private network behind the firewall and Wifi security is enabled for wireless connections.
Samba File Server Requirements
  • A common folder accessible to all home computers and office laptop while operating under home profile.
  • A private folder for each of the family members
  • The common folder should be available only for the trusted systems. That is,
    the systems I identify as trusted. For example, if one of my friend
    visits my house and plugs his computer in my network, the common folder
    should not be accessible from his computer.
  • Private folder of User A should not be accessible by User B
  • Samba service is only available with in the private network and must not be accessible from the Internet.
Links to Refer
http://www.samba.org/samba/docs/man/Samba-HOWTO-Collection/passdb.html
http://oreilly.com/catalog/samba/chapter/book/index.html
smb.conf File That Satisfies The Above Requirements
[global]
netbios name = squad
server string = Siva’s File Server
invalid users = backup,bin,daemon,games,gnats,irc,list,lp,mail,man,news,proxy,root,sshd,sync,
sys,uucp
workgroup = HOME
os level = 34
valid users = @users
security=user

[common]
browseable = yes
comment = Common folder for family members
path = /path/to/directory
writeable = yes
force group = users
create mode = 770
directory mode = 770
[homes]
browseable = no
read only = no
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