[Samba] Access Windows network shares from an external Windows PC using an ubuntu server as 'gateway'

James Tandy james at jamestandy.com
Sun Jan 18 01:12:59 GMT 2009


Personally I would either turn on PPTP VPN support on your router (or 
replace your router with an old pc running www.pfsense.org).
 From the outside world on any windows pc you can then create a new 
"dial up" connection, to your workplace, and XP has everything it needs 
to connect.
Once connected you can access all the shares you currently have as if 
you were in your house.

Regards,
James

Koen Lekkerkerker wrote:
> Hi everybody.
>
> I live with 10 good friends in a student house. We have a network containing
> lots of stuff like movies, presentations, documents etc. Each one of us use
> Windows as the primary OS (I am the only one using linux too) and so our
> network exists out of Windows network shares. We use these network shares
> very much.
>
> We would like to be able to access these files remotely too (when being not
> inside the house). So I am looking for a way to make the network shares
> accesible remotely.
> I can't find a clear way how to do this. There are two potential 'gateways'
> to access it: 1. An Ubuntu Server (Specs are at the end of the mail) hosting
> our own website. 2. A Windows XP computer in the living room that is always
> turned on.(these 'gateways' of course will be reached using a port forward
> in the router)
> Of course, I would like to go for option 1. But how? Using Samba of course,
> but do I need to combine it with VPN or something?
> Is it a good idea to make one samba share that 'mounts' all the avialable
> shares (or computers) in the local network in one folder and share that
> folder to the 'world' using (s)ftp or something? It would be best when a
> normal windows pc can access this share without any extra software (just by
> adding a network drive in Windows Explorer). 
> In other words: is it possible to share the overview you get in Gnome (when
> being on the desktop edition of ubuntu) when clicking on "network" in the
> 'places' menu?
>
> So shortly said: How do I make my windows local network shares accessible
> from outside the network? or: How do i connect externally to a local windows
> network? What is the best way to do that?
>
> I hope my question is a bit clear. Hopefully some of you can give help me a
> hand so I can get this to work.
>
> Thanks in advance, Koen
>
> p.s. Of course I want the local network to ask for a password when the
> external pc wants to connect to it.
> p.p.s Remote Login to a computer in a sense of 'taking over the desktop' is
> not what I mean. I don't want to acces the computer I just want to acces the
> local network shares. So VNC, MS Remote Desktop are as far as I know no
> option.
>
>  
>
> About the server:
>
> Samba: 3.0.28a (If needed I can upgrade it maybe)
>
> OS: Ubuntu Server 8.04
>
> Kernel: 2.6.24.23.25
>
>  
>
>   


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