Mount Samba share from other Linux box

[thehemi]

I map to Samba shares all day long from Windows desktops. And even by hand from the command prompt on various Linux servers. But what about a Linux desktop? I'm using OpenSUSE at the moment, I think with Nautilus, and I'm at a loss as to how I map to a network (Samba) share? Obviously an important step in the process of moving to an entirely Linux desktop environment.

[k_amisi]

from a browser like Konqueror you would invoke:<b>smb://<ipaddr ></b>. This would pretty much list all the shares available.

[thehemi]

Ideally I would want them to display as links on the Desktop, or at least always mounted under /mnt, so the network shares would be accessible from any apps that need to open/save files. If I'm going to replace Windows desktops, this is obviously a requirement, so I'm sure it's possible, I just haven't figured out how to do it yet!

[pajamabama]

have a look at 'mount.cifs' (or mount -t cifs). It mounts a samba share just like a normal file system.

http://www.die.net/doc/linux/man/man8/mount.cifs.8.html

you can add an entry to your /etc/fstab to do this. Something like:

//sambaserver/share /mnt/smbshare cifs auto,credentials=credfile,uid=someuser,gid=somegroup,file_mode=0755,dir_mode=0755

hope this helps.

[thehemi]

you can add an entry to your /etc/fstab to do this.

Absolutely. That's the way I've always done them in the past.
But I'm hoping there's a GUI method, for a layman to configure.
If a layman can't do it easily, Linux can't deploy to the desktop.

Email, surfing, photo editing, videos, Office documents, etc.
Everything is simple -- except mapping to network drives.

[pajamabama]

Are you using KDE? If so try right-click on the desktop:
Create New -> Link to Location (URL)
then click on the browse button and goto 'Network Folders' -> 'Samba Shares'
and it should list all the windows workgroups around. This will create desktop shortcuts to any share you need.

There's also a Panel applet you can add for network folders. check the desktop snapshot attached:
Right-click on Panel -> Add Applet to Panel
find the 'Network Folders' applet.

[thehemi]

Are you using KDE? If so try right-click on the desktop:
Create New -> Link to Location (URL)
then click on the browse button and goto 'Network Folders' -> 'Samba Shares'
and it should list all the windows workgroups around. This will create desktop shortcuts to any share you need.

Very cool. But (un)fortunately I'm using GNOME.

[thehemi]

Maybe I should find a GNOME group to ask.
Certainly there's a way to handle mappings.

[thehemi]

Maybe I should find a GNOME group to ask.

Or just read some of the GNOME documentation!

In Nautilus, File -> Connect to Server and use "Windows" share.

[notmyrealemail]

ull want to use fstab like banannapants said. If you just create a link, there will be certain limitations...such as issues playing media files off the samba share. You should mount it somewhere on your local file system.