AIX Samba Services

Setting up a Server

1. The central configuration file is smb.conf. It's default location varies with the "distribution". Could be /usr/lib/, /etc/samba/, /usr/local/samba/lib/ or somewhere else. I prefer to put it /etc/samba/. Some important entries are:

      smb passwd file = ...
      encrypt passwords =  yes
   
      log file = /var/adm/samba/log.%m
   ;  IP address of Samba server machine:    
      socket address = xxx.yyy.aaa.bbb
   
      security = user
   

2. Create the log file directory:

      mkdir /var/adm/samba/
   

3. You may check the configuration file's syntax:

      testparm /etc/samba/smb.conf
   

4. Start the services:

      /usr/sbin/nmbd -d 1 -D -s /etc/samba/smb.conf   
      /usr/sbin/smbd -d 1 -D -s /etc/samba/smb.conf   
   

   and put these lines into some central startup script, e.g. /etc/rc.local, so that the services are available after reboot.
5. Samba accounts have to be created in order for clients to be allowed to connect. They should reflect real UNIX accounts, but password management is handled separately. The passwords themselves reside in a file smbpasswd, which again can reside anywhere, defaults I've seen so far are /usr/local/samba/private/, /var/private/, or anywhere else.

      smbpasswd -c /etc/samba/smb.conf -a feinbein
   

   will add a new user feinbein and will prompt twice for a Samba password.
   Note that smbpasswd needs to know the location of the Samba configuration file, either via the -c option as below or via the builtin path name. Thus it might be convenient to define

      ln -s /etc/samba/smb.conf /usr/lib/smb.conf
   

   
   Another password handling command is pdbedit (root only).
6. Within the UNIX world, the service may be tested with

      smbclient //sambaserver/homes -U feinbein 
   

   which after login should enable listing the UNIX home directory.
7. Another useful command is

      smbcontrol 
   

   which allows to control the running Samba daemons.

   man samba

Client Usage

1. Map Network Drive:

      Laufwerk: X:
      Ordner: \\samba-server\AIX-account
   

   (no check marks)
2. In dialog box:

      Benutzer: Domain\Samba-account
      Passwort: Samba-Password
   

   Note:
   Windows prior to version 7 doesn't care about the Domain name (usually Campus). Windows 7, however, does, which causes authentication to fail, because the Samba server usually isn't part of the Domain.
   As a cheat, use a fake Domain name, e.g. Schampus .

To change an existing Samba password:

1. Log into the samba-server machine (e.g. via ssh)
2. type

      smbpasswd
   

   and answer the prompts.