Sharing files over a network

I have a Windows background, so I am comfortable sharing folders and printers in Windows XP and 7. I have before today, not shared a folder in Linux.

Over the weekend I installed Peppermint 5 on my Pentium 4 desktop. I have had experience with ndswrapper and using Windows wifi drivers in Linux, but more about that later.

**** Warning **** Never share your Home folder with read / write access. Always share a sub folder only. It's not wise to share Home, with any user.

For now I want to walk you through how to share a folder in Peppermint 5. A great feature of Peppermint 5 can be found in Software Manager.

1. Click Menu >> Software Manager

2. Click on Featured. Scroll down to Peppermint-Networking-Pack. Install it. One of the programs it installs is a graphical utility to configure Samba shares, called the Samba Server Configuration Tool. It's great, makes the job very easy.

3. Create a folder that you want to share over the network, open PCManFM, (Menu >> PCManFM) then right click in the white section, left click on create new Folder. Type a name and press <ENTER> , I created a folder called Dumpster in my Home directory.

4. Now click Menu >> System Tools >> Samba

5. Click the + , which is just under the File menu.

6. Click on Browse, then navigate to your folder, click OK. Click the check boxes next to Writable and Visible. Now click the Access tab

7. Now click the dot next to Allow access to everyone.

8. Click OK

9. Go to your folder in PCManFM, click the up arrow (top left), now right click on your shared folder. Left click on Properties. Click the Permissions Tab, make sure that Change content is set to Anyone. Click OK.

And you are done. Very painless indeed.