Set up a Windows folder share for use on the Linux device within your home network.
Set up a Windows folder share for use on the Linux device within your home network.
I store my files on a Windows machine and share a folder with other devices at home. It’s not simple, but this tutorial makes it clear. Then I use FreeFilesync (FFS) to handle backups and version control. So far everything works well and is easy. After adding a Linux device to the group, things got trickier, but I discovered a tool called "Smb4K" that lets me connect without needing terminal commands. This approach needs my main computer running Windows. If my main rig were Linux—say, using MX Linux KDE—I’d wonder if it could still work without diving into terminal operations. I thought Linux as a server OS might simplify things compared to a typical desktop environment.
for a linux main system you must install samba and modify its configuration file at /etc/samba/samba.config. likely you'll need to add the samba user or include your windows users in the samba group. these steps aren't necessarily the correct method for sharing folders, but they might be a possible approach you considered. generally, sharing folders between linux and windows can be done more easily through other means, though i found a video that showed a surprisingly fast search option on google which could help.
it works too, but navigating inside the terminal is significantly quicker than using the GUI. you can modify a file that's far from your current location with just one command—for instance, open the samba configuration file by typing this line in the terminal:
```
┌──(R4v3n Darkness)-[~]
└─$ nano /etc/conf.d/samba
```
Explaining why the terminal is faster than the GUI can be tough if you haven’t explored it deeply. If you truly want to master Linux, the terminal is the ideal choice once you have a solid foundation. Personally, I abandoned the GUI because it covers about 80% of tasks; in reality, what you can achieve with the GUI mostly translates to running terminal commands on both Linux and Windows. Saying “invoke terminal commands” accurately describes this, though it’s not perfect. In short, the terminal offers more flexibility and power.
You’ll find far more options in the terminal than in the GUI—most software launches more features when you open it directly from there. For example, launching Steam by double-clicking its icon on your desktop won’t generate logs if it crashes. But opening a terminal and typing “steam” shows exactly what happens behind the scenes. Steam debug mode can be accessed only via the terminal using commands like “steam --debug” or “steam -d,” which provide detailed logs. I’m not sure if those options are interchangeable, but they’re useful for deeper troubleshooting.
Using the terminal demands a bit of learning, but once you grasp it, it becomes your most potent tool. Similarly, PowerShell in Windows may seem confusing with its many commands, yet taking this course will help me understand it better. Linux always shines with its terminal, and I’m excited to get there.
Using KDE with Dolphin Setup Samba Usershares together with a Samba user account lets you set up shares in Dolphin much like on Windows. You can also discover Windows shares using wsdd and turn on its services via systemctl. On Linux, hostname resolution should be managed by avahi, which is often already present. If your setup lacks hostname discovery, consider nss-mdns for devices like "sunshine.local". When systemd-resolved is in use, you may need extra tweaks to avoid conflicts. For firewalls, ensure ports 5353 (UDP), 138 (TCP), 139 (TCP), 389 (UDP), 445 (TCP), 3268 (TCP), 3269 (TCP), 3702 (UDP), 5357 (TCP), and 49152-65535 (UDP) are open. This improves share access but may affect FreeFileSync; SMB4K is still required for temporary mounts or you can edit fstab with "x-systemd.automount" for automatic mounting when needed.
I understand your needs. You prefer seeing things visually and want to explore the interface first before interacting. The CLI vs GUI debate has been ongoing for a long time, and it seems the choice depends on who uses the system most. Back in the day, only a few people had access to computers, while today almost everyone does. Using GUIs makes tasks quicker if you know the commands, but they can feel confusing without practice. I never needed formal training to use phones—simply clicking and navigating helped me find solutions. If all systems required CLI, daily smartphone or PC use would be nearly impossible. For example, opening an app by typing its exact name is essential; otherwise, mistakes are common. I see your point about learning CLI, but it might require effort to revisit it later. Perhaps setting it up once would help, and you could gradually explore it without pressure. This isn’t about limitations—it’s about matching tools to people. As for Arch or Debian, the principles apply broadly, though specifics may vary. I’ll try what you suggested and give it some time. It might take a while, but it could be worth it.
Package names might differ, yet the setup should stay consistent. In my view, this should be handled by distros specifically when they include KDE, but unfortunately it isn't done here.
I won’t be teaching her Linux. She’s being directed to this forum instead. There she’ll hear that smart folks rely on a CLI for their car infotainment because GUI feels too restrictive. She should just try free Linux options for her accounting tools. Plus, she might have chosen the wrong distribution. If she’s not ready for Arch, it makes sense to revert to Windows.
ok bro let me tell you smt abt that bc im probably more of a peer to you than these people. In a few months it will be my first year on linux and the terminal is great imo, for instance to install app you know the package names of. But i dont think anyone recommends solely using the terminal and pretty much everyone uses icons. Its just not that its been decided and gui > cli. By that logic windows > linux. I know your counter argument to this but what im saying is, although terminal is inconvenient for some tasks, it is for some others and i'd recommend trying not to prejudge it. In the end arent you looking for convenience? But think abt it, is writing the folder names faster or clicking on folders? For the editing thing for example chatgpt generally gives me commands so i copy paste and terminal is faster, normally gui is faster. But you will just see it in a few weeks. Its just that terminal isnt a monster you dont need to refrain from learning it.