how do i create a new network folder???

[dannylee]

hi everyone,
i am new to linux, and i wanted to create a shared folder via the network, so that my friends and family members can vie em on a different comp. but how do i do that?
can anyone help me please??
danny

[cantab]

Re: how do i create a new network folder

Well, there's several ways, involving varying degrees of effort on the different computers involved.

What are the other computers, that will be accessing the folder? (As in, Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.)

[dannylee]

Re: how do i create a new network folder

only my kubuntu kde 4, and windows xp

[cantab]

Re: how do i create a new network folder

One option is to use sftp. This is by far the simplest to set up on the server (the Kubuntu box). You just need to install the openssh-server package.

You'll then need sftp/scp software on the windows machine. WinSCP,

http://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Works well and is Free Software.

There's no need to set up a particular folder on the Linux box - you use your Linux username and password and can access ALL your files.

Also, if you have some other things set up (port forwarding on your router, dyndns) then you can use this to access your files anywhere in the WORLD. Subject to having an sftp client on the computer you're at, but WinSCP is also available in PortableApps. And obviously as long as your home computer is on! (But there might even be ways around that, if you can connect to your router and issue a wake-on-lan packet)

There are other ways of doing this, which would be simpler on the Windows machine, but more complex on the Linux. This is just how I do things.

[dannylee]

Re: how do i create a new network folder

well,
i installed the open openssh-server package, but what do i do next? i click on my network, and then on add a network folder, then i choose ftp_, but i can't make it work, and i only want to make one folder that can be accessed (because i don't like it when people can access all my private data on my comp).
could you give me the steps on how to do it?
danny

[cantab]

Re: how do i create a new network folder

The method I described requires your username and password to be used to access all your files.

If you want to let certain people access selected files, one way is:

* Create another user for the purpose
* Set their home directory to be group writable
* Add your normal user to their group
* Set YOUR home directory to not be world-readable (readable by anyone, the default!)
* Optionally, set the new user's shell to 'ssh-dummy-shell'. That means they can only do file transfer, and not run commands. If you don't do this, they can crash your system if they want.

You should then be able to write to their home directory as your normal user, and as the one you just created. Anyone you tell the new user and password to can access the files.