Samba is the free implementation of the Common Internet File System/Server Message Block (CIFS/SMB) protocol from Unix

• Now ported to Windows, Mac OS, Linux and eComStation (eCS and OS/2)
• Allows for local area network (LAN) sharing of files and printers between those systems


Comes in two (2) distinct installation flavors

• Server
• Your machine becomes the source for the shared files and/or printers
• The other (client) machines must have the CIFS/SMB protocol installed, or Samba client installed
• The installation places approximately 55 megabytes (MB) of new files on your system
  
  
  
  
• Client
• Your machine becomes the user for shared files and/or printers from one or more servers on your LAN
• Each server must have the CIFS/SMB protocol, or Samba server, installed
• The installation creates 12 MB of new files


Server versus client considerations
• Which one(s) to install?
• If you want your machine to share its own files and/or printers with other machines, then you must install the server package
• If you want your machine to have access to files and printers on some other machine, you must install the client package
• These are separate and independent decisions
• Installing samba server on eCS 2.XY
• Operating system (OS) comes with a version of the client, which you can select as part of the OS install
• If you already installed that client, recommend you then install the new client from NetLabs immediately after the server
• Original OS installed client may not work correctly with the newly installed server
• You may have trouble with your user account, when attempting to use the OS installed client
• I have not been able to fix that issue, short of installing the Netlabs client
• Must install the eVFS-based client from Netlabs, not the NetDrive-based client
• Can also install NetDrive, if you wish. It will provide limited services
• FTP for Internet file transfer
• Local for local and networked directories)
• No Samba access





• Installing samba client on OS/2 Warp and eCS 1.XY
• Use the NetDrive-based client from Netlabs, not the eVFS client
• You must also install, or have already installed, NetDrive. It provides full services
• FTP for Internet file transfer
• Local for local and networked directories
• Server Message Block file system (SMBFS) for Samba access
• NetDrive can purchased from vendors such as BMT Micro for about $29.00