× NETGEAR will be terminating ReadyCLOUD service by July 1st, 2023. For more details click here.
Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
Reply

Re: How to access actual samba configuration

Steedvlx600
Luminary

How to access actual samba configuration

I've seen a lot of talk. But no answers, on accessing SMB and other configurations on this unit. How do you SEE what is inside the system? Can I connect a monitor and keyboard? Is there a bash terminal to access?

 

So far, I have been infuriated by the lack of basic access to simple things like directory permissions and the like. I'm no Linux pro. But, I'm not a complete idiot either.

 

I am trying to get my home shares accessible from Ubuntu 16.04 using Samba. And, while all of the Linux machines can SEE the server in the workgroup, CONNECT to the server, and even access some files on the server... Nothing I do has enabled me to access my home directory SMB shares on the server from any linux client. I can easily access SMB shares between the Linux machines themselves. So, I know Samba is working and configured correctly on those server/client pairs.

 

Everything in /data such as all the default folders is accessible... But, the ../home folder doesn't even appear in the list. It's as if it was HIDDEN... And, the server doesn't force a user/pass entry when accessing it using Samba client. So, how does it know what user is accessing? I thought I disabled anonymous access in SMB Plus.

 

1) Exactly HOW do we access the .hidden directories and config files on the system? A whole lot of talk... But, no answers about this.

2) How to you edit them to disallow anonymous access? OR simply force the unit to make all shares visible?

3) How do you FORCE the unit to require a user/pass combination for SMB shares? So, that it "knows" what shares to serve up...

My theory is that IF login was forced, then the unit 'should' migrate the correct directories to the client /mnt automatically... shouldn't it?

4) And, what exactly is the full path to my home/username directory? Manual connections to the home shares always fails with a "no path..." error.

Any input appreciated. Especially appreciated would be comprehensive, plain English informtion sources for the above issues.

Model: RN31661D|ReadyNAS 316 6-Bay
Message 1 of 11
StephenB
Guru

Re: How to access actual samba configuration


@Steedvlx600 wrote:

Is there a bash terminal to access?

 


The answer to this particular question is not hard to find - http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/30068

Enable ssh on system->services.  Putty or Winscp (windows) or Terminal (OSX) can then ssh into the NAS.  Username is "root", password is the NAS admin password.

 

While you could try to edit the smb .conf files, that could create trouble later on - firmware upgrades or OS reinstalls might reset them, as might other configuration changes via the web ui.

 

Adjusting permissions, owners, groups is certainly doable.

 

I don't access the NAS from linux PCs, so I don't have hands-on experience with linux SMB clients and how they handle credentials.  Windows by default presents the credentials that were used to log into the windows account, this behavior is changed by setting credentials in the windows credential manager.

 

Certainly turning off anonymous access for each share in the admin web ui works.  Accessing the /data volume itself requires use of the NAS admin credentials, and will show you a "home" folder, that has the user "private" home folders inside.  There are some other hidden folders in /data - including .apps.  

 

If you use a specific user account when accessing the NAS, you will see that user's home folder in the main share list.

 

Note you could also mount shares (and home folders) with NFS (but you cannot mount the full data volume that way).

 

 

 

Message 2 of 11
Steedvlx600
Luminary

Re: How to access actual samba configuration

Thank you for the reply. SSH would be a last ditch effort only if absolutely necessary. I don't even know that it is a permissions problem or smb.conf problem at this point. (I thought it was) But, if that were the case, then no other system would be able to see the home folders either.

But, as you said, disabling anonymous access SHOULD force a prompt for credentials... Yet, it doesn't for the home folders. Additionally, the NAS rejects any attempt to mount at /data point via Samba. No matter what creds are used.

It (Nautilus) DOES this for the default folders. It displays them nicely. And, selecting one will bring up a nice prompt for credentials, which is them appropriately honored.

 

The problem is that no matter how I try to mount the server... I cannot get it to show me the home folder. And, ReadyNAS is rejecting admin credentials submitted during this process. It will only accept my user-class credentials.

Thank you for taking the time to help.

Message 3 of 11
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: How to access actual samba configuration

Have you changed the admin password away from the default one yet? If not try changing the admin password.

Message 4 of 11
Steedvlx600
Luminary

Re: How to access actual samba configuration

Yes. I am not using the default password... However, could the password be "too long" for linux to pass?

Message 5 of 11
StephenB
Guru

Re: How to access actual samba configuration


@Steedvlx600 wrote:

 However, could the password be "too long" for linux to pass?


It seems unlikely - how long is it?

 

Special characters might be getting in the way.

Message 6 of 11
Steedvlx600
Luminary

Re: How to access actual samba configuration

It is only 22 chars and one special character.

Message 7 of 11
StephenB
Guru

Re: How to access actual samba configuration


@Steedvlx600 wrote:

It is only 22 chars and one special character.


A long time ago (~2009) SAMBA had a 16 character limit for passwords.  My guess is that was lifted long ago.  But it might be worth temporarily changing the password to ~12 characters and keeping it alphanumeric - just to rule that possibillity out.

Message 8 of 11
Steedvlx600
Luminary

Re: How to access actual samba configuration

After you mentioned it. I tried a simple 8 character pw... Nothing changed after full reset of the client machine and the NAS.

I might just have to do something inside the smb.conf; What that might be, I have no idea right now.

But, every other system (Win or  Mac) I attach to this network, pops up a user/pass dialog in order to access the server. After auth, the home folder is right there. This is how it should be. But, linux just bypasses the "anonymous = no" in the conf... never prompts for creds... But, still refuses to show the home directory.

Message 9 of 11
StephenB
Guru

Re: How to access actual samba configuration


@Steedvlx600 wrote:

After you mentioned it. I tried a simple 8 character pw... Nothing changed after full reset of the client machine and the NAS.

It's actually good that it's not related to the password length.


@Steedvlx600 wrote:

But, linux just bypasses the "anonymous = no" in the conf... never prompts for creds... But, still refuses to show the home directory.


It seems odd that it isn't asking.  Does the local user account you are using happen to match the credentials of a NAS account?  There are quite a few built-in accounts that don't show up in the web ui - you'll need to browse with ssh to check.

 

Message 10 of 11
Steedvlx600
Luminary

Re: How to access actual samba configuration

The local user password that I tested with earlier does not match the credentials for the NAS. However, the usual creds DO match. 
If I do need to dive into the smb.conf file. It will require me to aquire some new skills... I have never used SSH. So, that will be interesting...

Message 11 of 11
Top Contributors
Discussion stats
  • 10 replies
  • 8019 views
  • 1 kudo
  • 3 in conversation
Announcements