Configure and access shared folders on Linux
Learn how to configure shared folders and access them on Linux over Meshnet.
In this article, you will learn how to set up a shared folder on Linux and access another device's shared folder from a Linux device.
Note
For this procedure, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is used as an example.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, download and prepare the Samba app on your Linux device. Samba uses the SMB protocol to share resources over the network. If you want to configure a shared folder using the GUI, you should also install the nautilus-share package.
Configure a shared folder
Depending on your system, you may opt to configure a shared folder using the operating system's file manager or by using the command line.
To create a network share using a file manager's network-sharing options:
Right-click the folder you want to share and choose Sharing options.
Select Share this folder, and, if needed, enter a custom name for your network share.
Click Create share.
Note
To access the shared folder, the peer device will need to use your Linux username and the previously created Samba password for authentication.
Access shared folders
Note
You can find platform-specific instructions for accessing the shared folder in the appropriate guides:
Most Linux file managers let you directly access files shared on other devices. In this example, you will learn how to access a network share using GNOME Files.
Run the
nordvpn meshnet peer list
command and copy the Nord name of the sharer's device.Open GNOME Files and select Other locations in the sidebar.
In the Enter server address field at the bottom, type in
smb://
, paste the copied Nord name, add a slash (/) followed by the network share name, and click Connect. Examplesmb://secret.meerkat-himalayas.nord/MeshnetFolder
Select Registered user and enter the username and password for accessing the shared folder.
Click Connect.
The shared folder should now open in the file manager.
Mount a shared folder
The shared folder you connect to becomes unavailable after a system restart, which means that you would need to reconnect to the folder each time you wish to access the files stored in it. However, by utilizing CIFS, you can mount the shared folder directly on your system and use it as a persistent storage location.
Prepare a mounting point
Open Terminal.
Fetch repository updates and install CIFS by entering the following:
Create a new directory using the
mkdir
command, where you want to mount the shared folder. ExampleNavigate to the newly created folder using the
cd
command and print out its full path using thepwd
command.Check your user ID number by executing this command:
Edit the file system table
Open the
fstab
file with root privileges using the Nano text editor by running this command:At the end of the file, append the following line for the shared folder:
Where:
<NordName>
is the Nord name or the Meshnet IP of the host device.<ShareName>
is the name of the network share you are trying to access</path/to/folder>
is the path to the mounting point from Step 4 of the Prepare a mounting point section.<USERNAME>
and<PASSWORD>
are the authentication details for accessing the shared folder.
Press Ctrl + X, Y, and Enter to save changes and exit.
Run the following command to mount the network share:
Apply the changes to your file system table by reloading SystemD with the following command:
You can now access the shared folder from the sidebar in the Files app.
See also
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