This is a step by step beginner guide shows how to share a folder over local network via SMB/CIFS protocol in Ubuntu 20.04 Gnome desktop.

Share a folder in Ubuntu 20.04:

1.) First open terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When it opens, install samba, SMB/CIFS file, print, and login server by running command:

sudo apt install samba

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) and hit Enter to continue.

2.) Open Files (Nautilus file browser) and right-click on the folder you want to share, then click on “Local Network Share” menu option.

3.) In next pop-up window, do:

• tick “Share this folder” to enable network sharing.
• (optional) tick “Allow others to create and delete files in this folder”
• (optional) tick “Guess access”
• finally click on ‘Create Share’ button

4.) Confirm write permission (if enabled) and done!

5.) If you want remote PC to type username and password to access the shared folder, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:

sudo smbpasswd -a USERNAME

Note:The “USERNAME” must be an existing user in your Ubuntu. It’s ji in my case. And set a password for remote smb access only.

Before getting access from remote PC, you may check out the IP address and / or hostname by running commands:

hostname

ip -4 address

Access the share folder from remote computer:

1. To access from Windows PC, go to Start -> Run to bring up Run command window. Type either \\ip-address\ or \\hostname\

2. To access from another Ubuntu desktop, go to Files -> Other Locations, then type either smb://ip-address/SHARE_FOLDER or smb://hostname/SHARE_FOLDER

This is a step by step guide for Ubuntu beginners how to share a folder over local network in Ubuntu 18.04 Gnome desktop. Also works in Ubuntu 19.04, Ubuntu 19.10 though.

It’s easy to share a folder in Ubuntu as the default file browser offer a context menu option to bring up the setup wizard.

1.) First open the default Nautilus file browser, and right-click on a folder you want to share.

In the context menu, click the ‘Local Network Share‘ option.

2.) In the pop-up dialog, check the checkbox says ‘Share this folder’ and click the ‘Install service’ button when it prompts.

3.) And confirm by clicking on ‘Install’ button to install samba, a free software re-implementation of the SMB networking protocol.

4.) After installed the services, do following in the ‘Folder Sharing’ window:

• Enable ‘Share this folder’
• Input a share name.
• (Optional) enable write permission, guest access.
• Finally click on ‘Create Share’ button.

5.(Optional) If you want remote machine to type username and password before accessing the shared folder, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:

sudo smbpasswd -a USERNAME

Note:The “USERNAME” must be an existing user in your Ubuntu. It’s handbook in my case. And type a password twice for remote smb access only.

To access the shared folder, you first need to get either IP address or hostname.

• For the hostname (computer name), simply open terminal and run command hostname
• For IP address, go to Settings -> Network (or Wi-Fi for wireless connection), click on the gear button, and check in the pop-up window.

To get access the shared folder:

In Ubuntu, go to Files -> Other Locations. In the bottom input box, type smb://IP-Address/ and hit enter.

In Windows, open Run box in Start menu, type \\IP-Address\ and hit enter.

Type username and password you set in step 5 when it prompts, or type guest (if enabled)