Accessing your home directory via CIFS

Windows users can use CIFS, also known as SMB or Network Neighborhood in Windows, to access their own home directories on kabru.

Before You Use It

You need to login to kabru and issue the passwd command to change your password. You don't actually need to change your password, you can just type in your current password three times. The reason is explained below.

Authentication and Changing Password

Samba, the CIFS server running on kabru, uses LDAP to store and authenticate users. However, your UNIX (kabru) and Windows (Samba) password are in different format. Changing password via LDAP command, or original UNIX passwd command (locally or remotely), only changes the UNIX password. Similarly, changing password via CIFS, like using the smbpasswd, only changes the Windows password.

To change both passwords at the same time, you need to use the passwd command on kabru (only). The passwd command is symbolically linked to /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-passwd. Like other password changing tools, it asks for the old password and then the new password (twice).

Accessing Your Home Directory

In Windows, just put \\kabru.rtcl\your_login_name in the address bar of Explorer. A pop-up windows will then show up and ask for your kabru user name and password. Your home directory will show up shortly. In Linux, you can use smbmount command.

Limitation

Currently, only clients within RTCL Network are allowed to access kabru via CIFS. If you are not connected to RTCL Network, you can set up a VPN connection first.

-- Main.chtsai - 11 Mar 2007