Simple shared folder with Samba on OpenBSD 6.5

This article explains how to set up a simple samba server to have a CIFS / Windows shared folder accessible by everyone. This is useful in some cases but samba configuration is not straightforward when you need it for a one shot time or this particular case.

The important covered case here is that no user are needed. The trick comes from map to guest = Bad User configuration line in [global] section. This option will automatically map an unknown user or no provided user to the guest account.

Here is a simple /etc/samba/smb.conf file to share /home/samba to everyone, except map to guest and the shared folder, it’s the stock file with comments removed.

[global]
   workgroup = WORKGROUP
   server string = Samba Server
   server role = standalone server
   log file = /var/log/samba/smbd.%m
   max log size = 50
   dns proxy = no 
   map to guest = Bad User
    
[myfolder]
   browseable = yes
   path = /home/samba
   writable = yes
   guest ok = yes
   public = yes

If you want to set up this on OpenBSD, it’s really easy:

# pkg_add samba
# rcctl enable smbd nmbd
# vi /etc/samba/smb.conf (you can use previous config)
# mkdir -p /home/samba
# chown nobody:nobody /home/samba
# rcctl start smbd nmbd

And you are done.