GUIDE: Simple Home File Server (Based On Ubuntu)

[Sharktooth]

This tutorial explains how to turn an old PC with additional hard disks into a simple home file server. The file server is intended for home use. The home file server is accessible by Windows and Linux computers in the home network.
Read more... (http://www.howtoforge.com/ubuntu-home-fileserver)

[rernst]

Using Samba count on it running slow as molasses. I have yet to see a Samba install under any Linux distro that comes remotely close to a Windows based file server (for Netbios protocol).

This is why people like Divco explicitly tell you that Samba is not particularly suited for high-end video streaming.

I have heard that a BSD-based implementation is better but I figure that is just a port from Linux.

[communist]

The use of Samba is the smallest problem with this howto. I've been using Samba too and of course the speed is not comparable to FTP but its not slower than using windows as the server.

Since this is targeted at windows users the use of the user name "administrator" might be a bit misleading, a short explanation of root/ normal user would have been better or maybe just something else than administrator.

He only opts to install SSH server - even though Samba is available. I dont get the "want full control"-thingy as he just goes to install Samba anyway. The network configuration seems odd to me, yes server should have static ip but most good routers assign ips based on MAC addresse so you always get the same ip on the same machine.

But the oddest thing is why does he advise to use vi to edit a config file?!
I assume Samba is in the normal Ubuntu repos so why fiddle with the sources.list? If all that needs to be done is to deploy a file server then why add this step?

One positive thing - that beep command / trick is definately nice.
Last comment - you dont need* to reboot ;)

*unless you want to check the beep command