How to install Samba on Ubuntu

Installing Samba from Ubuntu packages prepares a host for SMB/CIFS file sharing, but the package install has to leave more than files on disk. The server needs the smbd binary, the default configuration, and systemd service units in place before share, user, and firewall work can be tested.

The samba package installs the file-server daemons, /etc/samba/smb.conf, and helper commands such as testparm. smbd serves SMB file shares, while nmbd supports NetBIOS name service and browsing for clients that still depend on that discovery path.

A completed install should parse the packaged configuration, report a standalone server role, and let systemd start the file-server daemons. The package does not create a usable share or Samba password entry by itself, so client access still depends on the follow-up share definition, Linux filesystem permissions, Samba users, and firewall rules.

1. Open a terminal with sudo privileges.
2. Refresh the package index.

   $ sudo apt update

3. Install the Samba package from the Ubuntu repositories.

   $ sudo apt install samba

   The package pulls in samba-common-bin and related libraries, including testparm for configuration checks.

4. Confirm the installed server binary.

   $ smbd --version
   Version 4.23.6-Ubuntu-4.23.6+dfsg-1ubuntu2.1

   The exact version changes with Ubuntu security updates. The command should return a Version line instead of a command-not-found error.

5. Validate the packaged Samba configuration.

   $ sudo testparm -s --parameter-name="server role"
   Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf
   Loaded services file OK.
   Weak crypto is allowed by GnuTLS (e.g. NTLM as a compatibility fallback)
   
   standalone server

   The weak-crypto notice is a compatibility warning, not an install failure. standalone server is the expected role for a basic file server before any Active Directory domain-member or domain-controller configuration is added.
   Related: How to validate Samba configuration with testparm

6. Enable the file-server daemons at boot and start them now.

   $ sudo systemctl enable --now smbd nmbd

   smbd serves shares. nmbd supports NetBIOS browsing; direct access to a known server name or IP address does not always need it, but Ubuntu installs both units for the packaged file-server role.
   Related: How to check Samba service status

7. Confirm the daemons are active.

   $ systemctl is-active smbd nmbd
   active
   active

   If either unit is inactive, inspect it with sudo systemctl status smbd nmbd and check /var/log/samba before creating shares.
   Related: How to check Samba service status

8. Check the Samba status command before adding shares.

   $ sudo smbstatus
   No locked files
   
   Samba version 4.23.6-Ubuntu-4.23.6+dfsg-1ubuntu2.1
   PID     Username     Group        Machine                                   Protocol Version  Encryption           Signing              
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   Service      pid     Machine       Connected at                     Encryption   Signing     
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   No active sessions are expected immediately after installation. Configure a share and user before running client access tests.