How to Mount Windows 11 Shares on Ubuntu Linux

Enable Network Discovery in 🪟 Windows 11

Turn on Network Discovery in Windows 11 so your Ubuntu computer can see your PC for file sharing. Go to Settings by pressing `Windows key + I`, then click `Network & Internet`, and choose `Ethernet`. Set the Network profile type to `Private`.

To get to System Settings, use the Windows key + I shortcut or click Start ==> Settings.

In Windows Settings, click Network & Internet, then select Ethernet.

For the Network profile type, choose `Private`. This setting lets other computers on your local network discover your Ubuntu Linux machine. This setting is crucial for accessing shared files, as it signals your computer is on a trusted network.

Turn on Public Folder Sharing in 🪟 Windows 11

To share files from your Windows 11 PC to Ubuntu, you must turn on file and printer sharing. Go to Network and Sharing Center, then select Change advanced sharing settings. Under the Private network settings, choose to turn on file and printer sharing.

Select Network and Internet.

Select Network and Sharing Center.

Select Change advanced sharing settings.

Under Private, select Turn on file and printer sharing.

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new enable=Yes
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Network Discovery" new enable=Yes

How to mount Windows shares on Ubuntu Linux

Mounting Windows shares on Ubuntu Linux is possible after installing the cifs-utils tool. First, update your package list with ‘sudo apt update’ and install the tool using ‘sudo apt install cifs-utils’. Then, create a folder like ‘/mnt/Windows_Share’ to be your mount point before using the mount command.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cifs-utils

Create a folder to act as your mount point:

sudo mkdir /mnt/Windows_Share

Mount the share using the mount command:

sudo mount -t cifs -o username=<Windows_UserName> //WindowsPC_IP/<ShareName> /mnt/Windows_Share

Let’s break down what those terms mean:

• -t cifs: Tells Ubuntu to use the CIFS/SMB protocol.
• username: Your Windows login name.
• //192.168.1.5/ShareName: The network path to your Windows folder.
• /mnt/Windows_Share: The folder on Ubuntu where files will appear.

Advanced Mount Options and Security

To securely mount Windows shares on Ubuntu, use a credentials file instead of typing your password repeatedly. Create the credentials file using the command `nano /home/user/.smbcredentials` and then add your username, password, and domain to this file. Secure the credentials file by changing its owner and permissions so that only you can read it.

nano /home/user/.smbcredentials

Add these lines to the file:

username=generic_user
password=your_password
domain=WORKGROUP

Protect the file so only you can read it:

sudo chown root: /etc/credentials
sudo chmod 600 /etc/credentials

Use this command to mount using the file:

sudo mount -t cifs -o credentials=/etc/credentials //WindowsPC_IP/<ShareName> /mnt/Windows_Share

How to auto-mount with /etc/fstab

To have your Windows share automatically mount every time Ubuntu starts, add a line to your ‘/etc/fstab’ file. Open the file with ‘sudo nano /etc/fstab’ and add the specific line provided, including your IP address, share name, and credentials file location. The ‘_netdev’ option helps ensure the network is ready.

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Add this line to the bottom of the file:

//WindowsPC_IP/ShareName  /mnt/Widows_Share  cifs  credentials=/etc/credentials,file_mode=0755,dir_mode=0755 0   0

The _netdev option ensures the system waits for the network to be active before trying to mount the share.

Summary Table

Summary

Mounting Windows shares on Ubuntu allows for easy file sharing. By enabling Network Discovery on Windows and using the cifs-utils package on Ubuntu, you can connect systems securely. Use the ‘/etc/fstab’ file for permanent access, and always use a credentials file to keep your passwords safe.