How to Mount Windows 11 Shares on Ubuntu Linux

Enable Network Discovery in 🪟 Windows 11

Enable network discovery in Windows 11 so your Ubuntu computer can see your PC on the local network. Open Settings ⚙️ using the Win plus I, click Network & internet, select Ethernet or Wi-Fi 📶, and change your network profile type to Private. Private profile types allow other devices on your home network to detect your Windows PC and access shared folders.

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 configuration remains crucial for accessing shared files, as it signals your computer operates on a trusted network.

Turn on Public Folder Sharing in 🪟 Windows 11

Turn on file and printer sharing in Windows 11 to let Ubuntu access files on your PC. Open the Control Panel, go to Network and Sharing Center, and click Change advanced sharing settings. Under the Private network settings, select Turn on file and printer sharing so your computer can broadcast shared folders across the network.

Select Network and Internet.

Select Network and Sharing Center.

Select Change advanced sharing settings.

Under Private, select Turn on file and printer sharing.

You can also run these commands in an administrator Command Prompt:

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

Mount Windows shares on Ubuntu Linux by installing the cifs-utils package and creating a local folder to act as your mount point. Run sudo apt update followed by sudo apt install cifs-utils in your terminal to get the required tools. Next, create a folder using mkdir to connect your remote Windows folders directly to your Ubuntu file system.

Before mounting, ensure your Windows PC is set up to share folders. Gathering the IP address of your Windows PC and the name of the shared folder is also necessary.

Choose between manual and automatic mounting methods depending on how long you need access to your Windows share on Ubuntu. Manual mounting using the mount command provides quick, temporary access that disappears when you reboot. Automatic mounting through the fstab file makes the Windows share available permanently every time your Ubuntu computer starts up.




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:
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-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

Secure credentials for mounting Windows shares on Ubuntu by storing your username and password in a hidden text file instead of typing them into the terminal. Create a file named .smbcredentials in your home directory, add your login details, and lock down the file permissions using chmod so other system users cannot read your Windows password.

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

Auto-mount Windows shares in Ubuntu by editing the /etc/fstab file so your shared folders reconnect automatically after every reboot. Open the fstab file using nano and add a specific configuration line containing your Windows PC IP address, folder name, and credentials file path, along with the _netdev option to wait for the network to load.

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 robust file sharing. Enabling Network Discovery on Windows and using the cifs-utils package on Ubuntu connects systems securely. Use the '/etc/fstab' file for permanent access, and always use a credentials file to keep your passwords safe.