How to Mount Windows 11 Shares on Ubuntu Linux

Mounting a Windows share allows you to access files stored on a Windows computer directly from your Ubuntu desktop. This is useful for moving files between systems or working on shared projects. When you are done, you can easily access, edit, and save files on the remote Windows machine as if they were stored on your local hard drive.

Enable Network Discovery in Windows 11

Shares must be visible for other devices to connect. In Windows, Network Discovery must be turned on to advertise your 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.

Under Network profile type, choose Private. This allows devices on your network to see your computer.

Turn on Public Folder Sharing in Windows 11

Click Start and type Control Panel.

Select Network and Internet.

Select Network and Sharing Center.

Select Change advanced sharing settings.

Under Private, select Turn on file and printer sharing.

Note: You may need administrator privileges to change these settings. 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

First, install the cifs-utils package. This provides the tools needed to use the CIFS protocol.

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

Explanation of terms:

• -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

For better security, do not type your password in the terminal. Create a hidden credentials file instead.

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 mount the share automatically when you turn on your computer, add an entry to the /etc/fstab file. This requires administrator privileges.

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.