# File transfers to/from Windows from FreeBSD



## FreeDomBSD (Jan 22, 2014)

I need a simple way to use my FreeBSD file server from Windows. It would be superb if I could see it as a network drive under My Computer. It would be even more preferable if I could see it as a network drive and it had authentication (enter password to use the network drive/folder).

I'd like some ideas!

 §jr


----------



## SirDice (Jan 22, 2014)

Install and configure net/samba36.


----------



## Deleted member 9563 (Jan 22, 2014)

I use FTP everywhere I go. Doesn't matter what OS, everybody has it. If there's no FTP server, use SSH and transfer the other way around.


----------



## FreeDomBSD (Jan 22, 2014)

How secure is SAMBA or FTP?

I am pretty happy with the security of ssh, but it is really complicated for me to figure out how to connect to/from Windows machine via ssh. 


What I forgot to mention is that the file server is mobile: something like an external drive with complication of having an OS. What I need the OS for is security, access, and error checking (zfs).


----------



## SirDice (Jan 22, 2014)

FreeDomBSD said:
			
		

> How secure is SAMBA


How secure is Windows file and printer sharing? It's the same thing except for the fact it's not from Microsoft.



> or FTP?


FTP isn't considered secure at all. It's a clear-text protocol, meaning everything, usernames, passwords and data are sent over the wire unencrypted. 

I wouldn't open up any of those two to the internet. For typical LAN situations with couple of Windows machines Samba would be the best and easiest option. Easiest from a Windows client perspective, if set up properly it'll act just like a regular Windows shared folder.



> I am pretty happy with the security of ssh, but it is really complicated for me to figure out how to connect to/from Windows machine via ssh.


The combination of PuTTY and WinSCP has been working well for me on Windows. Both will use the SSH protocol and complement each other (you can import your server list from PuTTY in WinSCP for example). Pageant (part of the PuTTY "suit" of tools) is quite nice too, I've set it to load when I login on Windows. Both PuTTY and WinSCP can use the keys loaded in Pageant so I only have to authenticate once. 



> What I forgot to mention is that the file server is mobile: something like an external drive with complication of having an OS. What I need the OS for is security, access, and error checking (zfs).


Keep in mind that for error correcting to work you need to use mirroring or one of the RAID configurations. With a single drive you get error detecting but not error correcting.


----------



## wblock@ (Jan 22, 2014)

I was going to add to this, but @SirDice has said everything I was going to say.


----------



## rusty (Jan 22, 2014)

SirDice said:
			
		

> FreeDomBSD said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



For single disk you could use the `zfs set copies=2 <pool/filesystem>` parameter for error correcting.


----------



## FreeDomBSD (Jan 23, 2014)

Thanks for all the tips guys! All were very useful!


----------

