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Home Lab Networking

Navigating between windows and linux and different devices!

Kerry Voss 9-9-2025

a comprehensive guide on how to network computers in a home lab environment, covering Linux to Windows, Windows to Windows, and Linux to Linux setups.

How to Network Computers for a Home Lab

1. Networking Linux to Windows

Step 1: Install Samba on Linux Samba is a software suite that allows Linux to communicate with Windows systems.

sudo apt update sudo apt install samba

Step 2: Configure Samba Edit the Samba configuration file: sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

Add the following at the end of the file:

                [shared]
                path = /path/to/shared/folder
                available = yes
                valid users = your_username
                read only = no
                browsable = yes
                public = yes
                writable = yes
            

Restart Samba:

sudo systemctl restart smbd Step 3: Access Linux Share from Windows
2. Networking Windows to Windows

Step 1: Enable Network Discovery and File Sharing Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings. Turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.

Step 2: Share a Folder Right-click the folder you want to share and select Properties. Go to the Sharing tab and click Share. Select the users you want to share with and set permissions.

Step 3: Access Shared Folder Open File Explorer.

In the address bar, type \\<Computer_Name>\<Shared_Folder> and press Enter.

3. Networking Linux to Linux

Step 1: Install NFS (Network File System) On the server:

sudo apt update sudo apt install nfs-kernel-server Step 2: Configure NFS Edit the exports file: sudo nano /etc/exports Add the following line: /path/to/shared/folder (rw,sync,no_subtree_check) Restart NFS: sudo systemctl restart nfs-kernel-server Step 3: Mount NFS Share on Client On the client: sudo apt update sudo apt install nfs-common sudo mount <server_IP>:/path/to/shared/folder /mnt
Additional Tips for Home Lab Networking

Static IP Addresses: Assign static IP addresses to your devices to avoid IP conflicts and ensure consistent network connections.

Network Segmentation: Use VLANs or separate subnets to segment your network for better security and management.

Network Monitoring: Use tools like Nagios or Zabbix to monitor your network’s performance and health.

Backup Configuration: Regularly back up your network configurations to avoid data loss.

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