I want to add this here, in case someone else comes looking. The issue with network discovery is the old way and was tied to SMB1. The new way, WS-Discovery does not yet appear to be implemented in SAMBA. Windows does not yet support Zerconf so AVAHI does not work for Windows.

Falling back to SMB1 while disabling SMB2/3 is not the answer.

Someone named stilez wrote an article describing the situation here.

And the article provides a link to a python script wsdd.py, which provides the missing functionality. Running the script caused my SAMBA AD servers to instantly appear on Win 10 boxen.

EDIT:
Script is now available under Debian/Ubuntu repository:

sudo apt install wsdd

Answer from Crazy Yog on askubuntu.com
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Red Hat
redhat.com › en › blog › samba-windows-linux
Mounting and mapping shares between Windows and Linux with Samba
November 20, 2025 - Now that we have created a new ... our newly created user account. ... To access the Samba share from Windows Explorer, start typing the IP address to our share in the search area. I am using the hostname of the Samba ...
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TechRepublic
techrepublic.com › home › open source
How to Connect Windows to Linux Samba Shares Easily
December 6, 2024 - Click Next in the Welcome window. In the resulting screen, click Choose a custom network location (the only option) and then click Next. There’s only one option available. Image: Jack Wallen · Debian vs Ubuntu: Which Linux Distro Fits Your Needs Best? ... Next, you must enter the IP address of your Samba server in the form of //SERVER_IP/SHARE, where SERVER_IP is the IP address of your Samba server and SHARE is the name of the share you want to add.
Discussions

Setting Up Samba Shares On Linux Host For Windows 11 24H2 Clients
This is a big issue in the Unraid community. Here are the directions the developers gave to fix it: New Windows changes may result in loss of access to Public shares Due to recent security changes in Windows 11 24H2, "guest" access of Unraid public shares may not work. The easiest way around this is to create a user in Unraid with the same name as the Windows account you are using to connect. If the Unraid user password is not the same as the Windows account password, Windows will prompt for credentials. If you are using a Microsoft account, it may be better to create a user in Unraid with a simple username, set a password, then in Windows go to Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows credentials → Add a Windows Credential and add the correct Unraid server name and credentials. Alternately you can re-enable Windows guest fallback (not recommended). https://docs.unraid.net/unraid-os/release-notes/7.0.0/ Here is a thread on the r/unRAID discussing the details: https://www.reddit.com/r/unRAID/comments/1g8md60/updated_to_w11_24h2_now_smb_access_failing/ I know you're on Debian, but this should give you a general idea of how to correctly align your permissions to comply with the stricter security in W11 24H2. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/HomeServer
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January 15, 2025
Is SAMBA the only way to fileshare from Linux to Windows?
NFS, iSCSI, I work with both all the times. TGT/tgtadm on Ubuntu is easy. Target module, a bit complicated but more options…. Then, that one has a tendency to “forget/mess up” it’s own configuration. iSCSI works best in my environment because the shares are formatted as NTFS, hence no accents (French environment) messing between Win1252/UTF-8. EDIT: you can even pair two or more drives on Linux through madm (software RAID) and give these devices (/dev/mdxxx) to tgt for redundancy or better speed although your network speed will define the max performance. EDIT2: the devices defined for tgt and formatted as NTFS can also be mounted on Linux but, evidently, not at the same time as when mounted for tgt. If access from both Linux and Windows is needed at the same time, NFS will do best, being a file system share instead of a block device share… More on reddit.com
🌐 r/homelab
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January 19, 2023
How do you configure Samba Samba for secure file sharing between Linux and Windows? - Help & Support - LinuxCommunity.io
Some Linux users seek to achieve secure file sharing between their Linux machines and Windows machines. That ultimately gives rise to the need for Samba configurations. User mapping can be really tasking sometimes with ACLs looking like puzzles that can’t be decoded, with various encryption ... More on linuxcommunity.io
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February 15, 2024
Can't access linux samba share from windows machine
writable = yes browseable = yes Try adding these two. More on reddit.com
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January 4, 2024
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Opensource.com
opensource.com › article › 21 › 4 › share-files-linux-windows
Share files between Linux and Windows computers | Opensource.com
Set up cross-platform file sharing with Samba. ... If you work with different operating systems, it's handy to be able to share files between them. This article explains how to set up file access between Linux (Fedora 33) and Windows 10 using Samba and mount.cifs.
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Linux.com
linux.com › home › news › using samba to share files between linux and windows
Using Samba to share files between Linux and Windows - Linux.com
August 16, 2007 - Open Nautilus and go to File -> Connect to Server. Choose “Windows share” from the listbox and enter the server name or IP address of your Samba server. You can also click the “Browse Network” button and look in the “Windows Network” directory to search for the server manually.
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TechRepublic
techrepublic.com › home › networking
How to Use Samba File Sharing for Linux and Windows
November 6, 2025 - Prompts you to press Enter to view the complete parsed configuration. ... Lists all shares available on the local Samba server. ... You’ll be prompted for the Samba password set with smbpasswd. If your shared folder appears in the list, the setup is complete and the server is functioning correctly. ... After installing and setting up Samba, verify that other devices on your network can access your shared folder. Whether you’re using Linux, Windows, or macOS, connecting to your Samba share is straightforward; you simply need to provide the correct path and credentials.
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Liquid Web
liquidweb.com › home › samba config and install guide for linux and windows
How to Install Samba on Linux and Windows | Liquid Web
June 2, 2025 - There are five basic tasks that can be accomplished using Samba. We can share a Linux drive with Windows machines. We can access an SMB share with Linux machines. We can share a Linux printer with Windows machines. We can share a Windows printer with Linux machines. We can set up a domain controller on a Unix/Linux server and integrate Windows clients to the Domain controller.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/homeserver › setting up samba shares on linux host for windows 11 24h2 clients
r/HomeServer on Reddit: Setting Up Samba Shares On Linux Host For Windows 11 24H2 Clients
January 15, 2025 -

I currently have Samba shares set up on a Debian server that I use as a NAS, and they've always worked great with all of my Windows machines. However, the Windows 11 24H2 update kills all connections to my shares. This is a known issue with the latest version, so there are several sites reporting how to fix it (usually assuming the host is also using Windows). Apparently the two primary reasons that 24H2 causes problems with Samba are that it disallows guest access to Samba shares, and it completely removes support for SMBv1.

The problem is I've tried mitigating these issues server side, and my client PC still won't even acknowledge my server address with either a host name or the local IP. My Samba server is configured to disallow guest access, all shares have a user and password set up to access them, and Windows was already accessing them with those credentials before the update. I've also set up the host to require SMBv3 at minimum. I've also tried setting Group Policy to be more liberal, and tried the Powershell commands floating around to force override the guest access restrictions. Still, the only way I can get access to my Samba shares again is to roll back the 24H2 update.

Has anyone had any luck getting Samba shares from Linux to successfully work with Windows 11 24H2 clients? If so, how did you configure Samba to do so? The easy solution is "don't update to 24H2", which is what I've kinda been stuck with. However, at some point the update will supposedly become mandatory to continue receiving Windows security updates, so I'm trying to fix future compatibility.

EDIT: For reference, below is an excerpt from my smb.conf file showing how I currently have the host configured. It works perfectly fine with 23H2, but 24H2 won't even connect to it to prompt for the login.

EDIT 2: With the help of the comments I seem to have this resolved now. Installing wsdd on my server made it possible to connect to my NAS again, though I still couldn't access my shares. I then had to unmount all network drive mounts, remove the stored credentials in Credential Manager, then reconnect to the shares. I was then prompted for my login, and after entering it my shares were available again. Then I just had to re-set up my network drive mounts. Time will tell if it breaks again, in which case I'll add a 3rd edit here. Hopefully this helps someone else if you get stuck in 24H2.

[global]

workgroup = WORKGROUP

netbios name = myservername

server role = standalone server

obey pam restrictions = yes

unix password sync = yes

passwd program = /usr/bind/passwd %u

passwd chat = *Enter\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n >

pam password change = yes

map to guest = bad user

usershare allow guests = no

min protocol = SMB3

[DriveShare]

comment = DriveShare

path = /mnt/DriveShare

read only = no

force user = myusername

force group = myusername

writeable = yes

Top answer
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This is a big issue in the Unraid community. Here are the directions the developers gave to fix it: New Windows changes may result in loss of access to Public shares Due to recent security changes in Windows 11 24H2, "guest" access of Unraid public shares may not work. The easiest way around this is to create a user in Unraid with the same name as the Windows account you are using to connect. If the Unraid user password is not the same as the Windows account password, Windows will prompt for credentials. If you are using a Microsoft account, it may be better to create a user in Unraid with a simple username, set a password, then in Windows go to Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows credentials → Add a Windows Credential and add the correct Unraid server name and credentials. Alternately you can re-enable Windows guest fallback (not recommended). https://docs.unraid.net/unraid-os/release-notes/7.0.0/ Here is a thread on the r/unRAID discussing the details: https://www.reddit.com/r/unRAID/comments/1g8md60/updated_to_w11_24h2_now_smb_access_failing/ I know you're on Debian, but this should give you a general idea of how to correctly align your permissions to comply with the stricter security in W11 24H2.
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You cannot do anything on the Samba server side about Win 11 not allowing guest access, you have to (if you can) turn on guest access again on Win 11. The reason you cannot connect from Windows to your Samba server is because your Windows computers cannot find them, either use the Samba computers full URL to connect, or install a package called 'wsdd-server' on your Debian server, this will allow 'Network Discovery' (the replacement for Network Browsing) to 'find' your Debian server.
Find elsewhere
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Medium
medium.com › @duncanochieng682 › setting-up-file-share-btwn-linux-windows-machines-95928004ce38
Setting up File Share btwn Linux & Windows Machines | by Mr. Robot.txt | Medium
February 3, 2024 - In ubuntu you might use ufw In kali, run firewall-cmd to prompt an installation of it’s package. the command is firewall-cmd — add-service=samba — permanent · If you get an error prompting you to start the service run sudo service firewalld start ... Anyway, just a small tangent! Let’s get back to setting up the file share. On the windows machine, test the share!
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Kifarunix
kifarunix.com › home › storage › how to access samba share on linux and windows systems
How to Access Samba Share on Linux and Windows Systems - kifarunix.com
March 18, 2024 - simply click Reconnect on Logon while mapping network drive on Windows · update the Filesystem table on Linux as shown below ... Be sure to replace the username and password. If you dont want to use the credentials on the entry, you can use a credentials file: ... Filesystem Type Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on //192.168.59.14/privateshare cifs 24G 9.7G 14G 41% /mnt · And there you go. You should now be able to auto-mount the Samba share on boot and be able to access your shared folders.
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Linux Hint
linuxhint.com › install_samba_centos
How to Install and Configure Samba Share with Windows and CentOS – Linux Hint
Samba can be used to set up storage server or sharing files and directories on the Linux system. In this article, I will show you how to install and configure Samba share with Windows and CentOS 7.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/homelab › is samba the only way to fileshare from linux to windows?
r/homelab on Reddit: Is SAMBA the only way to fileshare from Linux to Windows?
January 19, 2023 -

Hi all

As a bit of a newb, I'd appreciate any insight on this. I've had so many issues getting SAMBA to run at speeds equivalent to Windows <-> Windows and I'm wary of trying to implement this in a professional environment.

So I guess my question would be: What is the absolute best way of ensuring the fastest possible transfer speeds between a Linux file system and a Windows Server based one?

For context, the Linux (Ubuntu server) would be hosting a few hundred terabytes of NVME storage which needs to be shared across a Windows environment used for video editing.

Any guidance appreciated.

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OneUptime
oneuptime.com › home › blog › how to access samba shares from windows, mac, and linux
How to Access Samba Shares from Windows, Mac, and Linux
March 2, 2026 - Character encoding: If filenames with special characters appear garbled, ensure both the Samba server and the client mount specify UTF-8. On Linux mounts, add iocharset=utf8 to mount options. SMB version negotiation: Older clients may attempt SMBv1. Set min protocol = SMB2 on the server and ensure client SMBv2 support is enabled. Firewall: The Samba server needs TCP 445 (SMB), TCP 139 (NetBIOS session), and UDP 137-138 (NetBIOS name service) open. On Ubuntu with ufw: ... With these steps, accessing Samba shares across Windows, macOS, and Linux becomes straightforward.
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Ubuntu
ubuntu.com › tutorials › install-and-configure-samba
Install and Configure Samba | Ubuntu
It lets you access your desktop files from a laptop and share files with Windows and macOS users. This guide covers the installation and configuration of Samba on Ubuntu. ... If you have everything ready, let’s dive straight into the installation process on the next step! Originally authored by Aden Padilla. ... samba: /usr/sbin/samba /usr/lib/samba /etc/samba /usr/share/samba /usr/share/man/man7/samba.7.gz /usr/share/man/man8/samba.8.gz · Now that Samba is installed, we need to create a directory for it to share:
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Rocky Linux Documentation
docs.rockylinux.org › 10 › guides › file_sharing › samba_file_share
Samba Windows File Sharing - Documentation
If you are a seasoned Linux administrator, chances are that you have heard of Samba, but if you have not, Samba is the de facto open-source implementation of SMB to enable file sharing and Active Directory access from Linux machines to Windows networks. ... Replace /var/store with the directory ...
Top answer
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I had configured the share to not use a password

Samba does not actually support per-share passwords. This security model was used in the Windows 98 era, but was completely removed from Samba in 2012. (Meanwhile Windows NT/2000/XP series never had per-share passwords in the first place, they were account-based the whole time.)

All SMB security is now account-based (just like in SSH and other protocols) – you provide a username and password to log in to the SMB server, and then access to shares is granted depending on your user account.

so I believe that it wanted a password to connect to the Linux machine

That's almost right.

By default, Samba indeed uses the same system accounts as Linux itself does. The only difference is that the passwords are stored separately – Samba needs to store a NTLM-compatible password hash, as it cannot use the standard Linux hashed passwords.

This means that you must set a "Samba password" for your Linux user account before you can connect – use smbpasswd to do this on the Linux server:

sudo smbpasswd -a jonathan

(The Samba username always needs to match your Linux username in order for file permissions to work correctly, but the passwords can be different.)

I have set the necessary port access in UFW namely 137/udp, 138/udp, 139/tcp, and 445/tcp.

SMB runs over 445/tcp alone. (Unless your client is running Windows 95/98, which needs 139/tcp.)

Port 137/udp is used for LAN hostname resolution (NBNS) and port 138/udp is used for nearby computer discovery ('Computer Browser' service) – both are completely optional for SMB, and in fact both are NetBIOS-based services which most Windows 10 clients have disabled along with disabling SMBv1.

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LinuxCommunity
linuxcommunity.io › help & support
How do you configure Samba Samba for secure file sharing between Linux and Windows? - Help & Support - LinuxCommunity.io
February 15, 2024 - Some Linux users seek to achieve secure file sharing between their Linux machines and Windows machines. That ultimately gives rise to the need for Samba configurations. User mapping can be really tasking sometimes with ACLs looking like puzzles that can’t be decoded, with various encryption ...
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WP Guru
wpguru.co.uk › 2021 › 01 › linux-windows-samba
How to access files on Linux from Windows 10 with a Samba Share – The WP Guru
July 17, 2024 - My system (and Samba) user is called “shareuser”, and my folder location is on his Desktop. It could be anywhere else of course. With the above configuration, macOS and other Linux systems can already access the shared folder. Windows 10 however will throw an error (or rather not connect without any clue as to what’s wrong), because the SMBv1 protocol is no longer supported for security reasons.
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How-To Geek
howtogeek.com › home › linux › how to share files between windows and linux
How to Share Files Between Windows and Linux
May 22, 2017 - To set up a shared folder on a Linux that Windows to access, start with installing Samba (software that provides access to SMB/CIFS protocols used by Windows).
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The problem is not the Samba share but a new security setting under Windows 10. They specifically made it so that you cannot bypass this behaviour from the Samba side. They explain why under the section Cause.

Symptoms

In Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, or Windows Server 2016, the SMB2 client no longer allows the following actions:

  • Guest account access to a remote server.
  • Fall back to the Guest account after invalid credentials are provided.

SMBv2 has the following behavior in these versions of Windows:

  • Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education no longer allow a user to connect to a remote share by using guest credentials by default, even if the remote server requests guest credentials.
  • Windows Server 2016 Datacenter and Standard editions no longer allow a user to connect to a remote share by using guest credentials by default, even if the remote server requests guest credentials.
  • Windows 10 Home and Professional editions are unchanged from their previous default behavior.

If you try to connect to devices that request credentials of a guest instead of appropriate authenticated principals, you may receive the following error message:

You can't access this shared folder because your organization's security policies block unauthenticated guest access. These policies help protect your PC from unsafe or malicious devices on the network.

and

Cause

This change in default behavior is by design and is recommended by Microsoft for security.

A malicious computer that impersonates a legitimate file server could allow users to connect as guests without their knowledge. Microsoft recommends that you do not change this default setting. If a remote device is configured to use guest credentials, an administrator should disable guest access to that remote device and configure correct authentication and authorization.

Windows and Windows Server have not enabled guest access or allowed remote users to connect as guest or anonymous users since Windows 2000. Only third-party remote devices might require guest access by default. Microsoft-provided operating systems do not.

and

Resolution

If you want to enable insecure guest access, you can configure the following Group Policy settings:

  • Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
  • In the console tree, select Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > Lanman Workstation.
  • For the setting, right-click Enable insecure guest logons and select Edit.
  • Select Enabled and select OK.

Source

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/guest-access-in-smb2-is-disabled-by-default

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If you assign the "Everyone" role with Read or Read/Write it will allow you to connect without authenticating. Also remember the Share permissions don't override the NTFS permissions for files, so assign Everyone to Read/Write on the folders too (not just the share permissions).

Here's a tutorial https://websiteforstudents.com/create-shares-everyone-full-access-windows-10-server/