Setting Up Raspberry Pi with Cockpit and File Sharing via Samba

Update Raspberry Pi

Update and upgrade your Raspberry Pi to ensure you have the latest packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Create a Password for the User

Set a password for the default user:

sudo passwd ubuntu

List All Interfaces

Check available network interfaces:

ls /sys/class/net

Add WiFi Configuration

Ensure tabs are correctly aligned; otherwise, the configuration will not work.

Edit the network configuration:

sudo nano /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml

Add your WiFi details:

network:
    ethernets:
        eth0:
            dhcp4: true
            optional: true
    version: 2
    wifis:
        wlan0:
            dhcp4: true
            optional: true
            access-points:
                "SSID_name":
                    password: "WiFi_password"

Generate and apply the configuration:

sudo netplan generate
sudo netplan apply
sudo systemctl start wpa_supplicant

Install Cockpit

Cockpit provides a web-based interface for managing your Raspberry Pi:

sudo apt install cockpit

Alternatively, you can install from backports:

. /etc/os-release
sudo apt install -t ${VERSION_CODENAME}-backports cockpit

Install Samba

Samba allows you to share files over a network:

sudo apt install samba cifs-utils
sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

Add the following lines to configure the shared folder:

[SharedFolder]
  comment = My Shared Folder
  path = /home/ubuntu/shared
  read only = no
  browseable = yes

Restart Samba to apply the changes:

/etc/init.d/smbd restart

Create a shared directory:

sudo mkdir /home/ubuntu/shared

Set permissions for the shared directory:

sudo chmod 0777 /home/ubuntu/shared
sudo chown ubuntu:ubuntu /home/ubuntu/shared

Update the firewall rules to allow Samba traffic:

sudo ufw allow samba

Windows Configuration

Modify the registry to allow accessing the shared folder:

Open regedit and navigate to:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters

Set AllowInsecureGuestAuth to 1.

Access the shared folder by typing in Run:

\\<your-ip-address-to-ubuntu>\<your-share-folder>

Now, you can see the shared files. Congratulations! You have successfully set up file sharing on your Raspberry Pi.