I have four computers running Ubuntu on the same network and I'm trying to figure out how to set them up so they can communicate and share files with each other. In Windows, setting up a home network was pretty straightforward, but everything I've found so far about networking in Linux seems a bit more complex. I'm wondering if I'm missing something essential. Is there a user-friendly program that can help me with this? When I look in Dolphin under Network, none of the computers show up, only other devices like Shared Folder and MTP Devices.
5 Answers
You have several options for file sharing between your computers. You can use SMB or NFS for shares, or even SCP/SFTP if you prefer command line. If you've used Google Drive and Dropbox before, you might find those easier, but there are GUI clients available for SCP/SFTP that could be handy.
To make your Ubuntu computers share files, the simplest method is to enable SSH and SFTP on each machine. Once that's done, you can use Dolphin to browse the SFTP locations. It's pretty straightforward after you set it up.
It seems like the term "making a network" might be causing some confusion. Remember, your network is primarily defined by your router and not just the operating systems. Focus on the services you need, such as file sharing. For that, Samba is a fantastic option for sharing files with Windows devices. It might feel a bit familiar and works well with everything.
While NFS is great for file sharing between Linux machines, just be cautious with it if you're not experienced, as securing it can be tricky. Starting with Samba might be a better bet for you until you're more comfortable.
If you're looking for something super simple, enabling the SSH server is the way to go. You can access your files using the fish:// protocol in any file manager. Just sign in when prompted, and it'll save your info for the next time. If you need to find each computer, you can always connect using their IP address.

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