Windows smb moodle block

[itgeek]

Hi I have installed the smb windows block and configured this, we are not using ssl so I have set this to false. The problem I am having is that this is asking for username and password, then the windows just loads and nothing happens? Any ideas anything we may have missed in the install?

 

Thanks

[Achandler]

Have you used the smbclient from comman line to make sure the moodle box can connect to the windows shares?

 

If you have and it can then first advice try it with an admin account, this removes permissions errors. Secondly there is an authenication method int he config file I believe that you may need to change to stop that login box appearing.

[Marci]

If memory serves correctly, you need to be using the LDAPCapture auth plugin, which has to be installed in accordance with it's instructions, otherwise you get the above issue.

[rama1712]

Have you got the instructions examples on how to do this

we are a cc3 network.

Stuart

[Marci]

Which bit - the SMB Client block or the LDAP Capture plugin, or both?

[rama1712]

Sorry i should have said the smb-block bit i have ldap working

thanks

[Achandler]

What are you running Moodle on, an Linux server or Windows?

 

Also remember you needs LDAP capture running, not just LDAP server (they are slightly different).

[rama1712]

I did not have LDAP capture installed but do know and it is on a brand new linux server. Need to access pupils my work folders on cc3 windows servers

[Marci]

Once LDAPCapture is installed and set as your default auth plugin, it's just a case of setting shares in the SMB-Client's config file, which are mapped to course IDs. Instructions to do this are in the file "README.TXT" within the zip archive downloadable from Moodle.org

 

BUT, before you start, you need to test smbclient is working from commandline on your server... so, before installing the Moodle SMBClient block (which is all the Moodle block is), you need to have smbclient itself installed and fully functional on your webserver - it's part of the Samba suite which should be available from the repository for whatever Linux distro you're running.

[Achandler]

Although I'm waiting for you to reply to what Marci has advised you, I can confirm this does work fully on a CC3 network (i've seen it in a previous job), just so you don't ever think you are going down an unending tunnel.

[Marci]

Yep - CC3 has no impact on SMBClient working or not... (we're on CC3 here). If LDAP works, then that's it as far as communicating with AD is concerned. Any other reasons for it not working are either bad config.php, or missing Samba / smbclient on the webserver.

 

For FreeBSD webservers, it's just a case of:

server# cd /usr/ports/net/samba-smbclient && make install clean

 

 

For Fedora, I think it's a case of:

server# yum update
server# yum -y install samba
server# yum -y install smbclient

 

 

And on uBuntu...

server# yum -y install samba

 

For some reason smbclient appears to have gone missing from the Fedora Samba package so has to be added separately, whereas with uBuntu it just comes in with Samba. With FreeBSD, you can just install SMBClient on it's own from the portstree.

 

Once installed, test it as follows:

server# smbclient //server/share -U DOMAIN/username

[Note: use opposite slashes to what you'd expect on a Windows box]

 

It should prompt for password... then drop you at the smb command prompt... issue the 'ls' command and you should see the contents of that Windows share.

 

smb: \> ls

 

If you do, then your server is good to go and the block should work fine. Issue a 'q' at smb prompt to quit smbclient, then close your terminal session.

 

 

Your next step would normally be to configure LDAP authentication in Moodle if you haven't already, then install the LDAP Capture auth plugin. Once that's on, go to Moodle > Users > Authentication > Manage Authentication, and turn OFF LDAP Server, and enable LDAP Capture as your main auth plugin.

 

Now install the Moodle SMB Client block. Edit the file 'config_smb_web_client.php'... which contains guidance on the various config settings (as does README.txt), and reupload, then enrol yourself onto a course with a matching id to one of the shares you popped into the config file, and you should see the relevant share appear in the block.

Edited February 15, 2011 by Marci