Connecting to a Samba Server from outside the department by tunnelling Samba through ssh.

This allows you to see networked disks and printers from a Windows XP PC outside the department as can be achieved by clicking on for example the bell icon from a PC inside the department.

This method makes Windows file sharing  relatively safe across the Internet  as all  information in transit  is encapsulated  in encrypted ssh protocol. Also as bell and the UCL firewall will accept ssh connections from outside, this is a way of getting Windows protocol through. Normally it is blocked.

Setting it up

This assumes you are using Windows XP Service Pack 2. If you are using Service Pack 3, don't install the Windows XP SP2 patch described below. Service pack version is displayed under Start, Control Panel, System.

If you don't have putty installed with version number greater than 0.56, download the latest version onto the desktop from  http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/putty.exe
The putty version number is displayed by clicking on the putty icon and then on the about button.

Install the Windows XP SP2 patch from http://support.microsoft.com/?id=884020 if the PC is running service pack 2.
You don't need to restart the PC yet  as you will need to do this  as instructed after the following configuration.

Click on the putty icon
Enter:-
Host Name: bell.phon.ucl.ac.uk   (or whatever the Internet name is of the Samba Server)
Saved Sessions: bell_tunnel         (  or servername_tunnell)
Click on: ssh, tunnels
Enter:-
Source port:10.0.0.1:139
Destination:127.0.0.1:139
Check:-
Local ports accept connections from other hosts
Click on: Add, Session, Save.

Under Windows XP click on
Start, Control Panel, Add Hardware
Select these options:-
Yes I have already added the hardware
Add a new hardware device
Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)
Network adapters
Microsoft, Microsoft Loopback Adapter
Continue through the install menu to install this adapter.

Click on: Start, Command Prompt
Type in: ipconfig /all     Note down addresses displayed for Default Gateway and  DNS Servers

Click on: Start. Control panel, Network Connections
Click on the icon labelled : Microsoft Loopback Adapter
Then on: Properties, Internet Protocol(TPC/IP), Properties
Check: Use the following IP address
Enter IP address: 10.0.0.1
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: address noted down from  ipconfig /all
Check: Use the following DNS server addresses DNS servers:  addresses noted down from  ipconfig /all
Click on: Advanced, WINS
Check: Enable LMHOSTS lookup, Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP
Click on IP Settings
In Interface metric window enter: 9999
Click on: OK OK
Under General
Check: Client for Microsoft Networks
Uncheck: File and printer sharing for microsoft networks
OK
Close

Restart PC

To connect to Samba server bell:-     (or other samba server)
click on putty
bell_tunnel                                        ( or servername_tunnell)
Log in to bell.phon.ucl.ac.uk via this putty connection to get the bell Unix prompt.  (or required samba server) 

Under Win XP click on Start, Run
Enter: \\10.0.0.1
OK

You should get a connection to Samba server bell with a prompt to log in.    (or  required samba server prompt)

If you don't
Go to  Start, command prompt
telnet  10.0.0.1 139
A blank screen means that the tunnelling via ssh is working to the samba server.
An error message probably means that putty is not connected to the samba server  with correct tunneling configuration or loopback  adapter is not configured properly.