How to connect to local private network?

2026-03-20 08:47 UTC

I’m trying to connect my Linux laptop to the network at my workplace so I can share files with colleagues, but it’s not clear how to do it. I can plug in the Ethernet cable and get a connection to public internet but cannot see any storage drives on the local network. What should I do? Debian 13, GNOME 43.

Replies (7)

@bizdelnick@lemmy.ml 2026-03-20 09:48

It depends on what you mean by “local private network”. Probably, you need samba.

Open ##785009
@MagnificentSteiner@lemmy.zip 2026-03-20 08:52

Ask the IT department.

Open ##2262612
@Strit@lemmy.linuxuserspace.show 2026-03-20 09:26

Unless your company's IT department specifically setup the drives on the local network to be accessible from other OS's then Windows, you won't be able to connect to them, without setting up Samba/CIFS. As others have status, if you are allowed to use Linux as a company device, ask your IT department how to access the company stuff. If you are not really allowed and are just doing, you probably won't have access to much that is not a webapp.

Open ##2262613
@mvirts@lemmy.world 2026-03-20 15:12

If you can see how the other machines on the network access the drives, like with `net use` in the windows command prompt, then you will know the protocol and address and share name to connect to. If it's something like \\\\computername\a\path\here that's a windows file share which you can connect to with samba. On modern Linux desktop systems you can sometimes get away with opening a file browser and typing in a location like smb://computername/a/path/here and it may *just work* Keep in mind computername could be an IP address instead, and some file browsers are sneaky about letting you type in a path (nautilus/gnome, which I think is Ctrl+L) if smb://... Doesn't work smbfs:// may be worth a try

Open ##2262616
@FauxLiving@lemmy.world 2026-03-20 15:10

You need to know the server and share name. You don't have to use /mnt/sambashare, just make an empty directory somewhere. sudo mount -t cifs //server/share /mnt/sambashare -o username=your_user It'll prompt you for the password. This won't work if you're on a domain (I think?) but it works for regular SMB shares.

Open ##2262617
@zwerg@feddit.org 2026-03-20 09:28

You need a VPN. Your employer needs to set that up and give approval etc. Talk to you IT people.

Open ##2262619
@phr@discuss.tchncs.de 2026-03-20 08:50

most probably your it blocks all devices from the network unless whitelisted. that's a rational thing to do imho.

Open ##2262622