Get Started with Remote Access and File Transfer Using SSH and Samba

Learn how to connect your Raspberry Pi to a laptop using SSH and Samba for remote access and file transfer. …

Updated October 9, 2023

Learn how to connect your Raspberry Pi to a laptop using SSH and Samba for remote access and file transfer.

Introduction

The Raspberry Pi is an amazing device that can be used for various projects, from home automation to web servers. One of the most important features when working with a Raspberry Pi is being able to connect it to your laptop or desktop computer so you can access its files and operate it remotely. This article will show you how to connect your Raspberry Pi to a laptop using Secure Shell (SSH) and Samba for remote access and file transfer, respectively.

Setting Up SSH on Your Raspberry Pi

First, make sure your Raspberry Pi is connected to the internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
Open a terminal window by clicking on the terminal icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen or pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
Type sudo raspi-config and press Enter to launch the Raspberry Pi configuration tool.
Navigate to “Interfacing Options” and select “SSH”. Enable SSH by selecting “Yes” and then choose “Finish” when done.
Your Raspberry Pi will now have SSH (Secure Shell) enabled, which allows you to connect remotely from another computer. Note that the default username is “pi” and the password is “raspberry”.

Connecting to Your Raspberry Pi Using SSH

To access your Raspberry Pi remotely using SSH, follow these steps:

On your laptop or desktop computer, open a terminal window (Mac/Linux) or command prompt (Windows).
Type ssh pi@raspberrypi.local and press Enter. Replace “raspberrypi” with the hostname of your Raspberry Pi if you have changed it.
When prompted, enter the password “raspberry”. You will be connected to your Raspberry Pi via SSH.

Now that you are connected to your Raspberry Pi using SSH, you can run commands on your Pi just like you would on the device itself. Some common commands include:

ls: List files and folders in the current directory
cd: Change directory (e.g., cd Documents)
nano: Open a text editor to create or edit files (e.g., nano test.txt)
sudo reboot: Restart your Raspberry Pi

Setting Up Samba on Your Raspberry Pi

In the terminal window, type sudo apt-get update and press Enter to ensure you have the latest package list.
Next, run sudo apt-get install samba samba-common-bin to install Samba on your Raspberry Pi.
Once installed, open the Samba configuration file by typing sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf.
Scroll down to the bottom of the file and add the following lines:
```
[pihome]
path = /home/pi
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = yes
create mask = 0755
directory mask = 0755
```
This will allow you to access the home folder of your Pi user account on your laptop.
Save and exit the file by pressing Ctrl+X, then Y, and finally Enter.
Restart Samba by typing sudo systemctl restart smbd and press Enter.

Connecting to Your Raspberry Pi Using Samba

On your laptop or desktop computer, open the file explorer (Mac/Linux) or “My Computer” window (Windows).
In the address bar, type smb://raspberrypi.local/pihome and press Enter. Replace “raspberrypi” with the hostname of your Raspberry Pi if you have changed it.
Enter the username and password for your Raspberry Pi when prompted (default is “pi” and “raspberry”).
You should now be able to access your Raspberry Pi’s home folder on your laptop or desktop computer. You can add, edit, and delete files as needed.

By following these steps, you can connect your Raspberry Pi to a laptop using SSH for remote access and Samba for file transfer. This will allow you to work with your Pi from anywhere with an internet connection and a device that supports SSH or Samba.

Conclusion

Now that you have learned how to connect your Raspberry Pi to a laptop using SSH and Samba, you can work on your Pi remotely and transfer files easily. Whether you are working on a project at home or away from your desk, you can continue to develop with your Raspberry Pi thanks to these remote access methods.