NAS Setup Guide

A professional guide for setting up a private NAS using Ubuntu Server, Samba, and Tailscale.

Build your own private cloud storage with secure remote access and cross-platform compatibility.

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✨ Features

• 📂 Simple Storage: Minimalist setup with a single root directory for all your files.
• 🔐 Secure Access: User-based authentication for Samba shares.
• 🚀 Remote Ready: Integrated with Tailscale for secure access from anywhere without port forwarding.
• 💻 Cross-Platform: Easy mounting on Linux (Arch/Ubuntu), Windows, and macOS.
• ⚙️ Auto-Mount: Support for persistent connections via /etc/fstab.

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🔧 Stack

	Tool
OS	Ubuntu Server (LTS recommended)
Sharing	Samba (SMB/CIFS)
Networking	Tailscale (WireGuard-based Mesh VPN)
Editor	Neovim / Vim / Nano

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🚀 Setup Steps

1. Prerequisites & Preparation

Ensure you have a fresh Ubuntu Server install and Tailscale connected.

# Check available disk space
lsblk
df -h /

2. Install & Configure Samba

# Install Samba
sudo apt update && sudo apt install samba -y

# Create NAS Root Directory
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/nas
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /mnt/nas
sudo chmod -R 775 /mnt/nas

3. Edit Configuration

sudo nvim /etc/samba/smb.conf

Add the following to the bottom of the file (replace <YOUR_USER> with your actual system username):

[NAS]
   path = /mnt/nas
   browseable = yes
   writable = yes
   valid users = <YOUR_USER>
   create mask = 0775
   directory mask = 0775

4. User Setup & Service Start

# Set Samba password
sudo smbpasswd -a <YOUR_USER>

# Enable and Start Samba
sudo systemctl enable smbd
sudo systemctl restart smbd

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💻 Client Connection

Manual Mount (Linux/Arch)

# Install client tools
sudo pacman -S smbclient cifs-utils

# List shares
smbclient -L //TAILSCALE_IP -U <YOUR_USER>

# Mount
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/nas-name
sudo mount -t cifs //TAILSCALE_IP/NAS /mnt/nas-name -o username=<YOUR_USER>

Auto-Mount on Boot

Add to /etc/fstab:

//TAILSCALE_IP/NAS /mnt/nas-name cifs username=<YOUR_USER>,password=YOUR_PASSWORD,_netdev 0 0

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🛠️ Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Connection timeout	Check Tailscale status: tailscale status
Login failure	Reset Samba password: sudo smbpasswd <YOUR_USER>
Share not found	Restart Samba service: sudo systemctl restart smbd
Permission denied	Verify folder ownership: ls -la /mnt/nas

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📄 License

MIT