SMB Network Storage Setup Guide

What is SMB?

SMB (Server Message Block) is a protocol for sharing files and printers over a network. It’s used by:

Prerequisites

Before connecting, you need:

  1. A device on your network that shares files via SMB:
    • Windows PC with shared folder
    • NAS device (Synology, QNAP, etc.)
    • Linux server with Samba enabled
  2. Connection details:
    • Server IP address or hostname
    • Share name (folder name)
    • Username (if required)
    • Password (if required)

Setup Steps in FastMediaSorter

Step 1: Open Network Storage Tab

  1. Launch the app
  2. Go to Browse tab
  3. Look for Network Sources or Network Storage section
  4. Tap Add Network Source or + button

Step 2: Select SMB Protocol

  1. Choose SMB from the protocol list
  2. You’ll see a form with fields:
    • Server Address: IP or hostname
    • Share Name: Folder to access
    • Username: (optional)
    • Password: (optional)

Step 3: Enter Server Details

Example 1: Windows PC with shared folder

Server Address: 192.168.1.100
Share Name: SharedMedia
Username: (leave empty if no auth required)
Password: (leave empty if no auth required)

Example 2: NAS Device

Server Address: 192.168.1.50 (or nas.local)
Share Name: media
Username: admin
Password: your_password

Example 3: Linux Server (Samba)

Server Address: 192.168.1.200
Share Name: shared
Username: user
Password: password

Step 4: Test Connection

  1. Tap Test Connection button
  2. Wait for result (usually 2-5 seconds)
  3. If successful: ✓ “Connected”
  4. If failed: Check error message and verify details

Step 5: Save Configuration

  1. Tap Save or Add Source
  2. The source now appears in your browse list
  3. Tap it to browse files

Finding Your Server Details

On Windows (Share a Folder)

Create shared folder:

  1. Right-click folder → Properties → Sharing → Advanced Sharing
  2. Check Share this folder
  3. Note the share name
  4. Get your IP: Run ipconfig in Command Prompt, find “IPv4 Address”

Find another Windows PC sharing:

  1. Press Win + E → Network
  2. See available computers
  3. Double-click computer → see shares
  4. Right-click share → Properties → note the path

On macOS (Share a Folder)

  1. System Preferences → Sharing → File Sharing
  2. Click Options to see SMB settings
  3. Your IP is shown (like smb://192.168.1.X)
  4. Share name is the folder name

On Linux (Samba)

Check /etc/samba/smb.conf for shared folders, or ask your admin for:

Find NAS Details

Synology:

  1. Open Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
  2. File Services → SMB/AFP/NFS → SMB → verify enabled
  3. Find your IP in browser address bar
  4. Share name is in File Station (usually media, backup, etc.)

QNAP:

  1. Access QNAP Web UI
  2. Go to Network → verify SMB enabled
  3. Check Shared Folders for available shares
  4. Find your IP in browser or run find QNAP devices on your network

Common Issues

“Cannot Connect to Server”

Causes & Solutions:

  1. Wrong IP/hostname
    • Verify with ping server_address from your phone’s WiFi
    • Check device is on same network as your phone
  2. Server not sharing
    • Verify SMB/CIFS is enabled on the device
    • Windows: Check File Sharing is enabled
    • NAS: Check SMB is enabled in settings
  3. Firewall blocking
    • Check device firewall allows port 445 (SMB port)
    • Windows Firewall: Allow SMB traffic
    • Router: May need port forwarding if accessing outside home

“Access Denied” / “Invalid Credentials”

  1. Wrong username/password
    • Try without credentials first (leave blank)
    • Verify correct spelling and case
  2. Guest access disabled
    • Enable guest access on the server
    • Or provide valid credentials

“Share Not Found”

  1. Wrong share name
    • Double-check exact share name (case-sensitive on some systems)
    • See examples above for finding share names
  2. Share is offline
    • Verify device is powered on and connected to network
    • Check with ping server_address

Performance Tips

  1. Local Network Only - SMB works best on your home/office WiFi
  2. Use 5GHz WiFi - Faster than 2.4GHz for large file transfers
  3. Wired Connection - Server should ideally be wired for best speed
  4. Close Other Apps - Free up bandwidth on your phone

Security Notes

⚠️ Important:

For Developers

SMB Connection Details (in app code):

Wear OS Network Browsing: See wear/src/main/java/com/sza/fastmediasorter/wear/ui/network/ for network source UI.

Need Help? Check your device documentation or contact your network admin for server details.