Windows
Linux
Networking
Windows net use equivalent in Linux
Mounts a network share (Windows SMB/CIFS share or NFS) so you can access it like a local folder.
Windows
→
net use
Linux equivalents
mount / smbclient
mount / smbclient
mount / smbclient
Overview
What this command does
Mounts a network share (Windows SMB/CIFS share or NFS) so you can access it like a local folder.
Migration tip: To mount Windows shared folders (SMB), you need the
cifs-utils package. The share then appears as a regular directory in your filesystem.Practical tasks
Common use cases
Connect to network shares
Mounts a network share (Windows SMB/CIFS share or NFS) so you can access it like a local folder.
smbclient //server/share
Browse a Windows share interactively
mount -t cifs //server/share /mnt/point
Mount SMB share permanently
mount -t nfs server:/share /mnt/nfs
Mount NFS share
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
sudo apt install cifs-utils
sudo mount -t cifs //192.168.1.10/SharedDocs /mnt/share -o username=john
smbclient //server/share -U john
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: net use Z: \\server\share
# Install SMB support:
sudo apt install cifs-utils
# Mount a Windows share:
sudo mount -t cifs //192.168.1.10/SharedDocs /mnt/share -o username=john
# Browse without mounting:
smbclient //server/share -U johnReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
smbclient //server/share | Browse a Windows share interactively |
mount -t cifs //server/share /mnt/point | Mount SMB share permanently |
mount -t nfs server:/share /mnt/nfs | Mount NFS share |
umount /mnt/point | Unmount a share |
df -h | Verify the share is mounted |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
This command is the same on Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch Linux when the relevant tool is installed.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | mount / smbclient |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | mount / smbclient |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | mount / smbclient |
Same command on this distribution. |
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