Turn an old PC into a NAS with Ubuntu and Samba

If you have an old PC, mini PC, or spare laptop sitting around, one of the most useful ways to reuse it is to turn it into a storage NAS. With Ubuntu, the cleanest setup is to split the job into 2 layers:

• Samba for local network sharing
• WebDAV for remote or public file access

That is much safer than trying to expose SMB directly to the Internet. Samba is great on a LAN, but it is not something you should open to the public Internet.

When is this setup worth using?

This model works well if you need:

• a shared place for desktops, laptops, and phones
• media or backup storage at home
• somewhere to keep ISOs, archived projects, camera data, or photos
• a controlled way to access files from outside

It is especially useful for:

• old PCs that still work fine but are not ideal for heavy virtualization
• machines with a few spare HDDs
• a simple family or homelab file server

Quick conclusion first

If you only want the short version:

1. install Ubuntu Server
2. mount the storage disk properly
3. enable Samba for LAN access
4. do not expose Samba to the Internet
5. use WebDAV over HTTPS for remote access
6. separate internal folders from public folders

That structure is easier to maintain and much harder to misconfigure dangerously.

Recommended architecture

Instead of using one protocol for everything, split the roles:

• Samba/SMB: for devices on your local network
• WebDAV: for remote access or controlled public sharing

A practical layout:

• /srv/storage/family-share -> shared over Samba on the LAN
• /srv/storage/media -> shared over Samba for TVs, desktops, laptops
• /srv/storage/public-dav -> exposed through WebDAV

The key point is:

• do not expose SMB port 445
• only expose WebDAV through HTTPS

Step 1: Install Ubuntu and prepare the storage disk

For a DIY NAS, Ubuntu Server is usually a better fit than Ubuntu Desktop because it is lighter and cleaner.

After installation, list your disks:

lsblk

Assume your data disk is /dev/sdb.

Create a partition and format it:

sudo parted /dev/sdb --script mklabel gpt
sudo parted /dev/sdb --script mkpart primary ext4 0% 100%
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1

Create the mount path:

sudo mkdir -p /srv/storage

Get the UUID:

sudo blkid /dev/sdb1

Example output:

/dev/sdb1: UUID="xxxx-xxxx" TYPE="ext4"

Add it to /etc/fstab:

UUID=xxxx-xxxx /srv/storage ext4 defaults,nofail 0 2

Remount:

sudo mount -a
df -h

Step 2: Create folders and baseline permissions

Create your folders:

sudo mkdir -p /srv/storage/family-share
sudo mkdir -p /srv/storage/media
sudo mkdir -p /srv/storage/public-dav

Create a shared group:

sudo groupadd nas-share
sudo usermod -aG nas-share $USER

Set permissions:

sudo chown -R root:nas-share /srv/storage/family-share /srv/storage/media
sudo chmod -R 2775 /srv/storage/family-share /srv/storage/media

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /srv/storage/public-dav
sudo chmod -R 755 /srv/storage/public-dav

This keeps things cleaner:

• Samba folders belong to an internal sharing group
• WebDAV folders belong to the web server

That separation helps avoid permission chaos later.

Step 3: Install Samba for LAN sharing

Install Samba:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install samba -y

Back up the default config:

sudo cp /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf.bak

Append this to /etc/samba/smb.conf:

[family-share]
   path = /srv/storage/family-share
   browseable = yes
   read only = no
   guest ok = no
   valid users = @nas-share
   force group = nas-share
   create mask = 0664
   directory mask = 2775

[media]
   path = /srv/storage/media
   browseable = yes
   read only = no
   guest ok = no
   valid users = @nas-share
   force group = nas-share
   create mask = 0664
   directory mask = 2775

Create a Samba user:

sudo smbpasswd -a your-username

Validate the config:

testparm

Restart Samba:

sudo systemctl restart smbd
sudo systemctl enable smbd

Step 4: Access Samba inside the LAN

On Windows

Open Explorer and connect to:

\\NAS_IP\family-share

Example:

\\192.168.1.20\family-share

On Linux

sudo mount -t cifs //192.168.1.20/family-share /mnt/family-share \
  -o username=your-username,uid=1000,gid=1000

On macOS

Go to Finder -> Go -> Connect to Server:

smb://192.168.1.20/family-share

Step 5: Keep Samba inside the LAN only

This is where many people get it wrong.

Samba should stay on the local network. If you use ufw, allow only your LAN subnet:

sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24 to any app Samba

Or at minimum:

sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24 to any port 445 proto tcp
sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24 to any port 139 proto tcp

Do not:

• forward port 445 on your router
• expose SMB to your public IP
• use Samba as your remote Internet-facing file service

If you need remote access, WebDAV or VPN is the better fit.

Step 6: Install WebDAV for remote access

A clean Ubuntu-friendly option is Apache + WebDAV.

Install the packages:

sudo apt install apache2 apache2-utils -y

Enable the needed modules:

sudo a2enmod dav
sudo a2enmod dav_fs
sudo a2enmod auth_digest

Create the password file:

sudo htdigest -c /etc/apache2/webdav.password "webdav" your-username

Create the site config:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/webdav.conf

Content:

Alias /dav /srv/storage/public-dav

<Directory /srv/storage/public-dav>
    DAV On
    Options Indexes

    AuthType Digest
    AuthName "webdav"
    AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/webdav.password
    Require valid-user

    DirectoryIndex disabled
</Directory>

Enable the site:

sudo a2ensite webdav.conf
sudo apache2ctl configtest
sudo systemctl reload apache2

At this point you can test inside the LAN:

curl -i http://YOUR_NAS_IP/dav

Step 7: Expose WebDAV over HTTPS

If WebDAV is going outside your home, start with HTTPS from day one.

There are 2 common approaches:

• expose it directly with a domain + reverse proxy + SSL
• use Cloudflare Tunnel if you cannot open router ports

If you can forward ports

Forward:

• 80
• 443

DNS:

dav.example.com -> your home public IP

Then create a proper Apache or Nginx vhost and issue SSL with Let's Encrypt.

Example with Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y
sudo certbot --apache -d dav.example.com

Your final remote URL becomes:

https://dav.example.com/dav

If you cannot forward ports

If your connection is behind CGNAT or your router does not allow port forwarding, Cloudflare Tunnel is often the easier option:

• Apache still runs locally
• Cloudflare Tunnel exposes http://localhost
• outside users connect through Cloudflare HTTPS

Step 8: Connect from other devices

On Windows

You can map it as a network location or use a client that handles WebDAV well.

URL:

https://dav.example.com/dav

On mobile

Apps that usually work well:

• FolderSync
• Solid Explorer
• FE File Explorer
• Documents

On Linux

You can mount it with davfs2:

sudo apt install davfs2 -y
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/webdav
sudo mount -t davfs https://dav.example.com/dav /mnt/webdav

The most common mistakes

1. Using one folder for both Samba and public WebDAV

That usually turns into a permission mess. Keeping LAN and public data separate is much easier to manage.

2. Exposing Samba directly

This is a common and risky mistake. If you need remote access, use:

• WebDAV
• or VPN

but do not open 445 to the Internet.

3. Running WebDAV over plain HTTP

If credentials go over raw HTTP, you are creating an unnecessary risk. Public WebDAV should almost always be behind HTTPS.

4. Forwarding router ports but forgetting the local firewall

Many people open the router correctly, but ufw or Apache still blocks the service inside the machine.

5. Mounting disks manually and losing them after reboot

If you skip fstab, your mount may disappear or come back at a different path after restart.

When should you not use this approach?

This may not be the best option if you need:

• polished RAID, snapshots, and a UI like Synology
• a setup that non-technical family members can manage easily
• photo sync, mobile apps, and more advanced permissions out of the box

In that case, Synology or OpenMediaVault may be the easier path.

Conclusion

An old PC can absolutely work as a solid NAS if you keep the role split simple:

• Samba for the LAN
• WebDAV for public access

The key is not just installing services, but assigning each one the right job:

• internal stays internal
• public goes through HTTPS
• public folders stay separate from LAN folders

If you keep that structure clean, even an old PC can become a very usable family or homelab file server.