Anyway to access a Samba server on iPad using the Files app?

[airborne]

I have a samba(SMB) server running on my Huawei router and I can access it fine on my PC and Android devices but the Files app on my iPad can't see it. Should I be able to see a samba server when adding one to the Files app and if not what's the alternative?

I want to copy over video files, VLC has a network browser that can see the server but it's via VLC it's pretty buggy and file transfers bomb most of the time.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Yea easy.

Just type smb://ip or smb://hostname.

 

[Packet-Kollector]

Not sure about files (dont use Apple x) but SAMBA should be possible with an app as a worst case

 

[PhireSide]

Do you have this option within Files? (Connect to server). Screenshot below is from an iPhone so it may look slightly different.

 

[airborne]

Yea easy.

Just type smb://ip or smb://hostname.

It seems iOS can find it but it fails at the user login, Google seems to say this is common but no fix other than using a 3rd party app.

 

[airborne]

Do you have this option within Files? (Connect to server). Screenshot below is from an iPhone so it may look slightly different.

View attachment 1298298

Yes that’s the way I’ve been trying to add it.

 

[PhireSide]

Yes that’s the way I’ve been trying to add it.

I just tried adding my SMB share to my iPhone and it worked - I can access the files.

I have a registered user that I use to login with though. Are you using a guest login?

 

[airborne]

I just tried adding my SMB share to my iPhone and it worked - I can access the files.

I have a registered user that I use to login with though. Are you using a guest login?

No using the User account/share I set up on the server, put them in at the screen below and then the spinning connecting icon goes for a while then there’s an error screen.

 

[PhireSide]

No using the User account/share I set up on the server, put them in at the screen below and then the spinning connecting icon goes for a while then there’s an error screen.

I'd say maybe start with the basics, if using a hostname, try map with the IP address instead. Also have you tried a lowercase username?

 

[SauRoNZA]

Try /IP/FolderShare and see if it helps.

Otherwise the samba version may be the problem, MacOS/iOS only supports the latest versions.

Zero problems here using open or password shares.

Maybe try taking authentication off just for testing.

 

[airborne]

I have 2 addresses for the server
\\ATP\Media\SanDisk-07813112_usb1_1
And
smb://192.168.8.1.
How do I combine the 2 because iOS can only see the second address and that doesn’t actually directly link to the share?
I think the first is the DLNA address.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I have 2 addresses for the server
\\ATP\Media\SanDisk-07813112_usb1_1
And
smb://192.168.8.1.
How do I combine the 2 because iOS can only see the second address and that doesn’t actually directly link to the share?
I think the first is the DLNA address.

Yes that first thing maybe isn’t Samba by the looks of it.

Is ATP the host name of the server?

Then it would be smb://192.168.8.1/Media

 

[airborne]

Yes that first thing maybe isn’t Samba by the looks of it.

Is ATP the host name of the server?

Then it would be smb://192.168.8.1/Media

Genius!
Thanks that worked and I logged in and I can see the Media share folder but when I click on it I can’t see any folders or files .

I just get shown this:

 

[SauRoNZA]

Could be caching? Presumably this works on other clients?

 

[airborne]

Could be caching? Presumably this works on other clients?

Yes it works perfectly via Android and PC.
And VLC on the iPad sees it perfectly and can stream perfectly but bombs out most of the time when I try download the files to the iPad, so I want to try downloading them via the Files app.
I need to download them so I can resume videos where I finished last.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Yes it works perfectly via Android and PC.
And VLC on the iPad sees it perfectly and can stream perfectly but bombs out most of the time when I try download the files to the iPad, so I want to try downloading them via the Files app.
I need to download them so I can resume videos where I finished last.

Install Plex and make your entire life so much simpler.

Are those auto discovered services on the other platforms or can you be 100% sure it’s Samba/Cifs?

 

[airborne]

Install Plex and make your entire life so much simpler.

Are those auto discovered services on the other platforms or can you be 100% sure it’s Samba/Cifs?

A Plex server would be great but total overkill , I just throw a few media files on the flash drive in the Huawei router and every so often if I want something to watch then they are always there, just download one onto my device, easy cheap and hassle free other than now.

It definitely seems to be SMB but version 1 which google says appears to be the issue, here's a screenshot of the server details on Android when adding it:

 

[SauRoNZA]

A Plex server would be great but total overkill , I just throw a few media files on the flash drive in the Huawei router and every so often if I want something to watch then they are always there, just download one onto my device, easy cheap and hassle free other than now.

It definitely seems to be SMB but version 1 which google says appears to be the issue, here's a screenshot of the server details on Android when adding it:

Yeah most likely the problem right there, Apple drew a line in the sand quite some time ago about dropping support for anything older than Samba V2 in MacOS so I would imagine it’s the same across the board.

Can you turn the authentication off? Maybe that helps.

 

[Thor]

Yea samba v1 doenst work on Apple.

I had to upgrade the work network to v2

 

[airborne]

Yeah most likely the problem right there, Apple drew a line in the sand quite some time ago about dropping support for anything older than Samba V2 in MacOS so I would imagine it’s the same across the board.

Can you turn the authentication off? Maybe that helps.

I tried but you have to have user and password or it won't allow the server to start.