Creating and managing SMB (Server Message Block) shares is a common task for Windows administrators. The New-SmbShare cmdlet in PowerShell provides a powerful and flexible way to create these shares. This article will guide you through the process of using New-SmbShare to create and manage SMB shares on a Windows system.

What is New-SmbShare?

New-SmbShare is a PowerShell cmdlet that allows you to create SMB shares on a computer running Windows. SMB shares enable file sharing across a network, providing access to files and folders for users and devices.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that you have administrative privileges on the Windows machine where you intend to create the SMB share. Additionally, PowerShell should be installed and accessible.

How to Create an SMB Share Using New-SmbShare

Step 1: Open PowerShell

First, open PowerShell with administrative privileges. You can do this by searching for "PowerShell" in the Start menu, right-clicking on "Windows PowerShell," and selecting "Run as administrator."

Step 2: Create the SMB Share

Use the New-SmbShare cmdlet to create a new SMB share. Below is an example of how to create an SMB share named "PublicShare" that points to the folder C:\Public.

New-SmbShare -Name "PublicShare" -Path "C:\Public" -FullAccess "Everyone"

In this example:

• -Name specifies the name of the SMB share.
• -Path specifies the local folder to be shared.
• -FullAccess grants full access permissions to the specified users or groups (in this case, "Everyone").

Step 3: Verify the SMB Share

To verify that the SMB share has been created, you can use the Get-SmbShare cmdlet:

Get-SmbShare -Name "PublicShare"

This command will display details about the "PublicShare" SMB share.

Additional Examples

Example 1: Creating an SMB Share with Read-Only Access

To create an SMB share with read-only access for a specific user group, use the -ReadAccess parameter:

New-SmbShare -Name "ReadOnlyShare" -Path "C:\ReadOnly" -ReadAccess "Users"

Example 2: Creating an SMB Share with Specific Permissions

You can specify different levels of access for different users or groups:

New-SmbShare -Name "CustomShare" -Path "C:\Custom" -FullAccess "AdminGroup" -ChangeAccess "Users" -ReadAccess "Guests"

In this example:

• -FullAccess grants full control to "AdminGroup."
• -ChangeAccess grants modify permissions to "Users."
• -ReadAccess grants read-only permissions to "Guests."

Managing SMB Shares

Removing an SMB Share

To remove an SMB share, use the Remove-SmbShare cmdlet:

Remove-SmbShare -Name "PublicShare"

Modifying an SMB Share

To modify the properties of an existing SMB share, use the Set-SmbShare cmdlet. For example, to change the description of an SMB share:

Set-SmbShare -Name "PublicShare" -Description "Updated Description"

Conclusion

Using the New-SmbShare cmdlet in PowerShell provides a straightforward and flexible way to create and manage SMB shares on a Windows system. Whether you need to set up simple file sharing or configure complex permissions, PowerShell offers the tools you need to get the job done efficiently.