As of the latest Canary build (v70), Chrome OS now has network file shares enabled by default. SMB sharing was previously possible via a flag that was added back in March, although it was quite unstable at that time. It should hopefully perform better now, allowing you to add a file share service such as Samba.
Read MoreChrome OS will soon be able to mount SMB network shares natively
Server Message Block, or SMB for short, is a popular way to share files over a local network. It has been built into Windows for decades, and the open-source Samba implementation is used on macOS and many Linux distributions. If you've connected to a computer or printer over a network before, you've probably used SMB.
Read MoreInBrief
Google's Samba client for Android now supports SMBv3
Samba is a popular open-source implementation of the SMB/CIFS networking protocol, commonly used to connect to Windows file shares from Unix-based operating systems. Seemingly out of nowhere, Google released a Samba client for Android earlier this month, allowing users to access file shares from the system Downloads/Files app.
Read MoreGoogle releases Samba client for Android, adds Windows file shares to the Downloads/Files app
If you're not familiar with it, Samba is an open-source implementation of the SMB/CIFS networking protocol. It allows many Unix-based operating systems to connect to Windows file shares and printers, making it easy to transfer files over a network between operating systems. Out of nowhere, Google has released a Samba client for Android.
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LocalCast Media Streaming App Updated With Ability To Cast Network Storage Files Via Samba
Streaming local media to Chromecast isn't that difficult of an endeavor these days. Sure, there isn't an official Google app that will slap those media files onto a TV for you, but between AllCast and Solid Explorer, there are options. There's also LocalCast, an app like AllCast whose singular purpose is to get media from your Android device to something with a bigger screen.
The app's latest update has added the ability to connect to network storage via Samba and cast files from them straight to Chromecast. The feature works, though there are some issues. Chromecast doesn't support all video or audio codecs, and while LocalCast technically isn't to blame for the formats it can't play, it doesn't help you figure this out.
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