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I'm setting up an Ubuntu 12.04 LTS samba server. A lot of guides tell you to change workgroup from the default 'workgroup' to something else, e.g. smb.conf "workgroup = ubuntu_home"

I see the practical reason why some would want there files to be more private by changing the workgroup name; and perhaps have more control of who see's there data; however, by using the default workgroup name it allows other people on the domain to connect to the shares with little effort as most computers are default 'workgroup'

The sole purpose of my Ubuntu server is to share files across my network to my roommates' computers and to XBMC. If this is my goal, then is there any real reason to change the default workgroup?

Am I missing anything? Security? Flexibility?

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Reset to default
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I think the most important thing is to have all of the computers use the same name; it seems to work better that way.

In my experience, there is not a standard. Windows used to use "WORKGROUP" in the old days, but XP seemd to use "MSHOME", if I remember correctly, and I don't know what Windows 7 uses - did they go back to "WORKGROUP"?

It's not that hard to change on either OS, so if all the other computers have one workgroup name, I would use that name as the path of least resistance.

The only reason I see to use a unique name is that you know everyone is configured to the same workgroup when you see them all together.

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    Excellent points, I forgot that XP default was mshome. Thank you for your post it helped a lot.
    – TheBetterJORT
    Jun 19, 2012 at 5:46

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