authenticating linux client with active directory

Question

I am attempting to setup a linux client to authenticate with active directory. I tried following this article, but have had no luck authenticating:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_Server_and_Active_Directory

I am hoping to authenticate with active directory so that I don't need to re-authenticate when printing and can automatically mount all shares. Will setting this up provide those capabilities for me?

Answer 1

If you set up Kerberos authentication using either pam_krb5 or pam_winbind, then yes, you will get password-less authentication to services.

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But note that the article is out of date in some places, and plain incorrect in others.

1. Arch has switched to MIT Kerberos (krb5) long ago. Heimdal is not used. (krb5.conf syntax remains the same.)
2. Do not put kdc settings in krb5.conf's [realms]. It is better to use DNS SRV records to find this information, which is what Windows does. If the KDCs change, you shouldn't need to edit hundreds of krb5.conf's.
3. Do not put the KDC addresses in /etc/hosts either. Let DNS handle that.
4. pam_krb5 does not need to be built manually; it's in the official repositories.
5. You do not need pam_krb5 if you are using Winbind (which is the recommended way).
6. allow_weak_crypto should not be necessary; both Heimdal and MIT Kerberos support the RC4-HMAC enctype used by pre-2008 Windows versions.

Answer 2

Have a look at the free Centrify Express product - hopefully there's a package for your flavour of Linux. It took me about 2 mins to setup an Ubuntu desktop machine with it.

http://www.centrify.com/express/free-active-directory-tools-for-linux-mac.asp?r=menu-nav

Centrify Express is a comprehensive suite of free Active Directory-based integration solutions for authentication, single sign-on, remote access, file-sharing, monitoring The #1 Choice for Active Directory Integration and cloud security for cross-platform systems. It is the quickest and most proven solution for integrating UNIX, Linux and Mac systems with Windows, and delivers more functionality and more to upgrade to when compared to other free offerings.