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Is it possible to set up a server which will basically make a folder in my computer available via a UNC path, like:

\\my_ip\Share

...Over the internet?

And if so, do the people accessing said path need any client-side application or will simply typing the address "\\my_ip\Share" in Explorer.exe's address bar suffice?

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  • It would be easier to set up an FTP server where people could have read/write access... OR, even better, create a VPN so your users can securely connect to your computer and then they can UNC as you intend...
    – Kinnectus
    May 12, 2015 at 9:38

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Yes, it's possible, and "over the Internet" doesn't make the slightest difference, at least not from the technical side. When trying to access an UNC path, Windows will try to connect to it over both SMB and WebDAV (by default), and as long as it can connect to either service, it'll work.

However, security is a concern. Historically, the Windows SMB server has been a victim of many exploits and security holes – so much that some ISPs even globally block the SMB ports. So if you choose SMB, you should use Samba, not Windows, as the server.

Also, SMB currently uses a weak authentication method (unless within an AD domain), so if you access the SMB server over public networks, it needs to be limited to Guest logins only.

Alternatively, you could set up WebDAV, using something like Apache httpd as the server. Recent Windows versions support accessing WebDAV over TLS (HTTPS).

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