Simplest way for SOHO environments is setting your Kanotix acting as a DHCP server, but more info is needed: Is the external modem a serial, USB, ethernet or wireless one? Do the other network clients connect via an ethernet hub, or via wifi?
And yes, simplest way to set file and printer sharing between Linux and Windows boxes is Samba (included in the default Kanotix packages). Using the client is trivial, and the only thing you must check is the windows firewall settings. Simply open a Konqueror window, and type in
smb:/windowshost (or whatever the network name of the win machine is).
Setting the samba server can be done in many ways, on Kanotix the simpler one is using kcontrol:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install kdenetwork kdeadmin
(some modules of the above aren't in the Kanotix CD, to save some precious space). Better do the above after a "telinit 3" from a root console, or from another window manager and not KDE.
After that, log back to kde, and
alt+F2 and
kdesu kcontrol
(or you can simply run kcontrol as normal user, and use the "administrator mode" button). The samba submodule is in the "internet and network" group, and it's pretty easy to understand (I think).
After putting in your settings, you can start and stop the samba services easily from a root console:
/etc/init.d/samba start
/etc/init.d/samba stop
Besides that, Kanotix has its own samba-specific scripts (kanotix/services/shares), which you can use instead.
Finally, some easy and happy reading: Open a Konqueror window and type in
man:smb.conf
Regards.
