Making Thunar like Nautilus?

[Brad]

Hi everybody,
I want to be able to access my home network like my server and my different media boxes etc, all of which are Samba shares. I have been trying to work out how to do this, on and off, for a long time, but I’ve never managed it. Recently, as I build an Arch system from scratch I found a method to allow Thunar to have an option to access “other locations” (I think that’s what it says) allowing me input an address like smb://192.168 etc. and I can access what I want now which was a great moment!

From memory I had to install gvfs, gvfs-smb and sshs(?-from memory). So bumbling along with sudo apt install <> I installed all but gvfs-smb, it couldn’t locate the package or some such error. So bumbling further I installed gvfs-backend/fuse (again from memory) but still no joy. The only progress is that in the advanced settings in Thunar where it initially had that gvfs was installed but not available, that has disappeared but even with the advanced options of drive management checked in Thunar I don’t get an option in the gui that is similar to the Nautilus setup.

Is there a guide to allow me to modify Thunar so that I can interact with like Nautilus and let me access these remote shares?

Thanks for taking the time to read.

[Patrick]

I am not sure this is related to Whonix?
Over Tor, not over Tor?
Is Whonix involved?

One idea: Perhaps sshfs? You might have to learn SSH first if you have never used it. Not sure sshfs would lag/be slower or be good enough inside LAN. I used it over the internet. Wasn’t comfortable but good enough. Otherwise I use rsync over ssh. Not as comfortable as a graphical file manager.

Information Booster might be Available!

[Brad]

I am obviously not being clear enough.

I am using Whonix as a VM in virtualbox. Tor is not involved. The ‘file manager’ is Thunar. As Thunar is presently, in its default form, there is no way (that I can see) for me to navigate to my home server, or my media boxes (where I have things like movies, TV shows stored ).

I have been able to modify Thunar in Archlinux so that it has a ‘network’ or ‘other locations’ option that allows me to type, for example smb://192/168/1.1 to allow me to access a remote hard drive. No Tor, nothing fancy.

I am able to do this with Nautilus (from within qubes Debian or Caja which Parrot os has). And also with Thunar in Archlinux as I outlined above.

I thought there may be a simple solution to this because of how easy a few commands made it in Archlinux.

I hope this is clearer?

[Patrick]

@Brad

I am using Whonix as a VM in virtualbox. Tor is not involved.

This is confusing. Whonix-Workstation routes all connections through Tor. So Tor is involved.

@Brad

As Thunar is presently, in its default form, there is no way (that I can see) for me to navigate to my home server, or my media boxes (where I have things like movies, TV shows stored ).

Whonix-Workstation cannot connect to any services running inside your local area network (LAN). This is by design. To implement an IP leak proof design, all connections originating from Whonix are routed over Tor. Therefore the LAN isn’t accessible.

Whonix probably shouldn’t be used for this use case. And if used, it should be a separate, dedicated workstation for this purpose.

In theory it is possible to customize Whonix for this use case by but it would be insecure.

@Brad

I have been able to modify Thunar in Archlinux so that it has a ‘network’ or ‘other locations’ option that allows me to type, for example smb://192/168/1.1 to allow me to access a remote hard drive.

Complex application modifications would probably only be possible as per https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Free_Support_Principle.