This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of file sharing and samba. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator wants to restrict access to a Samba share based on client IP addresses. Which parameter in the [share] section of smb.conf should be used?
hosts allow
'hosts allow' defines IP-based access control per share.
allow hosts
Why wrong: 'allow hosts' is an alias for 'hosts allow', but the standard parameter is 'hosts allow'.
browseable
Why wrong: 'browseable' controls visibility in the network, not IP-based restriction.
valid users
Why wrong: 'valid users' controls user-level access, not IP addresses.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
hosts allow
The `hosts allow` parameter in the `[share]` section of `smb.conf` restricts access to the Samba share based on client IP addresses or subnets. It is the correct directive for IP-based access control, allowing the administrator to specify which hosts are permitted to connect. This parameter is evaluated before authentication, blocking unauthorized IPs at the connection level.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
hosts allow
Why this is correct
'hosts allow' defines IP-based access control per share.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
allow hosts
Why it's wrong here
'allow hosts' is an alias for 'hosts allow', but the standard parameter is 'hosts allow'.
browseable
Why it's wrong here
'browseable' controls visibility in the network, not IP-based restriction.
valid users
Why it's wrong here
'valid users' controls user-level access, not IP addresses.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse the parameter order (`allow hosts` vs `hosts allow`) or mistakenly think `valid users` can filter by IP, when it only filters by authenticated user identity.
Detailed technical explanation
The `hosts allow` parameter supports CIDR notation (e.g., `192.168.1.0/24`) and can be combined with `hosts deny` for granular control. It is processed by Samba's internal connection handler before any SMB protocol negotiation, meaning a denied IP receives a connection reset rather than an authentication prompt. In real-world scenarios, this is often used to restrict administrative shares to a management subnet while allowing general access from other ranges.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
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FAQ
File Sharing and Samba — This question tests File Sharing and Samba — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: hosts allow — The `hosts allow` parameter in the `[share]` section of `smb.conf` restricts access to the Samba share based on client IP addresses or subnets. It is the correct directive for IP-based access control, allowing the administrator to specify which hosts are permitted to connect. This parameter is evaluated before authentication, blocking unauthorized IPs at the connection level.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LPIC-2 exam.
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