Securely Networking XP and Vista

[Steve]

I have an unsecured Wireless network (via adsl router) at home (need open
access for guests) but want to secure a file share on my wife's XP machine so
that only I can access it from my Vista machine.

On the XP machine I have disabled simple file sharing and enabled file/print
sharing; both machines are in the same Workgroup. I can see the share from
the Vista machine but can not change any of the files or see inside folders.
I do not want to set the NTFS security so that Everyone has modify access but
can't seem to allow a user account from the Vista machine to have access.

Is there a way to do this or should I try to set the access control from the
adsl router?

I would appreciate any help.

Steve

 

[Steve Winograd]

I have an unsecured Wireless network (via adsl router) at home (need open
access for guests) but want to secure a file share on my wife's XP machine so
that only I can access it from my Vista machine.

On the XP machine I have disabled simple file sharing and enabled file/print
sharing; both machines are in the same Workgroup. I can see the share from
the Vista machine but can not change any of the files or see inside folders.
I do not want to set the NTFS security so that Everyone has modify access but
can't seem to allow a user account from the Vista machine to have access.

Is there a way to do this or should I try to set the access control from the
adsl router?

I would appreciate any help.

Steve

This web page has full details of how to set up permissions for
specific users on the XP machine's shared folders:

Windows XP Professional File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I have an unsecured Wireless network (via adsl router) at home (need
open access for guests)

Ouch. You must know you're really asking for trouble with this. No matter
how much you do to lock down your internal computers, it seems foolhardy to
leave the wireless unsecured. It's like leaving your front door wide open
but believing your valuables are safe because you put them in a locked
cabinet. Once someone's in, who knows what they could do? There are new
exploits announced all the time - do you really stay so on top of your
patching, and monitor your network, that you can state you're secure? It
seems unlikely. Remember, the people who piggyback off your wireless may not
be interested only in getting to the Internet for their own purposes.

If you have the option to put at least some rudimentary padlock on the
wireless, do it - you can always tell your guests what the WPA key is.

You don't mention the router you're using, but if this was provided by the
ISP (you mention ADSL), I'd recommend disabling the wireless on it & getting
a decent firewall appliance in place for your internal network, which is
under your control; there are many models with integrated. If what you're
using now is yours, but is just a basic gateway type of device, same advice
applies. If you want to get really fancy, you could look at a SonicWALL
TZ180W which sets up totally separate subnets for wireless & wired network
segments - you can set up Wireless Guest Services, even! Or get a simple
new-ish NetGear or Linksys - not as bomb-proof but a sight better than what
you've got now, and will support WPA2, etc.

You might try posting in microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless for
more advice. Sorry to sound like the voice of doom, but I hate to watch
people running with scissors.