access problem

[Roberto de Cornielle]

Have a small peer to peer network [3 machines], all machines can view
and access the contents of the shared documents folder on each other
except for one machine.
It's icon appears in My Network Places \View Workgroup Computers, but
if I try to access the shared documents folder I receive the message
"access denied you do not have permission to use this network
resource, contact the administrator".
Yet it can access all the other machines' shared documents folder.
All machines are XP PRO fully patched, help appreciated
rgds
Roberto

 

[Malke]

Have a small peer to peer network [3 machines], all machines can view
and access the contents of the shared documents folder on each other
except for one machine.
It's icon appears in My Network Places \View Workgroup Computers,
but
if I try to access the shared documents folder I receive the
message
"access denied you do not have permission to use this network
resource, contact the administrator".
Yet it can access all the other machines' shared documents folder.
All machines are XP PRO fully patched, help appreciated

On XP Pro, disable Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab) and create
matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do not need to be
logged into the same account on all machines and the passwords assigned to
each user account can be different; the accounts/passwords just need to
exist and match on all machines. If you wish a machine to boot directly to
the Desktop (into one particular user's account) for convenience, you can
do this. The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

Malke

 

[Roberto de Cornielle]

Malke
thanks for the response, I will try your suggestions, but all this begs a
question, and I hope you can enlighten me.
Why does sharing work on the other machines that do not have other
users in the accounts list, that is, without having to do what you
suggest [disable simple file sharing and having all users having an
account on every machine ?].

rgds
Roberto

Have a small peer to peer network [3 machines], all machines can view
and access the contents of the shared documents folder on each other
except for one machine.
It's icon appears in My Network Places \View Workgroup Computers,
but
if I try to access the shared documents folder I receive the
message
"access denied you do not have permission to use this network
resource, contact the administrator".
Yet it can access all the other machines' shared documents folder.
All machines are XP PRO fully patched, help appreciated

On XP Pro, disable Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab) and
create
matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do not need to
be
logged into the same account on all machines and the passwords assigned to
each user account can be different; the accounts/passwords just need to
exist and match on all machines. If you wish a machine to boot directly to
the Desktop (into one particular user's account) for convenience, you can
do this. The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

 

[Malke]

Malke
thanks for the response, I will try your suggestions, but all this begs a
question, and I hope you can enlighten me.
Why does sharing work on the other machines that do not have other
users in the accounts list, that is, without having to do what you
suggest [disable simple file sharing and having all users having an
account on every machine ?].

Well, since I can't see your computers I can only guess that the other
computers *do* have an identical user account/password (perhaps the generic
"Owner" and no password) and/or they have Simple Sharing set identically.
So another way of approaching this on the misbehaving machine is to match
its settings with the computers that work.

Malke

 

[Roberto de Cornielle]

Thank you for the info.
So basically even if no password is set, and each machine has different
users, sharing will work ?.
It falls down if some machines have passwords set and others not, would
this be the correct conclusion.

rgds
Roberto

Malke
thanks for the response, I will try your , but all this begs a
question, and I hope you can enlighten me.
Why does sharing work on the other machines that do not have other
users in the accounts list, that is, without having to do what you
suggest [disable simple file sharing and having all users having
an
account on every machine ?].

Well, since I can't see your computers I can only guess that the other
computers *do* have an identical user account/password (perhaps the
generic
"Owner" and no password) and/or they have Simple Sharing set identically.
So another way of approaching this on the misbehaving machine is to match
its settings with the computers that work.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

 

[Malke]

Thank you for the info.
So basically even if no password is set, and each machine has different
users, sharing will work ?.
It falls down if some machines have passwords set and others not, would
this be the correct conclusion.

There is never a time when *no* password is set. A "blank" password is a
null password - still a password.

Basic networking information - On a peer-to-peer network, called a
"Workgroup" in the Windows world, authentication (who is allowed access to
shared resources) is done locally. This means that since there is no
central server to provide authentication, it is done on each individual
computer. That's what "locally" means. Think of it like a bouncer at an
exclusive nightclub looking to see if the person who wants to get in is on
his list.

Computer A has users:

Bob (null password)
Jane (null password)
Bill (password = password)

Computer B has users:

Karen (null password)
Lisa (null password)
Robert (password = password)

If both computers are running XP Home or XP Pro with Guest enabled (not the
Guest you find in the User Accounts applet, the network Guest which is done
by enabling Simple File Sharing) and if you've set File/Printer Sharing to
allowed in your firewall, you'll be able to share files from the Public
directory on either machine. This is because you will be connecting as
Guest (all XP Home can do anyway).

If you have XP Pro with Simple File Sharing disabled because you want to be
able to set permissions/restrictions based on user account, you need to
create the matching user accounts/passwords on each machine in the absence
of a real server.

So now we would have both Computer A and Computer B with:

Bob (null password); Jane (null password); Bill (password = password); Karen
(null password); Lisa (null password); Robert (password = password).

You will now be able to share out whatever directories you wish on both
machines and assign access/read/write permissions to individual directories
and files.

In a small network with mixed operating systems, it is a matter of moments
to:

1. Set File/Printer Sharing to enabled in the firewall.
2. Create matching user accounts/passwords.
3. Disable Simple File Sharing on any XP Pro boxen.
4. Create shares as desired.

This way you don't need to mess around and your network will Just Work. If
you have a business network with 7 or more workstations, it is time to get
a server so you can manage everything centrally.

I hope this has helped.

Malke

 

[Roberto de Cornielle]

Malke
thanks - there's a lot of info to digest there, but this is the relevant
paragraph

If both computers are running XP Home or XP Pro with Guest enabled (not
the
Guest you find in the User Accounts applet, the network Guest which is
done
by enabling Simple File Sharing) and if you've set File/Printer Sharing to
allowed in your firewall, you'll be able to share files from the Public
directory on either machine. This is because you will be connecting as
Guest (all XP Home can do anyway).

I have checked and double checked the settings and all are as per above.
Yet machine "B" will not allow access to the public shared folder.

Machine A has one user account [ Philippe] with a null password
Machine B has one user account [ Jean Paul] with a null password
Machine C has one user account [ Alaine] with a null password

Machines A & C can share files from their respective public folders
with each other
Machines A &C's public folder can be accessed by machine B
Machine B will not allow any access from machines A & C to it's public
folder.
Machine B's icon appears in MNP on A & C.

NB: Machine B was originally setup for the user on machine A
[Philippe], but after creating the new user account [Jean Paul] I
deleted Philippe's account, could this be the root of the problem ?.

rgds
Roberto



\

 

[Malke]

Roberto de Cornielle wrote:

(snippage)

Machine B will not allow any access from machines A & C to it's
public folder.

Then something is set wrong on Machine B.

1. Create all three matching user accounts/passwords.

2. Make sure you aren't running two firewalls (including looking for a
"forgotten" one in a VPN if you use a VPN) and that Machine B's firewall
allows LAN traffic as trusted.

2a. If you are using a Norton or McAfee security product, uninstall it and
use a better antivirus such as NOD32 or even Avast (free) and the Windows
firewall instead. If you don't want to do this because you've paid for
Norton or McAfee, then disable the firewall part of it and use the Windows
Firewall instead.

3. Make sure all XP Pro/MCE boxen have Simple File Sharing disabled.

Malke

 

[Roberto de Cornielle]

Roberto de Cornielle wrote:

(snippage)


Then something is set wrong on Machine B.

Malke
had another look at the problem machine, and configured the firewall
to allow the whole range of IP addresses for that workgroup
[192.168.1.1 to 254]. Everyone is happy now - thanks for your generous
imput.

rgds
Roberto

 

[Malke]

Malke
had another look at the problem machine, and configured the firewall
to allow the whole range of IP addresses for that workgroup
[192.168.1.1 to 254]. Everyone is happy now - thanks for your generous
imput.

Glad you were able to get things sorted. Thanks for taking the time to let
me know.

Malke

 

[Roberto de Cornielle]

Malke
had another look at the problem machine, and configured the
firewall
to allow the whole range of IP addresses for that workgroup
[192.168.1.1 to 254]. Everyone is happy now - thanks for your
generous
imput.

Glad you were able to get things sorted. Thanks for taking the time to let
me know.

Malke

No worries, you do a terrific job in these forums ;-)

Roberto