Anonymous Logon, WinXP Pro, SP2

[Strategic Theory]

I have two computers composing a workgroup and connected to the
Internet through a wireless router.

Both computers use Windows XP Professional and Service Pack 2. It is
necessary for me to use classic networking on one and simple
networking on the other.

For the one with classic networking:
I want to allow anonymous logon. I want my other computer or anyone
else using my router to be able to see what files and folders I have
shared. I do not want them to be prompted for a user name and
password. If they must be prompted, I do not want them to have to
enter anything. Once a user is logged on, I want the available folders
to be controlled by permissions. Some would be available to the
anonymous user. Others would be available only to someone logged on
with a username and password.

I think that a Guest account might be necessary. If not, I would
prefer not to use it, but will if I must. This is because I like my
computer to boot to my desktop, which it would do only if I have only
one active account.

I guess the most important thing to establish first is how to get the
anonymous user able to see which shares I have available. Please
explain how I can do this.

 

[Malke]

I have two computers composing a workgroup and connected to the
Internet through a wireless router.

Both computers use Windows XP Professional and Service Pack 2. It is
necessary for me to use classic networking on one and simple
networking on the other.

For the one with classic networking:
I want to allow anonymous logon. I want my other computer or anyone
else using my router to be able to see what files and folders I have
shared. I do not want them to be prompted for a user name and
password. If they must be prompted, I do not want them to have to
enter anything. Once a user is logged on, I want the available folders
to be controlled by permissions. Some would be available to the
anonymous user. Others would be available only to someone logged on
with a username and password.

I think that a Guest account might be necessary. If not, I would
prefer not to use it, but will if I must. This is because I like my
computer to boot to my desktop, which it would do only if I have only
one active account.

I guess the most important thing to establish first is how to get the
anonymous user able to see which shares I have available. Please
explain how I can do this.

If I understand you correctly, I think what you want to do is create a
new user *group* and not use the Guest account. Let's say the new group
is called "Friends". Now you can set permissions on files/folders to
allow or disallow the Friends group read or write access as you wish.

This has nothing to do with networking, and everything to do with
creating user groups and setting permissions, something you can do very
well in XP Pro.

Malke

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have two computers composing a workgroup and connected to the
Internet through a wireless router.

Both computers use Windows XP Professional and Service Pack 2. It is
necessary for me to use classic networking on one and simple
networking on the other.

For the one with classic networking:
I want to allow anonymous logon. I want my other computer or anyone
else using my router to be able to see what files and folders I have
shared. I do not want them to be prompted for a user name and
password. If they must be prompted, I do not want them to have to
enter anything. Once a user is logged on, I want the available folders
to be controlled by permissions. Some would be available to the
anonymous user. Others would be available only to someone logged on
with a username and password.

I think that a Guest account might be necessary. If not, I would
prefer not to use it, but will if I must. This is because I like my
computer to boot to my desktop, which it would do only if I have only
one active account.

I guess the most important thing to establish first is how to get the
anonymous user able to see which shares I have available. Please
explain how I can do this.

When you say "classic networking" do you mean that you've disabled
simple file sharing on XP Professional? If so, I don't think that
it's possible to do what you want. With simple file sharing disabled,
network access requests are validated against accounts defined on the
computer being accessed. No match = No access.

You can configure XP Pro to allow network access by someone logged a
specific account (including "Guest") at another computer. But there's
no such thing as anonymous access.
--
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

 

[Strategic Theory]

Yes, by classic networking, I mean that I disabled simple file sharing
on Windows XP Professional.

What is it about simple file sharing that allows anonymous access?
That is, what procedure and account does it use?

 

[Strategic Theory]

If I understand correctly, you are suggesting that I create the new
group and populate it with accounts for people I would like to allow
to logon?

That would allow me to control who has access to what folder, which is
important. But I do not understand how it would allow me to let
someone see what folders I have shared without supplying a username
and password.

Is there a place where I can set permissions that would tell WindowsXP
who can see what folders I am sharing?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

When you say "classic networking" do you mean that you've disabled
simple file sharing on XP Professional? If so, I don't think that
it's possible to do what you want. With simple file sharing disabled,
network access requests are validated against accounts defined on the
computer being accessed. No match = No access.

You can configure XP Pro to allow network access by someone logged a
specific account (including "Guest") at another computer. But there's
no such thing as anonymous access.

Yes, by classic networking, I mean that I disabled simple file sharing
on Windows XP Professional.

What is it about simple file sharing that allows anonymous access?
That is, what procedure and account does it use?[/QUOTE]

There's really no such thing as anonymous access to XP over a network.
For XP to grant access, the requesting user must have an account
defined on the XP computer. This is true for Home and Pro, and for
simple file sharing enabled and disabled.

If simple file sharing is enabled, XP forces all access requests to
appear to come from the Guest account, regardless of the requesting
user's actual account.

If the Guest account is disabled for network access, the request is
denied.

If the Guest account is enabled for network access and the Guest
account doesn't have a network password, the request is granted.

If the Guest account is enabled for network access and the Guest
account has a network password, XP prompts the user to enter the Guest
account password.

This command disables network access:

net user guest /active:no

This command enables network access:

net user guest /active:yes

To define or remove a network password for the Guest account:

1. Click Start | Run.
2. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK:
3. Click Guest.
4. Click "Reset Password"

Note that enabling or disabling the Guest account in Control Panel |
User Accounts has no effect on network access. It only determines
whether someone can log in as Guest at the local keyboard.
--
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