Antivirus, firewall & drive mapping questions

[nobodys]

If I have three computers on a Win XP Pro SP2 network - A, B and C -
and the internet is connected to A, should I have an antivirus program
and firewall on B and C as well as A?

From one computer, if I want to "see" a certain folder on another
computer, should I do the mapping as:

//computer name/C/folder name
(do you have to have a colon after the C, by the way?)
or just
//computer name/folder name?

Am I correct in thinking that the folder should also be set as shared,
even though the root folder of the drive (i.e. the whole drive) is
shared?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

If I have three computers on a Win XP Pro SP2 network - A, B and C -
and the internet is connected to A, should I have an antivirus program
and firewall on B and C as well as A?

Every computer that connects to the Internet needs its own antivirus
program.

Computer A needs a firewall since it connects directly to the
Internet.

A firewall is optional on B and C. I recommend turning on SP2's
built-in Windows Firewall and enabling the exception for file sharing.

From one computer, if I want to "see" a certain folder on another
computer, should I do the mapping as:

//computer name/C/folder name
(do you have to have a colon after the C, by the way?)
or just
//computer name/folder name?

The only one that works is "\\computer name\share name".

Note that a folder's share name might be different than the folder's
name. You can specify the share name when you share the folder.

Am I correct in thinking that the folder should also be set as shared,
even though the root folder of the drive (i.e. the whole drive) is
shared?

If you share the whole drive, all the folders on the drive are
accessible.

However, to map a network drive (assign a drive letter) to a folder,
that specific folder has to be shared.

You can also access folders without mapping a network drive, either
through My Network Places or by typing one of these forms in the Start
| Run box:

\\computer
\\computer name\share name
--
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

 

[nobody]

Many thanks! You guys are great.

Every computer that connects to the Internet needs its own antivirus
program.

Computer A needs a firewall since it connects directly to the
Internet.

A firewall is optional on B and C. I recommend turning on SP2's
built-in Windows Firewall and enabling the exception for file sharing.


The only one that works is "\\computer name\share name".

Note that a folder's share name might be different than the folder's
name. You can specify the share name when you share the folder.


If you share the whole drive, all the folders on the drive are
accessible.

However, to map a network drive (assign a drive letter) to a folder,
that specific folder has to be shared.

You can also access folders without mapping a network drive, either
through My Network Places or by typing one of these forms in the Start
| Run box:

\\computer
\\computer name\share name

 

[nobody]

Many thanks - you guys are great!

Every computer that connects to the Internet needs its own antivirus
program.

Computer A needs a firewall since it connects directly to the
Internet.

A firewall is optional on B and C. I recommend turning on SP2's
built-in Windows Firewall and enabling the exception for file sharing.


The only one that works is "\\computer name\share name".

Note that a folder's share name might be different than the folder's
name. You can specify the share name when you share the folder.


If you share the whole drive, all the folders on the drive are
accessible.

However, to map a network drive (assign a drive letter) to a folder,
that specific folder has to be shared.

You can also access folders without mapping a network drive, either
through My Network Places or by typing one of these forms in the Start
| Run box:

\\computer
\\computer name\share name