Filezilla client/server for selective access to files on LAN (XP Home)

[spoon2001]

Problem: I've got XP Home. I want to be able to access files on my desktop
from my laptop, without having those files accessible to other users on the
network. So far as I know, this isn't possible with XP Home simple file
sharing.

Someone suggested using Filezilla for this. I installed FileZilla Server on
desktop, FileZilla Client on laptop. After a lot of trial and error, I
finally got it working right by adding "Filezilla Server" (not Filezilla
Server Interface) as one of the "Exceptions" in Windows Firewall running on
the desktop. On the desktop, in FileZilla Server I set up a FTP user
account, with an account name and password. I set up this account to have
complete access to the root directory of the desktop. Then, from the
laptop, using Filezilla Client, I log onto Filezilla Server on the desktop,
using the "internal" desktop IP, and the login and password I set up on
Filezilla Server. Voila, I have complete access through FTP to the entire
hard drive on my desktop, even to folders that are not "shared" for purposes
of XP Home Networking.

In Filezilla Client, you can right-click on a file on the remote directory
and click "Edit / View". Unfortunately to do this, you have to manually
enter "custom file associations" in Filezilla Client options dialog. That
seems a bit strange - I wonder why the Windows file associations (e.g. for
JPEG files, MP3, etc.) on the client computer aren't used automatically.

 

[Adam Piggott]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Problem: I've got XP Home. I want to be able to access files on my desktop
from my laptop, without having those files accessible to other users on the
network. So far as I know, this isn't possible with XP Home simple file
sharing.

It may be - there is a way to get the Security dialogue back into a
file/folder's properties and you could set the security permissions to only
a particular user.

Using FTP will speed up file transfers though, as well as the fact that I'm
pretty sure with XP Home and file sharing it's either no-one has access or
password-less access to everyone is allowed. Yum.

In Filezilla Client, you can right-click on a file on the remote directory
and click "Edit / View". Unfortunately to do this, you have to manually
enter "custom file associations" in Filezilla Client options dialog. That
seems a bit strange - I wonder why the Windows file associations (e.g. for
JPEG files, MP3, etc.) on the client computer aren't used automatically.

Maybe the FileZilla team haven't got round to querying Windows for
registered file types and their programs. You should be able to use
Explorer / Internet Explorer to browse FTP sites, including the one you've
set up. You'd need to navigate to ftp://10.0.0.1 depending on the IP
address of the server.

I would also double-check that where you have set a Windows Firewall
exception that it is set to "My Subnet" or even better the IP address of
the other machine. You'd not be happy if you found out it let Internet
users in!

HTH
- --
Adam Piggott, Proprietor, Proactive Services (Computing).
http://www.proactiveservices.co.uk/

Please replace dot invalid with dot uk to email me.
Apply personally for PGP public key.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (MingW32)

iD4DBQFDSpWi7uRVdtPsXDkRAkCqAJdvFvtQhKjai3tXB80WTfnl8Cc8AJ9EcAeH
NEU7GF4fALsYo/HAszG3Ow==
=Iw6i
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

 

[spoon2001]

Hi Adam,

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1


It may be - there is a way to get the Security dialogue back into a
file/folder's properties and you could set the security permissions
to only a particular user.

I'd like to learn that trick!

Using FTP will speed up file transfers though, as well as the fact
that I'm pretty sure with XP Home and file sharing it's either no-one
has access or password-less access to everyone is allowed. Yum.

Yes, the FTP transfers are very fast, I've noticed.

Maybe the FileZilla team haven't got round to querying Windows for
registered file types and their programs. You should be able to use
Explorer / Internet Explorer to browse FTP sites, including the one
you've set up. You'd need to navigate to ftp://10.0.0.1 depending on
the IP address of the server.

Great idea. I WAS able to use Windows Explorer and xplorer2 to browse my
desktop using FTP. When I double-clicked on an MP3 file, it loaded in
Windows Media Player. But when I clicked on a JPG, it loaded into Internet
Explorer, not the associated program (Irfanview). A TXT file also loaded
into IE rather than Notepad. Hmmm.

I would also double-check that where you have set a Windows Firewall
exception that it is set to "My Subnet" or even better the IP address
of the other machine. You'd not be happy if you found out it let
Internet users in!

Excellent advice. I checked Windows Firewall Exception and indeed the scope
was set to "any computer" - and I reset that to "my subnet".

HTH

It sure did - thanks for the great tips.

 

[Adam Piggott]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

I'd like to learn that trick!

I've got a program that shows the security tab, thought I had it lurking
somewhere. I'd post the original URL if I could find it; if you email me I
can send it over (41K). I haven't had the chance to use it (don't often use
XP Home) so YMMV.

Great idea. I WAS able to use Windows Explorer and xplorer2 to browse my
desktop using FTP. When I double-clicked on an MP3 file, it loaded in
Windows Media Player. But when I clicked on a JPG, it loaded into Internet
Explorer, not the associated program (Irfanview). A TXT file also loaded
into IE rather than Notepad. Hmmm.

Yeah, the problem being if you had a web page with a link to a JPG file,
you'd expect IE to open it, as the web browser. This is the same for FTP
sites. Can't say I can think of an easy solution that still uses the FTP
server idea.

Excellent advice. I checked Windows Firewall Exception and indeed the scope
was set to "any computer" - and I reset that to "my subnet".

Trustworthy Computing: Assume any server wants to be publicly accessable!

- --
Adam Piggott, Proprietor, Proactive Services (Computing).
http://www.proactiveservices.co.uk/

Please replace dot invalid with dot uk to email me.
Apply personally for PGP public key.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (MingW32)

iD8DBQFDS64G7uRVdtPsXDkRAnkcAJ9VZNsguDKTD8Nsc2zbZ9KfzQGAAwCfd1KX
6hD58BN2zC3Egy6Jr9NDLjk=
=BZag
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----