HOW TO: share public folders w/o pword and other folders with pwor

[Eddie B]

i have 1 vista and 1 xp sp2 machine in a workgroup environment. how do i set
the vista machine to let the public folder and printer be shared thru the
guest user (no user/pword required, restricted by firewall to subnet only)
AND allow manually created shares to be accessed by thru a login/pword?

in other words, do i have to turn on "password protected sharing" to let
users access shares that require a login? i'm under the impression that i
have to do so, hence my question.

thanks

 

[Malke]

i have 1 vista and 1 xp sp2 machine in a workgroup environment. how do i set
the vista machine to let the public folder and printer be shared thru the
guest user (no user/pword required, restricted by firewall to subnet only)
AND allow manually created shares to be accessed by thru a login/pword?

in other words, do i have to turn on "password protected sharing" to let
users access shares that require a login? i'm under the impression that i
have to do so, hence my question.

You are correct in that you can't have it both ways. 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

 

[Eddie B]

this seems like a step back from the flexibility available in XP. i have a
hard time believing it can be true. am i using vista's version of XP's
"simple file sharing" w/o knowing so? is there a way to make it work like it
should (c'mon don't you agree this limitation is ridiculous?)

less important question, but i'm curious as to why you thought it was
relevant to add info on enabling autologon? i dont see the connection.

thanks

 

[Malke]

this seems like a step back from the flexibility available in XP. i have a
hard time believing it can be true. am i using vista's version of XP's
"simple file sharing" w/o knowing so? is there a way to make it work like it
should (c'mon don't you agree this limitation is ridiculous?)

less important question, but i'm curious as to why you thought it was
relevant to add info on enabling autologon? i dont see the connection.

XP works the same way as Vista in mixed OS networks. For ease of
networking, it is always preferable to simply add matching user accounts
and passwords. This is not an onerous task in a small peer-to-peer network.

I usually include the information about automatically logging in because
a great many people in home/small business environments are reluctant to
add more user accounts because they want to go directly to the Desktop.
Unless the poster has specified their desires (which you did not), it
saves time to just give the information. If it isn't applicable to you,
then you can ignore it of course.


Malke

 

[Eddie B]

that makes sense.

i'm guessing the user will have to login the first time in a session when he
wants to use the printer. that's an inconvenience because i wanted to share
the printer thru any guest in the subnet. i remember XP having guest users
use guest resources and resources that require auth be used only by those
with credentials.

thanks malke.

 

[Malke]

that makes sense.

i'm guessing the user will have to login the first time in a session when he
wants to use the printer. that's an inconvenience because i wanted to share
the printer thru any guest in the subnet. i remember XP having guest users
use guest resources and resources that require auth be used only by those
with credentials.

No, if you create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines
no request for authentication (logon box) will be required.
Authentication is always done locally in a Workgroup. IOW, when User
Eddie with password 1234 on Computer 1 "asks" for a shared resource
(file/folder/printer) on Computer 2, Computer 2 "sees" that User Eddie
with password 1234 exists on its own system and permits the connection.
This is why creating the matching user accounts/passwords makes for
seamless networking in a Workgroup.


Malke

 

[Eddie B]

i know that it will try to login with the current logged in user credentials,
but i need to clarify that the user who is using the XP/client machine is NOT
logged in as the user that exists in both machines. i dont think windows
automatically tries to login with every single one of the local accounts,
just the current user, right?

 

[Malke]

i know that it will try to login with the current logged in user credentials,
but i need to clarify that the user who is using the XP/client machine is NOT
logged in as the user that exists in both machines. i dont think windows
automatically tries to login with every single one of the local accounts,
just the current user, right?

No, you're still not getting it. You don't need to be logged into the
same user account on both machines for authentication to seamlessly
(without a logon box being presented) take place. The users just need to
exist. So, once again:

1. Computer 1 - UserEddie is logged on [password 1234]

2. Computer 2 - UserJane is logged on [password 5678]

3. Computer 1 has 3 user accounts (built-in Administrator, invisible in
Regular Mode in XP Home), UserEddie [password 1234] and UserJane
[password 5678].

4. Computer 2 has 3 user accounts (built-in Administrator, invisible in
Regular Mode in XP Home), UserEddie [password 1234] and UserJane
[password 5678].

When UserEddie [Computer 1] wants to print to the printer connected to
Computer 2 [UserJane currently logged in], all he has to do is print.
When UserEddie [Computer 1] wants to copy a file in a shared directory
on Computer 2 [UserJane currently logged in] to his own machine, he can
do so and will not be asked for authentication because he is an
authorized user on Computer 2. And vice versa.

I can't think of any way to make this clearer.


Malke

 

[Eddie B]

that is pretty damn clear, thank you. but i dont think you understood what i
am saying.

(simplified, admin user is not mentioned)

computer 1/Vista has 2 user/pword: eddie/xyz and play/abc
computer 2/XP has 2 user/pword: john/zyx and play/abc

play is never logged in on EITHER machine, hence "but i need to clarify that
the user who is using the XP/client machine is NOT logged in as the user that
exists in both machines."

i'm under the impression that user john on computer 2/XP will HAVE to enter
a password to use public resources on computer 1/Vista (such as printer and
public folder). turning on vista's password required does not allow password
protected sharing in ADDITION to guest sharing, it disables guest sharing and
every (first) time a shared resource is accessed a login is required. this is
a step back from XP, unless there is a way to work around it.

i don't want to create user john on computer 1/Vista. it has the user play
created exactly for sharing purposes. nor i want to make john login as play,
or even rename user john to play.

so back to my question:

A) i've mapped a network drive on comp 2, accessed using a diff login
(play), which (as mentioned above) exists on comp1, but i have to reenter the
login on every session. why doesnt comp2/XP REMEMBER the login for this
mapped drive?

B) is there a way to let my printer (and hopefully public folder) be shared
thru guest while other shares would require a login?

thanks






--
Eddie B

i know that it will try to login with the current logged in user credentials,
but i need to clarify that the user who is using the XP/client machine is NOT
logged in as the user that exists in both machines. i dont think windows
automatically tries to login with every single one of the local accounts,
just the current user, right?

No, you're still not getting it. You don't need to be logged into the
same user account on both machines for authentication to seamlessly
(without a logon box being presented) take place. The users just need to
exist. So, once again:

1. Computer 1 - UserEddie is logged on [password 1234]

2. Computer 2 - UserJane is logged on [password 5678]

3. Computer 1 has 3 user accounts (built-in Administrator, invisible in
Regular Mode in XP Home), UserEddie [password 1234] and UserJane
[password 5678].

4. Computer 2 has 3 user accounts (built-in Administrator, invisible in
Regular Mode in XP Home), UserEddie [password 1234] and UserJane
[password 5678].

When UserEddie [Computer 1] wants to print to the printer connected to
Computer 2 [UserJane currently logged in], all he has to do is print.
When UserEddie [Computer 1] wants to copy a file in a shared directory
on Computer 2 [UserJane currently logged in] to his own machine, he can
do so and will not be asked for authentication because he is an
authorized user on Computer 2. And vice versa.

I can't think of any way to make this clearer.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Malke]

computer 1/Vista has 2 user/pword: eddie/xyz and play/abc
computer 2/XP has 2 user/pword: john/zyx and play/abc

play is never logged in on EITHER machine, hence "but i need to clarify that
the user who is using the XP/client machine is NOT logged in as the user that
exists in both machines."

i'm under the impression that user john on computer 2/XP will HAVE to enter
a password to use public resources on computer 1/Vista (such as printer and
public folder). turning on vista's password required does not allow password
protected sharing in ADDITION to guest sharing, it disables guest sharing and
every (first) time a shared resource is accessed a login is required. this is
a step back from XP, unless there is a way to work around it.

i don't want to create user john on computer 1/Vista. it has the user play
created exactly for sharing purposes. nor i want to make john login as play,
or even rename user john to play.

so back to my question:

A) i've mapped a network drive on comp 2, accessed using a diff login
(play), which (as mentioned above) exists on comp1, but i have to reenter the
login on every session. why doesnt comp2/XP REMEMBER the login for this
mapped drive?

B) is there a way to let my printer (and hopefully public folder) be shared
thru guest while other shares would require a login?

You're quite right that I'm not following what you're trying to do. I'm
sure the fault lies with my being unable to visualize your aim. Since I
can't come over and take a look, I'll have to bow out and hopefully
someone more capable of understanding your needs will come along with
your answer.

Good luck, and sorry that I was unable to help you.


Malke

 

[Eddie B]

thanks malke. i'll start a new thread with specific questions