Network needs to bypass Password for Printing

[Michael Mar.]

Hello,

I managed to set up a password on a Windows XP Home Edition network by
adding a password to the guest account on each computer. Now when I try to
connect to another computer, it prompts for a password, unless you're logged
into a user account with a matching password.

Sucess.

However, I want to be able to print to the diffirent computers, without
having to give out this password. Otherwise, there would be no purpose in
giving out the password.

Any ideas?

I was thinking maybe I could delete the guest account on a computer, and
then give permissions to individual user accounts...This might be a risky
thing to do though.

 

[Guest]

Because of the way authentication works, if the client has already supplied a
password to access a resource on the computer, there should not be any need
to repeat the password for printing. Therefore just make sure the client
connects to a file-share before printing.

I don't know of any way to make printers available to unauthenticated users
(other than of course having no guest password, which is very insecure)
Anyone else know of one?

The other (much preferred) option is to use printserver-boxes or
network-aware printers. These generally use the LPR protocol which works
independently of computer-logons.

 

[Chuck]

Hello,

I managed to set up a password on a Windows XP Home Edition network by
adding a password to the guest account on each computer. Now when I try to
connect to another computer, it prompts for a password, unless you're logged
into a user account with a matching password.

Sucess.

However, I want to be able to print to the diffirent computers, without
having to give out this password. Otherwise, there would be no purpose in
giving out the password.

Any ideas?

I was thinking maybe I could delete the guest account on a computer, and
then give permissions to individual user accounts...This might be a risky
thing to do though.

Michael,

If you have different computers, and you setup an identical (Guest or non-Guest)
account on each, you need to synchronise the password on each. Having a
different password for the same account on each different computer makes for
confusion. As you're seeing.

And having a network with multiple computers running XP Home, or running XP Pro
with Simple File Sharing, makes no sense if you don't trust each person using
any computer equally. Simple File Sharing is not a concept with many choices -
you either share something, or you don't. If you do share something, everybody
has access. If you don't trust everybody, either don't share it, or don't use
Simple File Sharing.

With XP Home, and with XP Pro with SFS, all sharing of network resources is
given to the Guest account. Period. You can setup individual accounts, but
they won't help across the network.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html

 

[Michael Mar.]

How can I log into another computer using a non-guest account?

In Windows XP Home, this is only doable by using Safe Mode. I'd rather not
have to run safe mode on these computers all the time.

 

[Chuck]

How can I log into another computer using a non-guest account?

In Windows XP Home, this is only doable by using Safe Mode. I'd rather not
have to run safe mode on these computers all the time.

Michael,

You add non-Guest accounts on each computer, for local login, thru the Control
Panel. For accessing other computers on the network, though, you'll end up
using Guest. It's simplest to assign a null password to Guest on each computer.
Non-Guest accounts have no use in network access, in Simple File Sharing.

Michael, I assure you that you can (and should) login locally with non-Guest
accounts. Are you using the Logon Welcome screen? If so, each non-Guest
account will appear (with chosen picture). If you're not using the Welcome
screen, you'll type the account and password to login.

Regardless, when you access any resource thru the network, you'll access as
Guest. And that's after the Guest account has been properly activated, on any
computer providing a resource, such as a shared printer.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Activate>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Activate

And please reply to my posts, and type your answers (and questions) after my
posts. This will help both of us.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html#TopPosting>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html#TopPosting

 

[Michael Mar.]

Is there a way to make the computer only log into the printer, but not
anything else?

Can I somehow route the printer through the network server computer without
directly connecting it. The server is the only computer with no password on
it, and since it barely ever reboots, I can easily connect it to the
printers.

Maybe there's a tweak program?

Anyone know if Vista will allow simple file sharing to be disabled?

Thanks,


Michael

 

[Chuck]

Is there a way to make the computer only log into the printer, but not
anything else?

Can I somehow route the printer through the network server computer without
directly connecting it. The server is the only computer with no password on
it, and since it barely ever reboots, I can easily connect it to the
printers.

Maybe there's a tweak program?

Anyone know if Vista will allow simple file sharing to be disabled?

Michael,

If you have Windows XP Home, and a server has multiple shared resources
(printers / folders), all shared resources will be available to all users on the
network. Simple File Sharing is that simple. If your computer runs XP Home,
and you want to share its resources, and you connect it to a network, everybody
on that network will be able to access the shared resources.

If you have a folder that you don't want to be accessible to everybody, don't
share it. That's the only choice that you have. If that's a problem, you need
to upgrade to XP Pro, and disable Simple File Sharing.

Now if you want to share the printer, you could get a self contained printer
server, and connect the printer to it. Depending upon the printer server, and
the printer, this could work. You would have to install new drivers, or
shortcuts, on all computers, to point to the printer server.

 

[Richard G. Harper]

There's no way to make the printer available as a network share without SOME
device being responsible for access to it. If the printer has a network
card embedded in it you can use TCP/IP printing, otherwise you simply cannot
do what you wish.

And since Vista hasn't even reached its second beta yet, no one can say with
any certainty what it will or will not do. But I can just about guarantee
that it won't allow access as you want it to.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
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