Network sharing of confidential files

[Nan]

With Windows XP Pro in a peer-to-peer workgroup (not
domain) network, how do I grant file sharing only to
specific network users? I need to allow the boss to view
and edit my confidential files, but they are nobody
else's business.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

How are you set up now? Is everyone using the same login name and password
on their own computers, or are they all using different ones (with all
accounts & passwords created identically on all computers)? If the latter,
this is pretty easy if you use NTFS - you can set the security on your
files/folders for the confidential data such that it isn't accessible to
anybody's but yours and the boss' account.

 

[Nan]

Every computer has its own user name: Nan, Marty, Cheryl,
etc; all are set up as Computer Administrator accounts.
All computers are only used by one person. Most of the
user accounts are not passworded, but mine and the boss'
are passworded.

So what do I do now?
And thank you in advance.

Nan

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I presume you mean every *user*, not every *computer*, has their own login?
In my opinion, everyone needs a password, as a matter of course.
I'd take the other accounts out of the local admin group on your computer.
Are you using NTFS already? If so, you should be able to control security by
looking at the properties of the folders in question - the security tab is
where you want to start.

 

[Nan]

-- All computers are NTFS
-- The only accounts in my local admin group are on my
personal hard drive. That's the problem.
-- I tried adding a network resource (my boss' computer)
to my admin group, but was given an invalid name response.
-- I am in a workgroup environment. Do I have to switch
to a simple domain environment to achieve specific-user-
only file access?

Nan

 

[Seeker]

Share the folder that you want the boss to see. Set permissions on it so
that only your admin account has permission to see/modify it, or also create
an additional account on your computer for the boss and give that account
permission as well.

Go to the boss' computer, and map a drive to the share on your computer
(right click on the 'My computer' icon). Use the option 'connect using a
different user'; enter your admin ID & password, making sure you use the
format computer\username for the user, where the computername is the name of
your computer, not the boss'.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

-- All computers are NTFS

Good. You can create a group on your computer and add the relevant local
users to it, and make sure that only that group and the local administrator
& system accounts have NTFS permissions to the folder/share.

-- The only accounts in my local admin group are on my
personal hard drive. That's the problem.

You need to create everyone's user account and password identically on all
computers (one of the downsides of peer to peer networking)

-- I tried adding a network resource (my boss' computer)
to my admin group, but was given an invalid name response.

Make sure his login name/pwd exist on your computer and add his local
account to the group you wish.

-- I am in a workgroup environment. Do I have to switch
to a simple domain environment to achieve specific-user-
only file access?

No, but it's more of a pain in the ____. I am not all that fond of peer to
peer networks, but you're in a small shop and may not be able to justify
AD....