new to home networking

[geoff]

I just got a new laptop and a wireless router. My desktop is
connected (via cable) directly to the router and my laptop uses a
wireless card to connect to the internet. I was hoping I could
network my desktop and my laptop, but I can't seem to get them to see
each other. I'm running xp pro on both machines and I've run the
network setup program on the desktop machine. I tried to right click
a folder on each machine and share it, but it doesn't have an option
to set a password, so how is that secure? How do I get the computers
to see each other and securely share folders? Thanks.

 

[Chuck]

I just got a new laptop and a wireless router. My desktop is
connected (via cable) directly to the router and my laptop uses a
wireless card to connect to the internet. I was hoping I could
network my desktop and my laptop, but I can't seem to get them to see
each other. I'm running xp pro on both machines and I've run the
network setup program on the desktop machine. I tried to right click
a folder on each machine and share it, but it doesn't have an option
to set a password, so how is that secure? How do I get the computers
to see each other and securely share folders? Thanks.

Geoff,

Windows XP doesn't use mere password protection on its shared folders - it lets
you set Access Control Lists. Here's a Microsoft document that explains all of
it:
<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...db-aef8-4bef-925e-7ac9be791028&DisplayLang=en>.

On both XP Pro computers, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control Panel -
Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or disabled. With XP Pro,
you need to have the SFS settings properly set on each computer.

With XP Pro, if SFS is disabled, check the Local Security Policy (Control Panel
- Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security Options, look at
"Network access: Sharing and security model", and ensure it's set to "Classic -
local users authenticate as themselves".

With XP Pro, if you set the Local Security Policy to "Guest only", make sure
that the Guest account is enabled, and has an identical, non-blank, password on
all computers. If "Classic", setup and use a common account with identical,
non-blank, password on all computers.

For XP Pro with Simple File Sharing enabled, make sure that the Guest account is
enabled, on each computer.

Do any of the computers have a software firewall (ICF or third party)? If so,
you need to configure them for file sharing, by opening ports TCP 139, 445 and
UDP 137, 138, 445, and / or by identifying the other computers as present in the
Local (Trusted) zone. Firewall configurations are a very common cause of
(network) browser, and file sharing, problems.

And Geoff, please don't contribute to the spread and success of email address
mining viruses. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself a
bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - never post your address unmunged.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[geoff]

Chuck, thanks for the tips. I have set up both computers to use the
Classic security. You mentioned ...

If "Classic", setup and use a common account with identical,
non-blank, password on all computers.

How do I do this? Also, do I need to do anything with the guest
account and if so, how?

Finally, I believe my router has a built in firewall and I'm also
running zone alarm. How do I open the ports I need? Thanks again for
your help.

Geoff

 

[geoff]

Chuck, thanks for the tips. I've changed the network access to
classic. You said...

If "Classic", setup and use a common account with identical,
non-blank, password on all computers.

.... how do I do this? And since I'm using Classic, do I need to do
anything with the Guest account? If so, again, how? Thanks again for
your help!

Oh yeah, I believe the router has a built in firewall and I'm also
running zone alarm on each pc. How do I enable the ports you talked
about?

 

[Chuck]

Chuck, thanks for the tips. I have set up both computers to use the
Classic security. You mentioned ...

If "Classic", setup and use a common account with identical,
non-blank, password on all computers.

How do I do this? Also, do I need to do anything with the guest
account and if so, how?

Finally, I believe my router has a built in firewall and I'm also
running zone alarm. How do I open the ports I need? Thanks again for
your help.

Geoff

Geoff,

With Windows XP Pro, you can add accounts, and assign passwords, either thru
Control Panel - User Accounts, or Start - Run - "lusrmgr.msc". Just be sure to
use an identical, non-blank password on both computers.

Once you have your new account working, it's a very good idea to disable the
Guest account, using lusrmgr.msc (only) (do not disable thru Control Panel).
Guest is a trivial (well known) account, and can be useful to any intruders if
not disabled.

You don not want to open ports in your router - the router prevents your file
sharing from leaking onto the internet.

With Zone Alarm V5 (YMMV if other version) you go to Firewall - Zones - Add. Is
this a wired or wireless network? If wired, you're safe adding your entire
subnet - if it's a wireless router then please use fixed ip addresses, and enter
individual ip addresses into the Trusted Zone.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[geoff]

Thanks Chuck. That worked perfectly. You da man!

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Chuck. That worked perfectly. You da man!

Thanks for the feedback, Geoff!

Please munge.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.