Password on Network

[Mike]

Hi,

I have two Win XP SP2 computers on a network set up via a router which is
fed a DSL connection.

I changed the network default name to something else than 'WORKGROUP'.

So the computers are visible to each other but when I try to access either
one of them, none asks me for a username and password. How come?

I would like to protect the access to each computer from the other one on my
network with a password.

Please help.

 

[Guest]

You can either setup another account on each computer (Control Panel\User
accounts) or just go into the User accounts (in Control Panel) and assign the
administrator user (I assume that is the only one there) a password. You
should now be prompted for a password to login
L

 

[Mike]

Hi,

Thank you for your help!
One of the two computers had a password protected admin account. The second
didn't though, so I just did as you advised.
How can I get the one that has a password on to prompt me for it when I try
to access it via the network?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Hi,

I have two Win XP SP2 computers on a network set up via a router which is
fed a DSL connection.

I changed the network default name to something else than 'WORKGROUP'.

So the computers are visible to each other but when I try to access either
one of them, none asks me for a username and password. How come?

I would like to protect the access to each computer from the other one on my
network with a password.

Please help.

Workgroups in a Windows network don't provide any type of security or
access control. A network can have multiple workgroups, and a
computer in any workgroup can freely access a computer in any other
workgroup.

If the computers run Windows XP Home Edition, it's easy to do what you
want by assigning a network password to the Guest account on each
computer. When anyone tries to access the computer, it will prompt to
enter the password:

1. Click Start | Run.
2. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK.
3. Under "Users for this computer", click Guest.
4. Click Reset Password
5. Enter a password.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Mike]

Hi Steve,

I am running two machines and each has XP Pro SP2. What am I to do if I need
the two machines to communicate via the router to share files but still need
to have each machine protected by a password when accessed via the router?


Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Hi Steve,

I am running two machines and each has XP Pro SP2. What am I to do if I need
the two machines to communicate via the router to share files but still need
to have each machine protected by a password when accessed via the router?

Thank you in advance for your help.

You're welcome, Mike. By default, XP Pro works the same as XP Home,
and you can define a Guest account password to control access.

If you've explicitly disabled simple file sharing on XP Pro, you can
use its much more powerful access control methods, which are described
here:

Windows XP Professional File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com