We have a peer-to-peer network with most of the computers
running Windows XP. I need to be able to restrict access
to some of the shared folders on the network, so not all
the computers can access the same folders. Can you help
me do this? Any help is appreciated!
Have you tried using the Folder Sharing in Windows? To use it, try the following steps:
a) Right click on any folder that you want to share (By default, when you setup your network, none of the folders/drives on your computer is shared, unless
you explicitly setup otherwise.)
b) Select Sharing and Security.
c) Select Sharing tab in the dialog.
d) Select the option "Share this folder".
e) You can choose a different name for the share name. This can be useful to distinguish if there are several users and each has a "My Documents" folder.
So you can change it to something like "UserNameMyDocuments" (optional).
f) Choose permissions and select add permission. By default, you share is readable by everyone, you may want to disable it.
g) Set the required permissions. If you want the folder to be accessible on computer "abc", then you will enter "abc" in the name of the computer. You can
also use something like ComputerName\UserName.
h) Select OK and you are all set.
At the other user, at the Run prompt, enter \\YourComputerName\ShareName and you should be able to see the folder. Here is another pointer.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307874#4
Hope this helps.
Thanks.[/QUOTE]
Those steps should work fine on XP Professional, provided that you
enter the local computer name and user name, not the remote computer
name and user name, in step g). In a peer-to-peer network, where
there's no domain controller to maintain a central user account
database, permissions can only be set for local user accounts. The
user on the remote computer must log into that computer with a user
name and password that correspond to a user account on the local
computer. Ron Lowe and I have written a web page with full details:
Windows XP Professional File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm
However, those steps won't work at all on XP Home Edition, because
there's no "Permissions" button on the "Sharing" tab and there's no
way to specify permissions for user names.
Here are some ways to control access to shared folders in XP Home
Edition:
1. Create a hidden share and only tell selected people about it. I've
written a web page with details:
Windows XP Simple File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/filesharing.htm
2. Assign a password to the "Guest" account. When other people try
to access your computer, they'll be prompted to enter the password:
a. Click Start | Run.
b. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK.
c. Under "Users for this computer", click Guest.
d. Click Reset Password, enter a password, and click OK.
3. Create a compressed folder and define a password for it. Everyone
who accesses the folder, from the local computer or from the network,
must specify the password to access the files in the compressed
folder. This Microsoft Knowledge Base article has details:
HOW TO: Use Compressed (Zipped) Folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306531
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
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