Workgroup Home Network Security

[brucemdrla]

Hello,

My home network is of the Workgroup type. I have three XP Pro
machines, one MCE and one Vista.

All are networked together fine. For any individual directory, if I
set access to "everyone" I can access the directory from any of the
other computers on the network.

I am concerned, however, about security. I have a wireless network
and, though it does have WPK security enabled, I am still concerned
that someone can access the network and then access one or more of the
PCs.

Is there a way that I can set access permissions to specific computers
or users rather than "everyone?" My goal is that I can access the
directories and files on any computer from any computer (via Windows
Explorer) but nobody else can do so.

I looked at creating users but it seems that I can only create users
that are on each machine locally when what I need to be able to do is
have non-local access.

Please help.

Thanks.

Bruce

 

[Steve Winograd]

Hello,

My home network is of the Workgroup type. I have three XP Pro
machines, one MCE and one Vista.

All are networked together fine. For any individual directory, if I
set access to "everyone" I can access the directory from any of the
other computers on the network.

I am concerned, however, about security. I have a wireless network
and, though it does have WPK security enabled, I am still concerned
that someone can access the network and then access one or more of the
PCs.

Is there a way that I can set access permissions to specific computers
or users rather than "everyone?" My goal is that I can access the
directories and files on any computer from any computer (via Windows
Explorer) but nobody else can do so.

I looked at creating users but it seems that I can only create users
that are on each machine locally when what I need to be able to do is
have non-local access.

Please help.

Thanks.

Bruce

Create local users on each machine and assign share permissions to
those users. When you log onto a machine over the network, the
permissions that you set up for the local user will apply to the
matching user on the network. Ron Lowe and I have written a web page
with details:

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

 

[Kenneth]

Create local users on each machine and assign share permissions to
those users.  When you log onto a machine over the network, the
permissions that you set up for the local user will apply to the
matching user on the network.  Ron Lowe and I have written a web page
with details:

Windows XP Professional File Sharinghttp://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 Programhttp://mvp.support.microsoft.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'm also having trouble with this issue. I have a laptop and a desktop
on a home workgroup and both have XP Professional loaded. Both
machines can see each other fine. When logged into both computers
under my name, which is an administrator on each machine, I cannot
browse the My Documents folder on the desktop from the laptop. It
keeps telling me I don't have access, but I clearly do under the share
permissions and NTFS permissions. It will work if I add the Everyone,
Network or another loose permission, but it won't work with my name. I
really don't want to use a low security group like Everyone or
Network. I wonder if it has something to do with using a workgroup
because it works like a dream with a domain. Workgroups are such a
pain. Any help would be great. Thanks!

 

[Steve Winograd]

I'm also having trouble with this issue. I have a laptop and a desktop
on a home workgroup and both have XP Professional loaded. Both
machines can see each other fine. When logged into both computers
under my name, which is an administrator on each machine, I cannot
browse the My Documents folder on the desktop from the laptop. It
keeps telling me I don't have access, but I clearly do under the share
permissions and NTFS permissions. It will work if I add the Everyone,
Network or another loose permission, but it won't work with my name. I
really don't want to use a low security group like Everyone or
Network. I wonder if it has something to do with using a workgroup
because it works like a dream with a domain. Workgroups are such a
pain. Any help would be great. Thanks!

To enable access to My Documents over the network, disable simple file
sharing on XP Pro.
--
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

 

[Kenneth]

To enable access to My Documents over the network, disable simple file
sharing on XP Pro.
--
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 Programhttp://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve,
Thanks for your reply. However, I already had simple file sharing
disabled on both my desktop and my laptop. As I mentioned above, I'm
not sure what permissions to allow that will still maintain network
security. I don't want to add the "Everyone" or "Network" permissions
because neither of these are secure. What permissions or security
groups do you suggest using?

 

[Steve Winograd]

Steve,
Thanks for your reply. However, I already had simple file sharing
disabled on both my desktop and my laptop. As I mentioned above, I'm
not sure what permissions to allow that will still maintain network
security. I don't want to add the "Everyone" or "Network" permissions
because neither of these are secure. What permissions or security
groups do you suggest using?

If My Documents is now shared, un-share and re-share it. Then, add
access permission for specific user account(s) and remove access
permission from the "Everyone" group. Ron Lowe and I have written a
web page with details:

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

 

[Kenneth]

If My Documents is now shared, un-share and re-share it.  Then, add
access permission for specific user account(s) and remove access
permission from the "Everyone" group.  Ron Lowe and I have written a
web page with details:

Windows XP Professional File Sharinghttp://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 Programhttp://mvp.support.microsoft.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Steve,
I followed your link the first time you posted it above and it did not
work, but I will try it again.

 

[Kenneth]

Steve,
I followed your link the first time you posted it above and it did not
work, but I will try it again.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sorry, that was not clear. The link worked fine. After going through
the process listed on that webpage, that still did not solve my
problem. I will go back and try the process again.