[[Forwarded to WinXP Networking newsgroup via crosspost]]

Marcy wrote:
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PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
Show quoteHide quoteIf you have set up a local network (LAN) and use it to share files and
other resources (one of the main reasons for having a LAN), then anyone
connected to the LAN can *potentially* share those resources.

There are several things you can do to prevent guests from accessing
files on the LAN computers while still permitting guests to access the
LAN solely in order to get to the Internet.

1.  (For the Windows computers): Make sure that the disks on the
computers use NTFS (they probably do) and configure account passwords.
On each of the computers that you *want* to be able to share files and
printers, create matching user accounts and passwords. You do not
need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the
passwords assigned to each user account can be different; the
accounts/passwords just need to exist and match on all machines. If your
guests do not have the account(s)/password(s) they won't be able to
access the files. If one or more of your computers is XP Pro or Media
Center, turn off Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab).  For
more detail, see MVP Malke's advice below.

2.  (For the Windows computers): If you *don't* want to share files and
printers between any of the computers, disable "File and Printer
Sharing": Open Windows Firewall. On the Exceptions tab, clear the File
and Printer Sharing check box. If you're using a firewall other than
Windows Firewall, configure it appropriately.

3.  Create a segregated "guest-only" network.  This will require a
second router.  See http://ezlan.net/shield.html

******************
MVP Malke's standard advice on getting file sharing to work in XP:

For XP, start by running the Network Setup Wizard on all machines (see
caveat in Item A below).

Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally
caused by 1) a misconfigured firewall or overlooked firewall (including
a stateful firewall in a VPN); or 2) inadvertently running two firewalls
such as the built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party firewall; and/or
3) not having identical user accounts and passwords on all Workgroup
machines; 4) trying to create shares where the operating system does not
permit it.

A. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network
(LAN) traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing
File/Printer Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network
Setup Wizard on XP will take care of this for those machines.The only
"gotcha" is that this will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you
aren't running a third-party firewall or have an antivirus with
"Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2006/07) which acts as a
firewall, then you're fine.  With third-party firewalls,  I usually
configure the LAN allowance with an IP range. Ex. would be
192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you would substitute your correct
subnet. Do not run more than one firewall. DO NOT TURN OFF FIREWALLS;
CONFIGURE THEM CORRECTLY.

B. For ease of organization, put all computers in the same Workgroup.
This is done from the System applet in Control Panel, Computer Name tab.

C. Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do
not need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the
passwords assigned to each user account can be different; the
accounts/passwords just need to exist and match on all machines. DO NOT
NEGLECT TO CREATE PASSWORDS, EVEN IF ONLY SIMPLE ONES. If you wish a
machine to boot directly to the Desktop (into one particular user's
account) for convenience, you can do this. The instructions at this link
work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

D. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab).

E. Create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users'
home directories or Program Files, but you can share folders inside
those directories. A better choice is to simply use the Shared Documents
folder. See the first link above for details about Vista sharing.

F. After you have file sharing working (and have tested this by
exchanging a file between all machines), if you want to share a printer
connected locally to one of your computers, share it out from that
machine. Then go to the printer mftr.'s website and download the latest
drivers for the correct operating system(s). Install them on the target
machine(s). The printer should be seen during the installation routine.
If it is not, install the drivers and then use the Add Printer Wizard.
In some instances, certain printers need to be installed as Local
printers but that is outside of this response.

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