Advanced Folder Sharing

[YueHong]

Hi,

I am using windows 7 and I have all the PCs connected with homegroup network setting. How can I able to share some folder with certain people only on the homegroup network?


Thanks.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Right click on folder, choose share with homegroup

 

[pcunite]

Do this on each computer ...

• Create a username account ... say Dad, Mom, Brother, etc ... Give them all the same password on each machine and set the password to not expire.
  
• Next go to Control Panel / Folder Options / View and uncheck "Use Sharing Wizard"

Now, on the main machine, or whichever, create a new folder on the C: drive. Right click and choose "Properties" then "Sharing" tab. Share the folder and add each of the user's you wish to have permissions. Also do this on the Security tab if necessary.

 

[YueHong]

On the PC I want to share folder, I created a new user account called 'netuser' with password protected. Then, I go to the folder I want to share and right click. Go properties from popup menu. On sharing tab, I clicked 'Advanced sharing', and then 'permissions'. I added in 'netuser' to be able to read the files, all the other user is removed from the list.

But why is that when I tried to access the folder from other PC, it doesn't popup credentials input dialog, but saying "You don't have permission to access."

What should I do to make it works the way I wanted? Thanks.

 

[kbp]

You add all users you want to share that folder with. Any folder that do not have that user shared can not see that folder.

 

[YueHong]

You add all users you want to share that folder with. Any folder that do not have that user shared can not see that folder.

But how can I add user from another PC? From what I know, all I can do is create a new password protected user account on local and assign the share to that user. People from other PC access the folder will have to log in that user.

How can I have it work? Thanks.

 

[Fardringle]

On the computer that is sharing the folder(s), create a user name and password that match the user name and password that is being used on the computer that will be accessing the shared files. Add that user name to the permissions list for the shared folder, then the user on the other computer will be able access the shared files.

For example, PC1 has a folder named "Movies" that will be shared.
PC2 logs in with the user name "Bob".
Create a user account on PC1 with the name "Bob" and the same password that "Bob" uses to log in to PC2.
On PC1, give "Bob" permission to the shared "Movies" folder.
PC2 will now be able to access the shared folder on PC1.

 

[YueHong]

I have tried, but it still doesn't work...

I tried with 2 PC log-in with same username and password, but still can't access the folder.

 

[ch33zw1z]

What OS are the other computers running? Win 7?

How are you trying to access the share from the clients?

Try this, assuming clients are Windows: Start > Right click on Computer > Map network drive > \\pc name of sharing pc\share (note: this all is your own info) >

Here's an example:

Choose a drive letter

Choose the box "Connect using different credentials" and you will get a box prompting a username/password.

Also, if you want to connect with the same user accounts as previously mentioned, then on PC1 you may need to login to that account before PC2 will connect.

 

[YueHong]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your reply. All PCs are running Win 7 and connected with same homegroup. I would like to share a folder which will be accessed by some PCs, not all of them. It would be nice if not need to do changes (like create user account) on client PC.

I have tried with your advice, but it still doesn't work.

Here is what I have done on host PC.

The 'netuser' is the new user with password protected that I create it for the purpose of this.

Is there anything I done wrong?

 

[Fardringle]

If the client PCs are not logging in with the user name 'netuser' then this will not work unless you manually map a network drive as ch33zw1z said, and click the "Connect using different credentials" option and then manually type in the 'netuser' user name and the password that you gave to the 'netuser' account on the server PC.

 

[YueHong]

That's what I was trying to do...

I tried with same login on client's PC and this is what I get:

And then, I tried with different user login on client PC with network drive like what ch33zw1z said (My preferred method). This is what I get when I select the folder:

I simply ignore it and continue. I have "Connect using different credentials" option checked and key in the username & password when the dialog box appears. But after that, I get this error:

What steps I have done wrong here?

 

[JackMDS]

Permission and Security issues with Vista/Win7, check the following settings.

All users that are allowed to share need to have account on all the computers that they are allowed to connect to.

---------------------
Point to the a Folder that meant to to be share. Right click and choose properties.

In the properties
Click on the Security tab shown in the pic bellow to the right) and check that the users and their permission (shown in the pic bellow center and left) are correctly configured. Then do the same to the Permission tab.
This screen shot is from Win 7, Vista's menus are similar.

In both the Security panel, and the Permission panel you have to highlight each User/Group and examine that the Permission Controls are checked correctly.
When everything is OK, Reboot the Network (Router, and computer).
* Note . The Groups and Users shown in the screen-shoot are just an example. Your list will look the way your system is configured.

 

[YueHong]

Thanks for your reply. The steps you are showing here for advanced sharing is what I have done. Are you trying to say using "Guests" account, instead? I tried, but it is still doesn't work.

 

[kbp]

Cisco has a program called Network Magic, and I believe you can "trial" it. It doesn't get any easier than that. See if that can get your network the way you want it.
http://www.purenetworks.com/download/

 

[YueHong]

If possible, I prefer to do it without using third party software. Is there any steps by steps guide for creating this kind of file sharing? Thanks.

 

[YueHong]

Could it be other problem that caused the sharing fail? I tried to remove the host PC homegroup, and open it from the network on other PC. As usual it shows the credential dialog when I click on that PC. But after I key in the username and password, I get this error dialog:

By right, I should be able to access it. But now I can't. What could be the problem causing it? Thanks.

 

[Fardringle]

On the client PC, open a command prompt.
Type "net use" (without the quotes) and press enter.
Find the drive letter that is currently assigned to that network folder.
Type "net use f /delete" (replace f with the drive letter being used) and press enter.
Follow the previous instructions in this thread to map a network drive using alternate credentials.