How do you get win2k to share without login each time?

[ynotravid]

I've got three win2k machines networked together and sharing files/printers but in order to either access files or use a shared printer I have to first logon to the machine by browsing to that machine and completing the login that it spits out.

How do I get the win2k machines to accept incoming connections without logging in each time?

note:
- the permissions for each share is setup with 'everyone' listed.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: ynotravid
I've got three win2k machines networked together and sharing files/printers but in order to either access files or use a shared printer I have to first logon to the machine by browsing to that machine and completing the login that it spits out.
How do I get the win2k machines to accept incoming connections without logging in each time?
note: - the permissions for each share is setup with 'everyone' listed.

Short of enabling the guest account (hint: don't), you dont' get win2k to accept incoming connections without logging in. What you should be doing is on the client machine clicking the checkbox telling the system to cache your credentials so it can automatically try and use them when you later attempt to connect.

Bill

 

[ynotravid]

Thanks bill,

I would love to do that but I don't get the "check this box to remember these settings" option.

I'm supposing I could make an account on the local machines that matches the accounts that everybody is using when they are actually trying to get access, but this seems like a really unintelligent solution and I'm not even sure if it would work. What do you think?

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: ynotravid
Thanks bill,

I would love to do that but I don't get the "check this box to remember these settings" option.

I'm supposing I could make an account on the local machines that matches the accounts that everybody is using when they are actually trying to get access, but this seems like a really unintelligent solution and I'm not even sure if it would work. What do you think?

That will work, and is a valid solution, but is indeed inelegant.

What you need is a domain controller and join all these machines to the domain.

 

[Woodchuck2000]

But then for three machines, a domain controller is overkill...

If you want to use the 'Everyone' option to grant access, make sure that permissions are granted at file system level, as well as in the share permissions. Also, make sure that 'Everyone' has permissions to 'Access this computer from the network' defined in the local security policy.

The easiest option (and more secure than using Everyone) is just to make sure that everyone has accounts on all machines - how many people are using the network?

 

[ynotravid]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

There's four people using the network at any particular time.

I hope I can find something helpful in local security policy. I've been able to get two xp pro machines to work together by fiddling with the security policy but that was an attempt to deny access to everybody BUT the target machine.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Keeping 4 accounts on each machine up to date shouldn't be tough.

 

[ynotravid]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Keeping 4 accounts on each machine up to date shouldn't be tough.

Yeah, I agree, but it's just the thought of always having to do things in quadruplicate that makes me feel like I'm doing it the wrong way.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: ynotravid
Thanks bill,

I would love to do that but I don't get the "check this box to remember these settings" option.

I'm supposing I could make an account on the local machines that matches the accounts that everybody is using when they are actually trying to get access, but this seems like a really unintelligent solution and I'm not even sure if it would work. What do you think?

Lots of other suggestions in the thread, but I'm curious why this option is missing for you. Did you turn off any additional services on the machine?
Bill

 

[ynotravid]

Did you turn off any additional services on the machine?

No, not to my knowlegde, and it's consistant across all the machines including a laptop running XP Pro.

 

[ynotravid]

I take that back. It's consistant except that all the machines can logon to the XP machine without logging on.