Need some Win2K Network Setup Advice/Links

[SharkB8]

I just finished upgrading the last of 3 home computers to Windows 2000. I have had the "Guest" accounts enabled to enable sharing up to this point. I know this is not the correct way to do it and I would like to learn how to do it right with shares, passwords, ect. The biggest reason is to take advantage of the security that enabling the "Guest" account does not provide.
Could someone please post some links where I could go read up on this subject before I start asking basic questions here.

 

[sohcrates]

i dont' have any links for ya but i'm open for questions. fire away

 

[igiveup]

Are you running a domain? Probably not. If not then just make sure you create the same accounts on all of your Windows 2000 computers. Its a bit of work, but oh well. Short of a domain environment with windows 2000 Server you pretty much have to do it this way. I don't have a link for you either but all of us here in the forums will always help a person out.

 

[SharkB8]

Ok, here come the "block head" questions. I did a search but didn't think I found what I was looking for.
First of all I have my network setup on a Workgroup however, I am not opposed to doing the Domain thing if it would benefit me. Do I really have to create the same accounts on each computer in order to login to them to share files? Is this the way it is normally done? I suppose it only makes sense. With the Guest account enabled I had two of my computers set to Map Drives to the system that runs 24/7 whenever they booted up. Can I still do this after creating the accounts for the purpose of sharing?
Here is an abstract thought. There is an All Users and a Default Account already created when I installed 2K. Can these be used for sharing purposes?

 

[Woodie]

All Users is a group.
Default Account is (i think--cause I don't use it) an auto-login account. Not what you want.

Yes, you have to define all your users on all the computers (that's why domains are so popular--one ID to manage). All the passwords (for a particular user account) have to be the same too.

Take a share, "Downloads" for example.
Create a group on the 24/7 PC called: "Download FC"
Add your account, and anybody else's who wants/needs to be able to create & delete files in the share.
Now, create a folder on the 24/7 PC, called Downloads. Now share the folder, calling the share Downloads as well.
Now, go to the Share Permissions tab on the share (not the folder). With the Everyone group highlighted, uncheck the Full Control and Change boxes at the bottom.
Now click Add, and choose the group you created earlier (Download FC). Check the box for Full Control. Click OK to close out the properties box.

What you've just done is:
Created a share called Downloads, and granted some people (Download FC) the ability to read, write & delete files in the folder on the 24/7 PC, from the network. You've also restricted everybody else on the network, to only being able to read the files/folders in that directory.

Note: Because we changed the Share Permissions, not the Folder permissions, anybody who logs in at the console (right at the PC) on the 24/7 machine, they WILL be able to modify and delete files in the "Downloads" folder on that machine.

This sounds long & tedious, but it's really not that bad. It goes much faster the next time around. Notice that instead of granting individual users the Read/Full Control permissions, I granted it to groups. That way, when you create a new user, all you do is put them in one group or the other, and they automatically get the rights. You don't have to go back to each shared folder, and grant them the rights individually.

--Woodie

 

[igiveup]

I would like to reiterate the second paragraph of what Woodie said. You have to get all the users and passwords the same on ALL of your computers if you are not in a domain. Everything else is just icing.

BTW, do you have Windows 2000 Server?

 

[SharkB8]

Thanks guys, I am working on accomplishing this. If too much time passes I may PM you. Is this ok?

 

[Woodie]

Sure. Weekends = slow response.

--Woodie