Windows Protected Sharing ON or OFF?

[Noo]

I realize that if I turn windows protected sharing off, any PC on the network can browse a certain folder on my server. However, is there a way me to enter a username/password so that I'll have access to another folder/shared drive that others wouldn't have access to otherwise?

 

[azazel1024]

Ummm, yeah. Have password protected sharing on.

I am not sure where the dilema is. If you leave password protected sharing on, you have to use or enter a user name and password that exists on the machine that the folder/file/drive is being shared from to access it (oh and that has permissions on the machine to access it).

If you aren't getting a user name/password prompt when trying to access it from another machine, it is because you are using the same user name and password of the other machine as is being used on the machine sharing the folder.

 

[Noo]

Ummm, yeah. Have password protected sharing on.

I am not sure where the dilema is. If you leave password protected sharing on, you have to use or enter a user name and password that exists on the machine that the folder/file/drive is being shared from to access it (oh and that has permissions on the machine to access it).

If you aren't getting a user name/password prompt when trying to access it from another machine, it is because you are using the same user name and password of the other machine as is being used on the machine sharing the folder.

Errm...no.
1. With password protected sharing off, any PC that's in my wireless network can access the shared folder without having to enter username/password. Anyone who's connected to my WIFI will see the shared drive (movies) and can read it. They don't need to ask or bother me with username/password before they can view my movies.

2. However, I want the ability to enter a username/password so that when I do, i'll have access to another drive/folder that's not accessible to the people who are guests.

When I turn password protected sharing on, my dilema #2 is solved but #1 is broken. Guests (people who are in my wifi network) are now asked to enter a username/password in order to even view the folder that was previously available to everyone.

 

[mikeymikec]

If I understand your query correctly, then IME you have two choices:

1 - Create the accounts on the PC serving the files that match the usernames/passwords of the clients, then alter permissions on the folders on the serving PC to match the respective usernames.

2 - On the clients, save the login credentials of the main user on the serving PC.

Addendum to choice 1 - you can add users to a Windows PC, then do a registry tweak to hide them from the welcome/login screen.

 

[azazel1024]

Modify the registry with this

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Lsa\
restrictanonymous=0
limitblankpassworduse=0

Then setup permissions on the folders you want anyone to be able to access to add an "everyone" user group. On the ones you just want to be able to access, setup your specific user ID.

That should work to allow anyone to access any shares that have the everyone user group with permissions and restrict ones that do not have the everyone user group under the share permissions.

 

[mikeymikec]

nvm

 

[Noo]

Modify the registry with this

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Lsa\
restrictanonymous=0
limitblankpassworduse=0

Then setup permissions on the folders you want anyone to be able to access to add an "everyone" user group. On the ones you just want to be able to access, setup your specific user ID.

That should work to allow anyone to access any shares that have the everyone user group with permissions and restrict ones that do not have the everyone user group under the share permissions.

Err..no again. That didn't do anything different from turning password protected sharing off.

Let me put it this way. Say I want to share 2 folders (name it folder #1 and folder #2). I want folder #1 to be visible and accessible to anyone that's connected to my wifi/LAN meanwhile folder #2 should be prompted to enter a username/password.

The problem is that with password protected sharing off, users can access folder #1 but completely locked out of folder #2, it didn't even prompt them to enter a username/password. I want the server to prompt them to enter a username/password if they want to access folder #2.

 

[azazel1024]

What are they using to access folder #2? How do you have the access managed on it? I've had the exact above setup previously, and it prompts me for a user name and password.

 

[Noo]

What are they using to access folder #2? How do you have the access managed on it? I've had the exact above setup previously, and it prompts me for a user name and password.

It only prompts for username and password if you turn the "Password protected sharing" to ON.

 

[azazel1024]

Yes...you leave it turned on, but you make the registry changes I mentioned and setup folders you want shared with anyone to "Everyone" user group.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

While I could, I don't use the "Everyone" account.

Of course I only have three "real" users and about six user accounts.

There are server folders to which I only want to grant read-access to most of the accounts; there are folders where I want "everyone" to have access, but within those folders I want exclusive access of one user to any folder.

All this can be accomplished through the security and permissions features of Windows. And -- whatever other people do -- I want every account on every machine passworded, and all the users in my household are comfortable with that.

I think a lot of folks are irritated at the boot-time login screen before entering the desktop, but its not a major hindrance here. I get more irritated when someone sets up a computer for me (just bought a used laptop) and leaves the passworded/login disabled for the existing account. But that was easy to fix, . . . . anyway. . .