simple network question

[chaoliang]

Hi,

how can I grant folder access (XP and 98) to only selected users in a small network instead of to everyone in the network?
Chaoliang

[VJ]

If you go to Windows Explorer, Tools, Folder options, View: the last item is "Use simple file sharing". This is checked by default. Uncheck it.
Now, you can right click on a folder, select "sharing and security", and choose to share the folder. The button 'Permissions' allows you to select which users have access to the share.


Bear in mind it still is sharing on a user permission level, so you cannot say "I want PC x and y to have access, but not PC z". Each station on the network can access the share provided they use the right login/password on the share (and of course, aren't blocked by a firewall).


Jörg

[chaoliang]

Does it mean that I can't grant shared folder access to a specific compter in the network? I tried your method but only the group "Everyone" gives the others access to my shared folders. But how can I allow different computers to access diffent folders on my compter? I realized that creating their accounts locally on my computer doesn't work. It seems that I can't create something like "network accounts". Is is possible that only Windows Server can do this?

[VJ]

I'm not sure about giving access to specific computers on the network... It is also unclear why you'd want to do this: everybone that has access to an 'allowed' PC would have access to the server.

Normal Windows network permissions are based on the user accounts, not on the PC's from which access is requried... So if a user has permission to access some files, it doesn't matter from which machine he wants to access them. The downside is of course that you need to add accounts for the users that are allowed to have access.


edit: if the other machines log on automatically, you could have those with access log on with a specific account which provides them with access on the server; whereas the others could automatically log on with an account that doesn't have access on the server...
It is a side effect: if you log on on PC A as user x with password y, and user x with password y has access to a shared folder on PC B; you don't need to enter a password or so if you are on PC A and want to access that folder on B. if you log on on PC A as a different user, you can still get access to the folder on PC B if you use user x and password y for that folder.

Jörg

[chaoliang]

The idea was: sharing party pictures with users A,B,C but music with D, E, F. Maybe I mixed up sharing folders in a network and granting access to a computer from a network. But I read somewhere that controled file sharing is at least possible on a server-based network.