(techie vanity) Windows XP-98SE networking question

10/21/03 | marty_fierro

[martin_fierro]

Hi all;

The following diagram lays out my home office network (3 Win 98 SE machines, 1 XP machine):

Each PC has its own properly-configured copy of ZoneAlarm firewall, in addition to the Linksys router's firewall.

While all the PCs can access the internet, I'm having trouble fully networking these machines so that they fully share files:

• PC#1 (XP) can "see" all other PCs on the LAN, and can copy files to/from them.
• PCs #2,3 & Laptop (98SE) can "see" all other PCs on the LAN, but can only copy files to/from other Win 98 machines.

All XP reference books I've looked at seem to indicate that one of the computers must be a "host" with two NICs (one wired to the broadband connection, the other to the router) in order to fully share files between all computers.

Is this true? It seems inefficient in that the router computer must always be on.

How best to fully/safely network Win XP/98SE machines?

[martin_fierro]

Thanks in advance!

[martin_fierro]

Ping.

[WillieGillis]

1. Create accounts on the XP machine for the WIN98 machines / users

Control Panel -> User Accounts

2. Make sure (on the XP machine) the HDD / folders are properly shared.

Windows Explorer -> select HDD or folder -> right click -> sharing and security.

Internet sharing on the XP machine, go to help, do a search on "internet sharing" select "Enable Internet Connection Sharing on a Network Connection." There will be instructions that will walk you through the setup

Good Luck!

[martin_fierro]

Your tips were a BIG help -- they seem to have largely answered my question.

Is it possible to let some machines on the LAN access a folder/its subfolders, while excluding other machines?

From what I'm seeing, it appears to be an all-or-nothing proposition.

[WillieGillis]

Are you using XP Pro or XP Home edition?

[martin_fierro]

Sorry, should've specified.

XP Home.

[WillieGillis]

I'm pretty sure your outta luck with XP Home with setting permissions. Permissions are granting or denying access to files and folders, an NT security feature. It's all or nothing. Also, the instructions I gave you were for XP Pro, but I'm glad you're savvy enough to have figured it out and applied them to XP Home.

[rmlew]

Sharing directories here can be dangerous, especially if you do so on your Win 98 machines.
You may want to limit access to the Linksys 802.11B router by the MAC address. Otherwise you run the risk of not only letting others use your internet connection, but also get into your files.

[WillieGillis]

Each PC has its own properly-configured copy of ZoneAlarm firewall, in addition to the Linksys router's firewall.

He should be ok, with the above configuration.