neilhedley
asked on
Lots of options, which will be easiest?
Let's put it this way: I'm a networking n00b, and the following problem is making my head spin.
I have a desktop screamer and a fast laptop.
I have a wired AND a wireless network throughout my house.
I also have a six week-old daughter.
I'm really, really tired of having to sync up my laptop to be able to keep certain files common between my two machines, and my new reality at home dictates that I be able to work from anywhere in my house.
Here's the software at my disposal: Win XP Pro, Win NT 4 Server, and Windows Server 2003 (the 6 month trial edition).
Here's what I want to do: I want to turn the desktop machine into a file server, that I can also use as a client in the event I ever get to sit down at my desk again. I want my laptop to be able to access files on my desktop machine (like entire folders), but only the folders that I have permission to access. And I want that permission to be limited to ME, not to random folks in my house.
I don't need to have a network that is the envy of IBM, I just need to set up some network directories that I can only access under certain circumstances (like the right username and password, or whatever).
What's the EASIEST way to do this? Is it possible just with XP? Will NT handle it? Or do I need to pay for W2k3 6 months from now?
Additionally - can someone point me to a link, or give me the step-by-step instructions for what I'll need to do to set up both the server and the client machines? Talk to me like I'm seven - because this networking stuff makes my head spin.
I have a desktop screamer and a fast laptop.
I have a wired AND a wireless network throughout my house.
I also have a six week-old daughter.
I'm really, really tired of having to sync up my laptop to be able to keep certain files common between my two machines, and my new reality at home dictates that I be able to work from anywhere in my house.
Here's the software at my disposal: Win XP Pro, Win NT 4 Server, and Windows Server 2003 (the 6 month trial edition).
Here's what I want to do: I want to turn the desktop machine into a file server, that I can also use as a client in the event I ever get to sit down at my desk again. I want my laptop to be able to access files on my desktop machine (like entire folders), but only the folders that I have permission to access. And I want that permission to be limited to ME, not to random folks in my house.
I don't need to have a network that is the envy of IBM, I just need to set up some network directories that I can only access under certain circumstances (like the right username and password, or whatever).
What's the EASIEST way to do this? Is it possible just with XP? Will NT handle it? Or do I need to pay for W2k3 6 months from now?
Additionally - can someone point me to a link, or give me the step-by-step instructions for what I'll need to do to set up both the server and the client machines? Talk to me like I'm seven - because this networking stuff makes my head spin.
SOLUTION
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ASKER
I have added an extra 250 points to the question; the first 250 will go to Sembee, because this answer was correct for the first version of the question; the extra 250 is effectively "up for grabs".
File and Printer sharing itself is very simple to do at this level. It is only when you scale it up past 3 or 4 users that things get complex and a domain becomes something to look at seriously. A workstation OS (Windows XP for example) will support up to 10 concurrent connections, so one machine you will be fine.
You will set the permissions by removing everyone (which are the default) and adding your specific username with whatever permissions you require - full control is probably what you are considering.
"...am I correct in assuming that the folders will only be visible to the laptop user with the same name?"
Unfortuantely not. Windows isn't that clever. It is a requested feature but hasn't appeared yet.
The reason I told you to use the same username and password on both machines was for pass through authentication. This will stop a constant request for username and password prompts as Windows by default uses the current username and password when it gets a prompt.
As for accessing them - as long as you are on your network then you can access them fine. Remote access is a bit more complicated - you might have to start looking at the VPN features within Windows.
Simon.
You will set the permissions by removing everyone (which are the default) and adding your specific username with whatever permissions you require - full control is probably what you are considering.
"...am I correct in assuming that the folders will only be visible to the laptop user with the same name?"
Unfortuantely not. Windows isn't that clever. It is a requested feature but hasn't appeared yet.
The reason I told you to use the same username and password on both machines was for pass through authentication. This will stop a constant request for username and password prompts as Windows by default uses the current username and password when it gets a prompt.
As for accessing them - as long as you are on your network then you can access them fine. Remote access is a bit more complicated - you might have to start looking at the VPN features within Windows.
Simon.
ASKER
Is it possible to set up a VPN tunnel between two machines running WinXP? I was under the impression that it wasn't, hence my messing around looking at WS2k3.
If it is, I'd love similar step by step to what you offered above.
If it is, I'd love similar step by step to what you offered above.
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ASKER
Primo. Thank you.
ASKER
I know that it will probably be intuitive once I set it up, but I want to make sure I can't possibly screw it up. What do I set the permissions on the FOLDER to?
Also - am I correct in assuming that the folders will only be visible to the laptop user with the same name?
How hard would it then be to access those folders? I know I didn't mention that in the original question, it occurred to me afterward that I might want to access it remotely someday...and I promise that's the only functionality I'll ever need.