XP Password protected Sharing without domain controller

[ez64]

As the title says im looking for a way to share folders/root drives under XP SP3 and have network based permission or have it password protected without using a domain controller.

Bassicly the same thing in vista without vista.

I still want to keep the windows folder system though and not move to a whole new system like DC++ as I want to keep the ability to stream video files from the folder.

I dont really have the time to install server 03/08 and wanted to look for a small program that does the job.

[Zenith]

XP has the facility built in, but you need to enable advanced controls in Explorer to set your permissions.

Start > Run > explorer
Tools menu > Folder Options > View tab

Go to the bottom of the list in the window and you should have "Use simple file sharing (recommended)" ticked. Untick it and click "Apply" then "OK".


Now go to the drive or folder that you want to share and rightclick on it. Click on "Sharing and Security".
You can now enable sharing for the folder and give it a comment if you like.
Click on the "Permissions" button.
You can now set user and group permissions for the share. Remember that a deny takes priority over an allow.

Have fun! :)

[ez64]

That only incorporates local permissions and local user accounts again though it cannot use permissions for remote machines trying to connect.

I think sadly the only way around this looks like installing vista on whats really a server for one simple feature :(

[Freelance]

so is creating a user account/password on the 'server' for the purposes of sharing permissions not going to happen, or do you want something that doesn't use windows own user accounts

[ez64]

All I ever have connected is a network cable,

I \\server to access it and steam media from the share folders, meaning anyone can see it thats in the workgroup and access it on the network. (Also have VNC access)

I need something that A. requires a login to access the server windows folder shares or B. Identify my remote pc in a set permissions table and let me in.

Vista does this via password protected sharing and I was wondering if a program had been made for XP like it.

Bottom line I cannot use windows accounts due to it needing to be always logged in on the standard user to log in for VNC and to run its programs in the background.

Its a doozee for something so simple but I need it ready for the LAN in 3 days :(

[Freelance]

so
-2 factor security to get access to the stream. password plus either some form of list of allowed clients, or some token on the client to allow access
-works as a service daemon

http server out of the question?

[ez64]

Thanks for helping anyway but this did the trick.

http://www.lancelhoff.com/2007/11/13/how-to-password-protect-a-shared-folder/

Now a logon box pop's up on every share.

[AdamR]

Yeah you can do it like that, it applies to every share on the serving computer though. If you wanted a password on each share you could make 1 user per share on the serving computer and have a different password on each, then disable the guest account completely (or just allow it to browse what shares are available without looking inside them).

[ez64]

Yup that would be a idea but you would still need the guest enabled and passworded as its the defualt account for a net user login and I would have a clue how to change it.

[AdamR]

Start > Run > control userpasswords2

That will give you a better control panel for managing users, including the guest/admin ones.

You could enable the guest account just to look at what shares you have, without allowing the guest account (or Guests group rather) to look in them.

Finally, the permissions options for shares are a waste of space if you're on NTFS formatted volumes. Use the Security tab instead, and set permissions to everyone can have full access. Security takes priority over Permissions.

[ez64]

Ah yes I could use the login console with the enabled guest account and then login with another setup user.

and yes its all NTFS.

edit:

I remember trying to do it that way before but had some really weird permissions problem, where all the drives had exactly the same permissions on NTFS and Share but some drives could be accessed and some couldnt.