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15-04-2006, 04:54 PM
Put together the hardware requirements for a network.
Configure each network computer.
Set up Internet Connection Sharing.
Access network resources.
Connect to a remote computer’s registry.
Safely share your computer’s resources on the network.
If you have multiple computers in your home or small office, you’ve probably run into one or more of the following problems:
In many cases, it’s just not economically feasible to supply each computer with its own complete set of peripherals. Printers, for example, are a crucial part of the computing equation—when you need them. If someone needs a printer only a couple of times a week, it’s hard to justify shelling out hundreds of dollars so that a user can have his or her own printer. The problem, then, is how to share a printer (or some other peripheral) among several machines.
These days, few people work in splendid isolation. Rather, the norm is that colleagues and coworkers share data and work together on the same files. If everyone uses a separate computer, though, how are files shared efficiently?
Most offices now standardize with particular software packages for word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, and other mainstream applications. Does this mean copies of expensive software programs or suites must be purchased for each machine? As with peripherals, what about the person who uses a program only sporadically?
Everyone wants to be on the Internet, of course, but paying a subscription for each user seems wasteful. What’s needed is a way to share a single Internet connection.
All of these problems are readily overcome by setting up a small network. Printers and other peripherals can be attached to one machine and used by any other machine on the network; files can be transferred along the cables from one computer to another; an Internet connection may be set up on one machine and the connection shared with other machines on the network; a user can access applications, disk drives, and folders on network computers as though these were part of his or her own computer.
A network can solve many problems, but it can also create a few of its own: you have to set it up and you have to administer it. In large corporate networks, these tasks require specialized knowledge, most of which is well beyond the scope of this tutorial. However, setting up and maintaining a network for a small office or home office is within the grasp of anyone willing to learn a few concepts and techniques. It’s our goal to give you the know-how to do just that.
Setting Up a Peer-to-Peer Network [Connecting 2 or more computers together ]
Networks appear in two guises: client/server and peer-to-peer. In general, a client/server network splits the computing workload into two separate, yet related, areas. On one hand, you have users working at intelligent “front-end” systems called clients. In turn, these client machines interact with powerful “back-end” systems called servers. The basic idea is that the clients have enough processing power to perform tasks on their own, but they rely on the servers to provide them with specialized resources or services, or access to information that would be impractical to implement on a client (such as a large database).
In a peer-to-peer network, no computer is singled out to provide special services. Instead, all the computers attached to the network have equal status (at least as far as the network is concerned), and all the computers can act as both servers and clients. On the server side, each computer can share any of its resources with the network and control access to these shared resources. For example, if a user shares a folder with the network, he or she also can set up passwords to restrict access to that folder. On the client side, each computer can work with the resources that have been shared by the other peers on the network (assuming they have permission to do so, of course).
We’ll concentrate mostly on the software side: the networking programs and features that are part of the Microsoft Windows XP package. However, the next couple of sections discuss the all-important hardware side: the devices and equipment without which networking isn’t possible. We look at the two main network types: Ethernet and wireless.
The most popular network type, particularly when it comes to small networks, goes by the generic name of Ethernet. Although there are many different Ethernet network configurations, the easiest one to set up and maintain requires three physical components:
Network interface card (NIC) This is an adapter that, usually, plugs into an expansion bus slot inside a client computer (although some NICs are external and plug into USB ports or PC Card slots). The NIC’s main purpose is to serve as the connection point between the PC and the network. The conventional NIC’s backplate (that is, the portion of the NIC you can see after the card is installed in the computer) contains one or more ports into which you plug a network cable. These are the three main types of NIC:
Ethernet This type of NIC provides 10 Mbps throughput.
Fast Ethernet This is a relatively new iteration of the Ethernet architecture that supports 100 Mbps throughput. Because of this speed, Fast Ethernet is rapidly becoming the networking standard (if it isn’t already). Note, too, that many NICs are “10/100” cards that support both Ethernet and Fast Ethernet.
Gigabit Ethernet This type of card features 1 Gbps throughput. This is impressive speed, to be sure, but it’s probably overkill on a small network.
Note If you have a broadband Internet connection, you’ll need two NICs for the computer hosting that connection: one for the Internet connection and a second one for the network connection.
Network cable To set up a communications pathway between network computers, you need to install cables that connect the various network nodes together. The vast majority of Ethernet NICs provide an RJ-45 port that supports unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable, which in Ethernet circles is also often referred to as 10Base-T cables. If you’re using Fast Ethernet NICs, be sure to get at least Category 5 cable.
Network hub A hub (also known as a concentrator) is a central connection point for network cables. That is, for each computer, you run a twisted-pair cable from the computer’s NIC to an RJ-45 port on the hub. Hubs range in size from small boxes with four to eight RJ-45 ports, to large cabinets with dozens of ports for various cable types. If you’re using Fast Ethernet NICs, be sure to get a hub that also supports 100 Mbps. There are also 10/100 hubs available if you’re using a mix of Ethernet and Fast Ethernet NICs.
Understanding Wireless Network Hardware Requirements
The cabling requirements of a standard Ethernet setup, and the restrictions these requirements impose upon a client, have led an increasing number of network users to consider the cable-free configuration of a wireless network. Using the IEEE 802.11b (or Wi-Fi) standard, wireless network connections can be established using radio frequencies in the 2.4-GHz range to achieve speeds up to 11 Mbps, though some manufacturers are using signal-processing chips that allow an effective rate of 22 Mbps. Wireless networks require two device types:
Wireless NIC: This is a special NIC that includes (or has built into its circuitry) a small antenna that receives and transmits data using radio frequencies. If your network consists of only computers with wireless NICs, you don’t need any other equipment (although you will have to set up your NICs to use ad hoc mode for direct NIC-to- NIC communication; see the operating manual that came with each wireless NIC).
Wireless access point: If your network consists of both wireless and cable connections, you need an access point to combine them. An access point is a switch or router that enables you to connect the wireless portion of your network with the Ethernet portion. Access points typically have an “uplink” port that connects via cable to the Ethernet hub.
Caution: Wireless networks are less secure than wired ones because the wireless connection that enables you to access the network from afar can also enable an intruder from outside your home or office to access the network. Microsoft has a nice collection of wireless network security tips in the following Knowledge Base article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;309369
Running the Network Setup Wizard
In previous versions of Windows, setting up a network usually involved working with obscure settings. These are still available in Windows XP, but there’s also a less perplexing route to network connectivity: the Network Setup Wizard. Even if you enjoy working with TCP/IP settings and network protocols, using the Network Setup Wizard is the best way to ensure trouble-free network operation.
Windows XP has a feature called Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) that enables you to share one computer’s Internet connection with other computers on the network. How you start setting up your network depends on whether you’ll be using ICS:
If you’ll be using ICS, run the Network Setup Wizard on the computer that will be sharing its connection. This machine is called the ICS host. Make sure this machine’s Internet connection is active before running the wizard. When you’re done, you can run the Network Setup Wizard on the other clients, in any order.
If you won’t be using ICS, run the Network Setup Wizard on any computer, in any order.
Configuring the ICS Host
Here are the steps to follow to run this wizard on the ICS host computer:
Launch Control Panel’s Network Connections icon.
In the Network Tasks section of the dialog box, select Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network.
In the initial Network Setup Wizard dialog box, click Next, and then click Next again. The wizard prompts you to select an Internet connection method.
Make sure the This Computer Connects Directly To The Internet option is selected, and then click Next.
Select the Internet connection and click Next.
Run through the rest of the Network Setup Wizard’s steps, as described below (see “Completing the Network Setup Wizard”).
Configuring Other ICS Machines
Here are the steps to follow to run the Network Setup Wizard on the other computers in an ICS network:
Launch Control Panel’s Network Connections icon, select Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network, and in the initial Network Setup Wizard dialog box, click Next, and then click Next again.
The next wizard dialog box tells you it found the shared Internet connection. Make sure the Yes, Use The Existing Shared Connection For This Computer’s Internet Access option is selected, and then click Next.
Run through the rest of the Network Setup Wizard’s steps, as described below.
Configuring a Network Without ICS
Follow these steps to run the Network Setup Wizard to configure a network without ICS:
Launch Control Panel’s Network Connections icon, select Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network, and in the initial Network Setup Wizard dialog box, click Next, and then click Next again.
Select the Other option and click Next.
You now have three choices (click Next when you’ve made your choice):
This Computer Connects To The Internet Directly Or Through A Network Hub Choose this option if your computer is attached to a hub that also has a DSL or cable modem attached to it.
This Computer Connects Directly To The Internet. I Do Not Have A Network Yet Choose this option if you computer has an Internet connection that you won’t be sharing with the network.
This Computer Belongs To A Network That Does Not Have An Internet Connection Choose this option if you computer doesn’t have a network connection and no other computer on the network will be sharing an Internet connection.
If your computer has an Internet connection, select the appropriate connection from the first two options and click Next. Otherwise, select the third option and click Next.
Run through the rest of the Network Setup Wizard’s steps, as described below.
Completing the Network Setup Wizard
The rest of the Network Setup Wizard’s steps are common to all configurations:
If you have more than one connection on your computer, the wizard offers to bridge the connections for you. (In Windows XP, a network bridge is software component that enables the computers on two different networks—both connected to the bridging computer—to see each other. Note that any connection that has Internet Connection Sharing or Internet Connection Firewall enabled cannot be added to the network bridge.) If you want to enable the bridge, select Let Me Choose The Connections To My Network and click Next. Now select the check box beside the connection that you use to access the network and click Next.
Enter a computer description and a computer name (which must be unique among the networked computers) and click Next.
Enter a workgroup name (which must be the same for all the networked computers) and click Next.
Click Next to apply the network settings.
The wizard asks how you want to run the Network Setup Wizard on your other computers. You have four choices (click Next when you’re done).
Create A Network Setup Disk Choose this option if you’ll be including Windows 9x or Windows Me computers in the network. This creates a floppy disk that includes a version of the Windows XP Network Setup Wizard. You insert this disk into a Windows 9x or Windows Me client and run the wizard on that computer.
Use The Network Setup Disk I Already Have Choose this option if you’ve already created a Windows XP Network Setup Disk.
Use My Windows XP CD Choose this option to run the Network Setup Wizard on the Windows 9x or Windows Me computers using the Windows XP CD. In this case, you insert the CD in the other computer. When the Welcome window appears, click Perform Additional Tasks and then click Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network.
Just Finish The Wizard Choose this option if you don’t need to run the wizard on Windows 9x or Windows Me computers.
Click Finish.
Working with Network Settings
You can change your network settings by launching Control Panel’s Network Connections icon. The configuration of the resulting Network Connections window depends on the computer’s role in the network. For example, if the computer is the ICS host, you’ll see a configuration similar to the one shown in below. Three items are shown in that figure, though yours may vary:
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DSL Internet Connection This icon represents the ICS host’s Internet connection—a broadband connection via a DSL modem, in this case. That is, it’s the connection that runs from the DSL modem out to the Internet.
To Local Area Network This icon represents the connection to the network. That is, it’s the connection that runs from one NIC to the network hub.
To DSL Modem This connection represents the connection to the modem. That is, it’s the connection that runs from the second NIC to the DSL modem.
Contrast this with the Network Connections window for a client machine on the same network, shown below. In this case, there are only two items:
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DSL Internet Connection on PAUL This is the Internet gateway that connects this computer to the DSL Internet Connection on the ICS host, a computer named PAUL in this example.
Local Area Connection This icon represents the connection to the network. That is, it’s the connection that runs from the computer’s NIC to the network hub.
From the Network Connection window, you can modify your network settings in the following ways:
Running the Network Setup Wizard If you want to make major changes to the network configuration, these are most easily accomplished by running the Network Setup Wizard again. Click the Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network link.
Note: If you want to change your computer or workgroup name, you can either run the Network Setup Wizard or change these values directly. To do the latter, launch Control Panel’s System icon and select the Computer Name tab. Click Change, enter the computer name and/or workgroup, and then click OK.
Renaming a connection Windows XP supplies connections with generic names such as “Local Area Connection.” To assign a more descriptive name to a connection, select the name of the connection, press F2, type the new name, and press Enter.
Installing a networking client, service, or protocol You shouldn’t need extra networking components in a small peer-to-peer network. Just in case you do, you can install them by right-clicking the network connection, selecting Properties, and then clicking Install.
Disabling a connection If you have multiple NICs and want to disable one that you don’t use, right-click its connection and then select Disable. You can enable this connection in the future by right- clicking it and then selecting Enable.
Administering Your Network
Once your network is set up, you can start using it immediately to share resources, including files, folders, programs, and peripherals. Your starting point for all of this is the My Network Places folder, discussed next.
Using My Network Places
You can get to My Network Places using any of the following methods:
Select Start, My Network Places. (If you don’t see My Network Places on the Start menu, launch Control Panel’s Taskbar And Start Menu icon, select the Start Menu tab, click Customize, select the Advanced tab, select the My Network Places check box, and click OK. Now you can select My Network Places from the Start menu.)
In Windows Explorer, click My Network Places in the Folders list.
In the Network Connection window, click My Network Places in the task list.
In most Open and Save As dialog boxes, click the My Network Places icon.
In Windows XP, a network place is a shared folder or drive on a network computer. (It can also be a location on a Web or FTP server.) When you set up a network place, you can access its files as though they resided on your own computer (subject to any restrictions that the owner of the network place may have imposed). By default, the My Network Places folder shows the network places that were defined when you set up your computer for networking. The name of each network place uses the following format:
ShareName on (Description ComputerName)
Here, ShareName is the name that the owner of the network place gave to the shared resource; Description is the description of the computer where the network place resides; and ComputerName is the name of that computer (see step 2 in the “Completing the Network Setup Wizard” section,in this tutorial). The image below shows some examples.
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Besides viewing the contents of the shared resources (by double-clicking a network place’s icon), My Network Places also enables you to do the following:
See the other computers in the workgroup. In the task list, select View Workgroup Computers to see a new window that contains an icon for each computer in your workgroup that is currently online below. Double-click a computer’s icon to see all the resources shared by that computer. For example, below also shows a computer that’s sharing a hard drive, a DVD drive, a fax, a printer, and several folders. (Use the Details view to see the Comments column.)
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See all the workgroups in your network. In the task list, select View Workgroup Computers and then click Microsoft Windows Network, also in the task list. This displays a window that contains an icon for each workgroup in your network. Double-click an icon to see that workgroup’s computers.
Adding a Network Place
Whenever a workgroup computer shares a folder, Windows XP detects the new share and adds it automatically to your My Network Places folder. To add another folder (such as a subfolder of a shared resource) as a network place, follow these steps:
Tip: You can tell Windows XP not to add new shared resources to My Network Places window automatically. To do this, launch Control Panel’s Folder Options icon, select the View tab, and then clear the Automatically Search For Network Folders And Printers check box.
In the task list, click Add A Network Place to launch the Add Network Place Wizard.
Click Next. If your computer has an Internet connection, the wizard will access the Internet and retrieve a list of online storage providers.
Click Choose Another Network Location and click Next.
Either use the Internet Or Network Address text box to enter the network address of the resource, or click Browse to select the resource using the Browse For Folder dialog box. Click OK, and then click Next.
Note: Network addresses use the Universal Naming Convention (UNC), which uses the following format:
\\ComputerName\ShareName
Here, ComputerName is the name of the computer, and ShareName is the name given to the shared resource. For example, the following UNC path refers to a shared resource named E on a computer named PAUL:
\\PAUL\E
If the UNC refers to a drive or folder, you can then use the regular path conventions to access subfolders on that resource. For example, if the resource E on PAUL is a drive and if that drive has a DOWNLOADS subfolder, you can refer to that subfolder as follows:
\\PAUL\E\DOWNLOADS
The UNC offers you several alternative methods of accessing shared network resources:
In the Run dialog box, enter the UNC for a shared resource to open the resource in a folder window.
In a 32-bit application’s Open or Save As dialog box, you can use a UNC name in the File Name text box.
At the command prompt, enter START followed by the UNC path. Here’s an example:
START \\PAUL\E
At the command prompt, you can use a UNC name as part of a command. For example, to copy a file named DRIVER.ZIP from \\PAUL\E\DOWNLOADS to the current folder, you’d use the following command:
COPY \\PAUL\E\DOWNLOADS\DRIVER.ZIP
Modify the name in the Type A Name For This Network Place, if desired, and then click Next.
To open the network place in a folder window, leave the Open This Network Place When I Click Finish check box selected.
Click Finish.
Mapping a Network Folder to a Local Drive Letter
Network places are useful, but they’re not as convenient as they could be, because you can’t reference them directly (in, say, a script or command). UNC paths can be referenced directly, but they’re a bit unwieldy to work with. To avoid these hassles, you can map a shared network drive or folder to your own computer. Mapping assigns a drive letter to the resource so that it appears to be just another disk drive on your machine.
To map a shared drive or folder, follow these steps:
Use Windows Explorer or My Network Places to display the resource you want to map.
Select the shared resource and then select Tools, Map Network Drive. Windows XP displays the Map Network Drive dialog box, shown here:
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The Drive drop-down list displays the last available drive letter on your system, but you can open the list and select any available letter.
If you want Windows XP to map the resource each time you log on to the system, leave the Reconnect At Logon check box selected.
If you prefer to log on to the resource using a different account, select the Different User Name link, enter the user name and password in the Connect As dialog box, and click OK.
Click Finish, Windows XP adds the new drive letter to your system and opens the shared resource in a new folder window.
Tip: For easier network drive mapping, Windows XP enables you to add a Map Drive button to the Windows Explorer toolbar. To do so, right-click the toolbar and then select Customize. In the Available Toolbar Buttons list, double-click Map Drive. Note, too, that there’s also a Disconnect button that you can use to easily disconnect mapped resources (as described later).
Disconnecting a Mapped Network Folder
If you no longer need to map a network resource, you should disconnect it by following these steps:
Use Windows Explorer to display the drive letter of the mapped resource.
Right-click the drive and then select Disconnect.
If there are files open from the resource, Windows XP displays a warning letting you know that it’s unsafe to disconnect the resource. You have two choices:
Click No, close all open files from the mapped resource, and then repeat steps 1 and 2.
If you’re sure there are no open files, click Yes to disconnect the resource.
Connecting to a Remote Registry
The Registry Editor enables you to work with some portions of the registry on a remote machine. First, log on as a member of the Administrators group on both machines. Then, on the remote Windows XP machine, you need to do two things:
Disable Simple File Sharing. To do this, launch Control Panel’s Folder Options icon, select the View tab, and then clear the Use Simple File Sharing check box.
Enable remote access. To do this, launch Control Panel’s System icon, select the Remote tab, and select the Allow Users To Connect Remotely To This Computer check box.
On the local Windows XP computer, follow these steps:
In the Registry Editor, select the File, Connect Network Registry command. The Select Computer dialog box appears.
In the Enter The Object Name To Select text box, enter the name of the remote computer.
Insider Secret: If you’re not sure of the correct name for the remote computer, click Advanced and then select Find Now to see a list of the workgroup computers. Select the remote computer and then click OK.
Click OK. The Registry Editor adds a new branch for the remote machine’s registry, although you see only the HKLM and HKU root keys.
When you’ve finished working with the remote registry, select File, Disconnect Network Registry, select the remote computer’s name in the Disconnect Network Registry dialog box, and click OK (or right-click the remote computer’s name in the Registry Editor and then select Disconnect from the shortcut menu).
Connecting to a Remote Desktop
Windows XP enables an Administrator to connect to a workgroup computer’s Windows XP desktop and use the machine just as though you were sitting in front of it. This is handy if you can’t leave your desk but need to troubleshoot a problem on the remote machine. On the remote machine, make sure the Remote Desktop feature is activated:
Launch Control Panel’s System icon.
Select the Remote tab.
In the Remote Desktop section of the dialog box, make sure the Allow Users to Connect Remotely To This Computer check box is selected, and then click OK, twice.
On the local computer, follow these steps:
Select Start, All Programs, Accessories, Communications, Remote Desktop Connection. The Remote Desktop Connection dialog box appears.
Use the Computer text box to enter the name of the remote computer.
To customize the remote desktop, select Options to expand the dialog box to the version shown in Figure 16-7. You now see five tabs:
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General: Use this tab to enter the user name and password of an account on the remote machine. You can also use the Save As button to save your connection settings for later use.
Display: Use this tab to set the size of the remote desktop and the number of colors.
Local Resources: Use this tab to customize your access to the remote computer’s sound effects, keyboard, and local devices.
Programs: Use this tab to configure a program to run automatically when you connect.
Experience: Use this tab to choose the connection speed. Because you’re connecting over a network, you should choose LAN (10 Mbps or higher).
Click Connect.
If you didn’t enter a password in step 3, the Log On To Windows dialog box appears. Enter the password and click OK.
If another user is already logged on to the remote computer, Windows XP lets you know that you’ll disconnect that user if you continue. Click Yes to complete the logon to the remote system.
At this point the remote computer displays a message to the local user saying that a remote user is attempting to log on. If the local user doesn’t want to allow the remote connection, he or she can click No. Otherwise, he or she clicks Yes to allow the connection. The user is then logged off and the remote user is logged on.
The remote desktop then appears full-screen on your computer, except for a connection bar at the top of the screen. If you need to work with your own desktop, click the Minimize or Restore button on the right side of the connection bar. When you’ve finished with the remote desktop, select Start, Disconnect. When Windows XP asks if you’re sure, click Disconnect.
Sharing Resources with the Network
In a peer-to-peer network, each computer can act as both a client and a server. So far you’ve seen how to use a Windows XP machine as a client, so now let’s turn our attention to setting up your system as a peer server. In Windows XP, that means sharing individual drives, folders, printers and other resources with the network.
Clearing Simple File Sharing
The first thing you need to do is clear Windows XP’s simple file sharing feature. This feature is designed for novice users who, understandably, don’t want (or need) to learn about technical topics such as maximum users and file permissions. So Windows XP activates simple file sharing by default, even on Windows XP Professional installations. To help you understand the difference between simple and classic file sharing, below shows the property sheet for the My Music folder on a system using simple file sharing. Notice the following on the Sharing tab:
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In the Local Sharing And Security section of the dialog box, you select Make This Folder Private to prevent other users from accessing the folder.
In the Network Sharing And Security section of the dialog box, you select Share This Folder On The Network to share the folder, and you enter a name in the Share Name text box. If you want network users to be able to modify the files, you select the Allow Network Users To Change My Files check box.
As you can see, what this approach adds in ease-of-use it takes away in power and flexibility. It’s an all-or-nothing, one-size-fits-all-users approach. To regain the power and flexibility to share your resources properly, you need to turn off simple file sharing by following these steps:
Launch Control Panel’s Folder Options icon (or, in Windows Explorer, select Tools, Folder Options).
Select the View tab.
Clear the Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended) check box.
Click OK.
Creating User Accounts
You need to set up an account for each user that is to have access to a shared resource. Here are some notes to bear in mind for creating users who will access your computer over a network:
Windows XP does not allow users without passwords to access network resources. Therefore, you must set up your network user accounts with passwords.
The user names you create do not have to correspond with the names that users have on their local machines. You’re free to set up your own user names, if you like.
If you create a user account that has the same name and password as an account of a user on his or her local machine, that user will be able to access your shared resource directly. Otherwise, a Connect To dialog box appears so that the user can enter the user name and password that you established when setting up the account on your computer.
Sharing a Resource
With simple file sharing turned off, follow these steps to share a resource:
In Windows Explorer, right-click the drive or folder and then select Sharing And Security. Windows XP displays the object’s property sheet with the Sharing tab selected, as shown in Figure here.
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Select the Share This Folder option.
Enter the share name and a comment (the latter is optional).
In a small network, it’s unlikely you’ll need to restrict the number of users who can access this resource, so leave the Maximum Allowed option selected. (The maximum number is 10.) If you’d prefer to restrict the number of users, select Allow This Number Of Users and then use the spin box to set the maximum number.
Click Permissions to display the Permissions dialog box shown here:
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Select the Everyone group in the Group Or User Names list and then click Remove.
Click Add to display the Select Users or Groups dialog box.
In the Enter The Object Names To Select text box, type the name of the user or users to whom you want to give permission to access the shared resource. (Separate multiple user names with semicolons.) Click OK when you’re done.
Select a user in the Group Or User Names list.
Using the Permissions list, you can allow or deny the following permissions:
Read: Gives the group or user the ability to only read the contents of a folder or file. The user can’t modify those contents in any way.
Change: Gives the group or user Read permission and allows the group or user to modify the contents of the shared resource, or even delete it.
Full Control: Gives the group or user Change permission and allows the group or user to take ownership of the shared resource, which enables that user to change permissions on the shared resource.
Repeat steps above to add and configure other users.
Click OK to return to the Sharing tab.
Click OK to share the resource with the network.
Insider Secret: If you want even more control over how your shared resources are used over the network, you should also set NTFS security permissions on the folder. (Ideally, you should do this before sharing the resource.) To do this, right- click the folder, select Sharing And Security, and then select the Security tab. This tab is similar to the Permissions dialog box shown in the last image above, except that you get a longer list of permissions for each group or user.
Configure each network computer.
Set up Internet Connection Sharing.
Access network resources.
Connect to a remote computer’s registry.
Safely share your computer’s resources on the network.
If you have multiple computers in your home or small office, you’ve probably run into one or more of the following problems:
In many cases, it’s just not economically feasible to supply each computer with its own complete set of peripherals. Printers, for example, are a crucial part of the computing equation—when you need them. If someone needs a printer only a couple of times a week, it’s hard to justify shelling out hundreds of dollars so that a user can have his or her own printer. The problem, then, is how to share a printer (or some other peripheral) among several machines.
These days, few people work in splendid isolation. Rather, the norm is that colleagues and coworkers share data and work together on the same files. If everyone uses a separate computer, though, how are files shared efficiently?
Most offices now standardize with particular software packages for word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, and other mainstream applications. Does this mean copies of expensive software programs or suites must be purchased for each machine? As with peripherals, what about the person who uses a program only sporadically?
Everyone wants to be on the Internet, of course, but paying a subscription for each user seems wasteful. What’s needed is a way to share a single Internet connection.
All of these problems are readily overcome by setting up a small network. Printers and other peripherals can be attached to one machine and used by any other machine on the network; files can be transferred along the cables from one computer to another; an Internet connection may be set up on one machine and the connection shared with other machines on the network; a user can access applications, disk drives, and folders on network computers as though these were part of his or her own computer.
A network can solve many problems, but it can also create a few of its own: you have to set it up and you have to administer it. In large corporate networks, these tasks require specialized knowledge, most of which is well beyond the scope of this tutorial. However, setting up and maintaining a network for a small office or home office is within the grasp of anyone willing to learn a few concepts and techniques. It’s our goal to give you the know-how to do just that.
Setting Up a Peer-to-Peer Network [Connecting 2 or more computers together ]
Networks appear in two guises: client/server and peer-to-peer. In general, a client/server network splits the computing workload into two separate, yet related, areas. On one hand, you have users working at intelligent “front-end” systems called clients. In turn, these client machines interact with powerful “back-end” systems called servers. The basic idea is that the clients have enough processing power to perform tasks on their own, but they rely on the servers to provide them with specialized resources or services, or access to information that would be impractical to implement on a client (such as a large database).
In a peer-to-peer network, no computer is singled out to provide special services. Instead, all the computers attached to the network have equal status (at least as far as the network is concerned), and all the computers can act as both servers and clients. On the server side, each computer can share any of its resources with the network and control access to these shared resources. For example, if a user shares a folder with the network, he or she also can set up passwords to restrict access to that folder. On the client side, each computer can work with the resources that have been shared by the other peers on the network (assuming they have permission to do so, of course).
We’ll concentrate mostly on the software side: the networking programs and features that are part of the Microsoft Windows XP package. However, the next couple of sections discuss the all-important hardware side: the devices and equipment without which networking isn’t possible. We look at the two main network types: Ethernet and wireless.
The most popular network type, particularly when it comes to small networks, goes by the generic name of Ethernet. Although there are many different Ethernet network configurations, the easiest one to set up and maintain requires three physical components:
Network interface card (NIC) This is an adapter that, usually, plugs into an expansion bus slot inside a client computer (although some NICs are external and plug into USB ports or PC Card slots). The NIC’s main purpose is to serve as the connection point between the PC and the network. The conventional NIC’s backplate (that is, the portion of the NIC you can see after the card is installed in the computer) contains one or more ports into which you plug a network cable. These are the three main types of NIC:
Ethernet This type of NIC provides 10 Mbps throughput.
Fast Ethernet This is a relatively new iteration of the Ethernet architecture that supports 100 Mbps throughput. Because of this speed, Fast Ethernet is rapidly becoming the networking standard (if it isn’t already). Note, too, that many NICs are “10/100” cards that support both Ethernet and Fast Ethernet.
Gigabit Ethernet This type of card features 1 Gbps throughput. This is impressive speed, to be sure, but it’s probably overkill on a small network.
Note If you have a broadband Internet connection, you’ll need two NICs for the computer hosting that connection: one for the Internet connection and a second one for the network connection.
Network cable To set up a communications pathway between network computers, you need to install cables that connect the various network nodes together. The vast majority of Ethernet NICs provide an RJ-45 port that supports unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable, which in Ethernet circles is also often referred to as 10Base-T cables. If you’re using Fast Ethernet NICs, be sure to get at least Category 5 cable.
Network hub A hub (also known as a concentrator) is a central connection point for network cables. That is, for each computer, you run a twisted-pair cable from the computer’s NIC to an RJ-45 port on the hub. Hubs range in size from small boxes with four to eight RJ-45 ports, to large cabinets with dozens of ports for various cable types. If you’re using Fast Ethernet NICs, be sure to get a hub that also supports 100 Mbps. There are also 10/100 hubs available if you’re using a mix of Ethernet and Fast Ethernet NICs.
Understanding Wireless Network Hardware Requirements
The cabling requirements of a standard Ethernet setup, and the restrictions these requirements impose upon a client, have led an increasing number of network users to consider the cable-free configuration of a wireless network. Using the IEEE 802.11b (or Wi-Fi) standard, wireless network connections can be established using radio frequencies in the 2.4-GHz range to achieve speeds up to 11 Mbps, though some manufacturers are using signal-processing chips that allow an effective rate of 22 Mbps. Wireless networks require two device types:
Wireless NIC: This is a special NIC that includes (or has built into its circuitry) a small antenna that receives and transmits data using radio frequencies. If your network consists of only computers with wireless NICs, you don’t need any other equipment (although you will have to set up your NICs to use ad hoc mode for direct NIC-to- NIC communication; see the operating manual that came with each wireless NIC).
Wireless access point: If your network consists of both wireless and cable connections, you need an access point to combine them. An access point is a switch or router that enables you to connect the wireless portion of your network with the Ethernet portion. Access points typically have an “uplink” port that connects via cable to the Ethernet hub.
Caution: Wireless networks are less secure than wired ones because the wireless connection that enables you to access the network from afar can also enable an intruder from outside your home or office to access the network. Microsoft has a nice collection of wireless network security tips in the following Knowledge Base article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;309369
Running the Network Setup Wizard
In previous versions of Windows, setting up a network usually involved working with obscure settings. These are still available in Windows XP, but there’s also a less perplexing route to network connectivity: the Network Setup Wizard. Even if you enjoy working with TCP/IP settings and network protocols, using the Network Setup Wizard is the best way to ensure trouble-free network operation.
Windows XP has a feature called Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) that enables you to share one computer’s Internet connection with other computers on the network. How you start setting up your network depends on whether you’ll be using ICS:
If you’ll be using ICS, run the Network Setup Wizard on the computer that will be sharing its connection. This machine is called the ICS host. Make sure this machine’s Internet connection is active before running the wizard. When you’re done, you can run the Network Setup Wizard on the other clients, in any order.
If you won’t be using ICS, run the Network Setup Wizard on any computer, in any order.
Configuring the ICS Host
Here are the steps to follow to run this wizard on the ICS host computer:
Launch Control Panel’s Network Connections icon.
In the Network Tasks section of the dialog box, select Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network.
In the initial Network Setup Wizard dialog box, click Next, and then click Next again. The wizard prompts you to select an Internet connection method.
Make sure the This Computer Connects Directly To The Internet option is selected, and then click Next.
Select the Internet connection and click Next.
Run through the rest of the Network Setup Wizard’s steps, as described below (see “Completing the Network Setup Wizard”).
Configuring Other ICS Machines
Here are the steps to follow to run the Network Setup Wizard on the other computers in an ICS network:
Launch Control Panel’s Network Connections icon, select Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network, and in the initial Network Setup Wizard dialog box, click Next, and then click Next again.
The next wizard dialog box tells you it found the shared Internet connection. Make sure the Yes, Use The Existing Shared Connection For This Computer’s Internet Access option is selected, and then click Next.
Run through the rest of the Network Setup Wizard’s steps, as described below.
Configuring a Network Without ICS
Follow these steps to run the Network Setup Wizard to configure a network without ICS:
Launch Control Panel’s Network Connections icon, select Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network, and in the initial Network Setup Wizard dialog box, click Next, and then click Next again.
Select the Other option and click Next.
You now have three choices (click Next when you’ve made your choice):
This Computer Connects To The Internet Directly Or Through A Network Hub Choose this option if your computer is attached to a hub that also has a DSL or cable modem attached to it.
This Computer Connects Directly To The Internet. I Do Not Have A Network Yet Choose this option if you computer has an Internet connection that you won’t be sharing with the network.
This Computer Belongs To A Network That Does Not Have An Internet Connection Choose this option if you computer doesn’t have a network connection and no other computer on the network will be sharing an Internet connection.
If your computer has an Internet connection, select the appropriate connection from the first two options and click Next. Otherwise, select the third option and click Next.
Run through the rest of the Network Setup Wizard’s steps, as described below.
Completing the Network Setup Wizard
The rest of the Network Setup Wizard’s steps are common to all configurations:
If you have more than one connection on your computer, the wizard offers to bridge the connections for you. (In Windows XP, a network bridge is software component that enables the computers on two different networks—both connected to the bridging computer—to see each other. Note that any connection that has Internet Connection Sharing or Internet Connection Firewall enabled cannot be added to the network bridge.) If you want to enable the bridge, select Let Me Choose The Connections To My Network and click Next. Now select the check box beside the connection that you use to access the network and click Next.
Enter a computer description and a computer name (which must be unique among the networked computers) and click Next.
Enter a workgroup name (which must be the same for all the networked computers) and click Next.
Click Next to apply the network settings.
The wizard asks how you want to run the Network Setup Wizard on your other computers. You have four choices (click Next when you’re done).
Create A Network Setup Disk Choose this option if you’ll be including Windows 9x or Windows Me computers in the network. This creates a floppy disk that includes a version of the Windows XP Network Setup Wizard. You insert this disk into a Windows 9x or Windows Me client and run the wizard on that computer.
Use The Network Setup Disk I Already Have Choose this option if you’ve already created a Windows XP Network Setup Disk.
Use My Windows XP CD Choose this option to run the Network Setup Wizard on the Windows 9x or Windows Me computers using the Windows XP CD. In this case, you insert the CD in the other computer. When the Welcome window appears, click Perform Additional Tasks and then click Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network.
Just Finish The Wizard Choose this option if you don’t need to run the wizard on Windows 9x or Windows Me computers.
Click Finish.
Working with Network Settings
You can change your network settings by launching Control Panel’s Network Connections icon. The configuration of the resulting Network Connections window depends on the computer’s role in the network. For example, if the computer is the ICS host, you’ll see a configuration similar to the one shown in below. Three items are shown in that figure, though yours may vary:
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DSL Internet Connection This icon represents the ICS host’s Internet connection—a broadband connection via a DSL modem, in this case. That is, it’s the connection that runs from the DSL modem out to the Internet.
To Local Area Network This icon represents the connection to the network. That is, it’s the connection that runs from one NIC to the network hub.
To DSL Modem This connection represents the connection to the modem. That is, it’s the connection that runs from the second NIC to the DSL modem.
Contrast this with the Network Connections window for a client machine on the same network, shown below. In this case, there are only two items:
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DSL Internet Connection on PAUL This is the Internet gateway that connects this computer to the DSL Internet Connection on the ICS host, a computer named PAUL in this example.
Local Area Connection This icon represents the connection to the network. That is, it’s the connection that runs from the computer’s NIC to the network hub.
From the Network Connection window, you can modify your network settings in the following ways:
Running the Network Setup Wizard If you want to make major changes to the network configuration, these are most easily accomplished by running the Network Setup Wizard again. Click the Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network link.
Note: If you want to change your computer or workgroup name, you can either run the Network Setup Wizard or change these values directly. To do the latter, launch Control Panel’s System icon and select the Computer Name tab. Click Change, enter the computer name and/or workgroup, and then click OK.
Renaming a connection Windows XP supplies connections with generic names such as “Local Area Connection.” To assign a more descriptive name to a connection, select the name of the connection, press F2, type the new name, and press Enter.
Installing a networking client, service, or protocol You shouldn’t need extra networking components in a small peer-to-peer network. Just in case you do, you can install them by right-clicking the network connection, selecting Properties, and then clicking Install.
Disabling a connection If you have multiple NICs and want to disable one that you don’t use, right-click its connection and then select Disable. You can enable this connection in the future by right- clicking it and then selecting Enable.
Administering Your Network
Once your network is set up, you can start using it immediately to share resources, including files, folders, programs, and peripherals. Your starting point for all of this is the My Network Places folder, discussed next.
Using My Network Places
You can get to My Network Places using any of the following methods:
Select Start, My Network Places. (If you don’t see My Network Places on the Start menu, launch Control Panel’s Taskbar And Start Menu icon, select the Start Menu tab, click Customize, select the Advanced tab, select the My Network Places check box, and click OK. Now you can select My Network Places from the Start menu.)
In Windows Explorer, click My Network Places in the Folders list.
In the Network Connection window, click My Network Places in the task list.
In most Open and Save As dialog boxes, click the My Network Places icon.
In Windows XP, a network place is a shared folder or drive on a network computer. (It can also be a location on a Web or FTP server.) When you set up a network place, you can access its files as though they resided on your own computer (subject to any restrictions that the owner of the network place may have imposed). By default, the My Network Places folder shows the network places that were defined when you set up your computer for networking. The name of each network place uses the following format:
ShareName on (Description ComputerName)
Here, ShareName is the name that the owner of the network place gave to the shared resource; Description is the description of the computer where the network place resides; and ComputerName is the name of that computer (see step 2 in the “Completing the Network Setup Wizard” section,in this tutorial). The image below shows some examples.
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Besides viewing the contents of the shared resources (by double-clicking a network place’s icon), My Network Places also enables you to do the following:
See the other computers in the workgroup. In the task list, select View Workgroup Computers to see a new window that contains an icon for each computer in your workgroup that is currently online below. Double-click a computer’s icon to see all the resources shared by that computer. For example, below also shows a computer that’s sharing a hard drive, a DVD drive, a fax, a printer, and several folders. (Use the Details view to see the Comments column.)
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http://www.experiencewindows.co.uk/images/nety5.jpg
See all the workgroups in your network. In the task list, select View Workgroup Computers and then click Microsoft Windows Network, also in the task list. This displays a window that contains an icon for each workgroup in your network. Double-click an icon to see that workgroup’s computers.
Adding a Network Place
Whenever a workgroup computer shares a folder, Windows XP detects the new share and adds it automatically to your My Network Places folder. To add another folder (such as a subfolder of a shared resource) as a network place, follow these steps:
Tip: You can tell Windows XP not to add new shared resources to My Network Places window automatically. To do this, launch Control Panel’s Folder Options icon, select the View tab, and then clear the Automatically Search For Network Folders And Printers check box.
In the task list, click Add A Network Place to launch the Add Network Place Wizard.
Click Next. If your computer has an Internet connection, the wizard will access the Internet and retrieve a list of online storage providers.
Click Choose Another Network Location and click Next.
Either use the Internet Or Network Address text box to enter the network address of the resource, or click Browse to select the resource using the Browse For Folder dialog box. Click OK, and then click Next.
Note: Network addresses use the Universal Naming Convention (UNC), which uses the following format:
\\ComputerName\ShareName
Here, ComputerName is the name of the computer, and ShareName is the name given to the shared resource. For example, the following UNC path refers to a shared resource named E on a computer named PAUL:
\\PAUL\E
If the UNC refers to a drive or folder, you can then use the regular path conventions to access subfolders on that resource. For example, if the resource E on PAUL is a drive and if that drive has a DOWNLOADS subfolder, you can refer to that subfolder as follows:
\\PAUL\E\DOWNLOADS
The UNC offers you several alternative methods of accessing shared network resources:
In the Run dialog box, enter the UNC for a shared resource to open the resource in a folder window.
In a 32-bit application’s Open or Save As dialog box, you can use a UNC name in the File Name text box.
At the command prompt, enter START followed by the UNC path. Here’s an example:
START \\PAUL\E
At the command prompt, you can use a UNC name as part of a command. For example, to copy a file named DRIVER.ZIP from \\PAUL\E\DOWNLOADS to the current folder, you’d use the following command:
COPY \\PAUL\E\DOWNLOADS\DRIVER.ZIP
Modify the name in the Type A Name For This Network Place, if desired, and then click Next.
To open the network place in a folder window, leave the Open This Network Place When I Click Finish check box selected.
Click Finish.
Mapping a Network Folder to a Local Drive Letter
Network places are useful, but they’re not as convenient as they could be, because you can’t reference them directly (in, say, a script or command). UNC paths can be referenced directly, but they’re a bit unwieldy to work with. To avoid these hassles, you can map a shared network drive or folder to your own computer. Mapping assigns a drive letter to the resource so that it appears to be just another disk drive on your machine.
To map a shared drive or folder, follow these steps:
Use Windows Explorer or My Network Places to display the resource you want to map.
Select the shared resource and then select Tools, Map Network Drive. Windows XP displays the Map Network Drive dialog box, shown here:
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The Drive drop-down list displays the last available drive letter on your system, but you can open the list and select any available letter.
If you want Windows XP to map the resource each time you log on to the system, leave the Reconnect At Logon check box selected.
If you prefer to log on to the resource using a different account, select the Different User Name link, enter the user name and password in the Connect As dialog box, and click OK.
Click Finish, Windows XP adds the new drive letter to your system and opens the shared resource in a new folder window.
Tip: For easier network drive mapping, Windows XP enables you to add a Map Drive button to the Windows Explorer toolbar. To do so, right-click the toolbar and then select Customize. In the Available Toolbar Buttons list, double-click Map Drive. Note, too, that there’s also a Disconnect button that you can use to easily disconnect mapped resources (as described later).
Disconnecting a Mapped Network Folder
If you no longer need to map a network resource, you should disconnect it by following these steps:
Use Windows Explorer to display the drive letter of the mapped resource.
Right-click the drive and then select Disconnect.
If there are files open from the resource, Windows XP displays a warning letting you know that it’s unsafe to disconnect the resource. You have two choices:
Click No, close all open files from the mapped resource, and then repeat steps 1 and 2.
If you’re sure there are no open files, click Yes to disconnect the resource.
Connecting to a Remote Registry
The Registry Editor enables you to work with some portions of the registry on a remote machine. First, log on as a member of the Administrators group on both machines. Then, on the remote Windows XP machine, you need to do two things:
Disable Simple File Sharing. To do this, launch Control Panel’s Folder Options icon, select the View tab, and then clear the Use Simple File Sharing check box.
Enable remote access. To do this, launch Control Panel’s System icon, select the Remote tab, and select the Allow Users To Connect Remotely To This Computer check box.
On the local Windows XP computer, follow these steps:
In the Registry Editor, select the File, Connect Network Registry command. The Select Computer dialog box appears.
In the Enter The Object Name To Select text box, enter the name of the remote computer.
Insider Secret: If you’re not sure of the correct name for the remote computer, click Advanced and then select Find Now to see a list of the workgroup computers. Select the remote computer and then click OK.
Click OK. The Registry Editor adds a new branch for the remote machine’s registry, although you see only the HKLM and HKU root keys.
When you’ve finished working with the remote registry, select File, Disconnect Network Registry, select the remote computer’s name in the Disconnect Network Registry dialog box, and click OK (or right-click the remote computer’s name in the Registry Editor and then select Disconnect from the shortcut menu).
Connecting to a Remote Desktop
Windows XP enables an Administrator to connect to a workgroup computer’s Windows XP desktop and use the machine just as though you were sitting in front of it. This is handy if you can’t leave your desk but need to troubleshoot a problem on the remote machine. On the remote machine, make sure the Remote Desktop feature is activated:
Launch Control Panel’s System icon.
Select the Remote tab.
In the Remote Desktop section of the dialog box, make sure the Allow Users to Connect Remotely To This Computer check box is selected, and then click OK, twice.
On the local computer, follow these steps:
Select Start, All Programs, Accessories, Communications, Remote Desktop Connection. The Remote Desktop Connection dialog box appears.
Use the Computer text box to enter the name of the remote computer.
To customize the remote desktop, select Options to expand the dialog box to the version shown in Figure 16-7. You now see five tabs:
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General: Use this tab to enter the user name and password of an account on the remote machine. You can also use the Save As button to save your connection settings for later use.
Display: Use this tab to set the size of the remote desktop and the number of colors.
Local Resources: Use this tab to customize your access to the remote computer’s sound effects, keyboard, and local devices.
Programs: Use this tab to configure a program to run automatically when you connect.
Experience: Use this tab to choose the connection speed. Because you’re connecting over a network, you should choose LAN (10 Mbps or higher).
Click Connect.
If you didn’t enter a password in step 3, the Log On To Windows dialog box appears. Enter the password and click OK.
If another user is already logged on to the remote computer, Windows XP lets you know that you’ll disconnect that user if you continue. Click Yes to complete the logon to the remote system.
At this point the remote computer displays a message to the local user saying that a remote user is attempting to log on. If the local user doesn’t want to allow the remote connection, he or she can click No. Otherwise, he or she clicks Yes to allow the connection. The user is then logged off and the remote user is logged on.
The remote desktop then appears full-screen on your computer, except for a connection bar at the top of the screen. If you need to work with your own desktop, click the Minimize or Restore button on the right side of the connection bar. When you’ve finished with the remote desktop, select Start, Disconnect. When Windows XP asks if you’re sure, click Disconnect.
Sharing Resources with the Network
In a peer-to-peer network, each computer can act as both a client and a server. So far you’ve seen how to use a Windows XP machine as a client, so now let’s turn our attention to setting up your system as a peer server. In Windows XP, that means sharing individual drives, folders, printers and other resources with the network.
Clearing Simple File Sharing
The first thing you need to do is clear Windows XP’s simple file sharing feature. This feature is designed for novice users who, understandably, don’t want (or need) to learn about technical topics such as maximum users and file permissions. So Windows XP activates simple file sharing by default, even on Windows XP Professional installations. To help you understand the difference between simple and classic file sharing, below shows the property sheet for the My Music folder on a system using simple file sharing. Notice the following on the Sharing tab:
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In the Local Sharing And Security section of the dialog box, you select Make This Folder Private to prevent other users from accessing the folder.
In the Network Sharing And Security section of the dialog box, you select Share This Folder On The Network to share the folder, and you enter a name in the Share Name text box. If you want network users to be able to modify the files, you select the Allow Network Users To Change My Files check box.
As you can see, what this approach adds in ease-of-use it takes away in power and flexibility. It’s an all-or-nothing, one-size-fits-all-users approach. To regain the power and flexibility to share your resources properly, you need to turn off simple file sharing by following these steps:
Launch Control Panel’s Folder Options icon (or, in Windows Explorer, select Tools, Folder Options).
Select the View tab.
Clear the Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended) check box.
Click OK.
Creating User Accounts
You need to set up an account for each user that is to have access to a shared resource. Here are some notes to bear in mind for creating users who will access your computer over a network:
Windows XP does not allow users without passwords to access network resources. Therefore, you must set up your network user accounts with passwords.
The user names you create do not have to correspond with the names that users have on their local machines. You’re free to set up your own user names, if you like.
If you create a user account that has the same name and password as an account of a user on his or her local machine, that user will be able to access your shared resource directly. Otherwise, a Connect To dialog box appears so that the user can enter the user name and password that you established when setting up the account on your computer.
Sharing a Resource
With simple file sharing turned off, follow these steps to share a resource:
In Windows Explorer, right-click the drive or folder and then select Sharing And Security. Windows XP displays the object’s property sheet with the Sharing tab selected, as shown in Figure here.
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Select the Share This Folder option.
Enter the share name and a comment (the latter is optional).
In a small network, it’s unlikely you’ll need to restrict the number of users who can access this resource, so leave the Maximum Allowed option selected. (The maximum number is 10.) If you’d prefer to restrict the number of users, select Allow This Number Of Users and then use the spin box to set the maximum number.
Click Permissions to display the Permissions dialog box shown here:
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Select the Everyone group in the Group Or User Names list and then click Remove.
Click Add to display the Select Users or Groups dialog box.
In the Enter The Object Names To Select text box, type the name of the user or users to whom you want to give permission to access the shared resource. (Separate multiple user names with semicolons.) Click OK when you’re done.
Select a user in the Group Or User Names list.
Using the Permissions list, you can allow or deny the following permissions:
Read: Gives the group or user the ability to only read the contents of a folder or file. The user can’t modify those contents in any way.
Change: Gives the group or user Read permission and allows the group or user to modify the contents of the shared resource, or even delete it.
Full Control: Gives the group or user Change permission and allows the group or user to take ownership of the shared resource, which enables that user to change permissions on the shared resource.
Repeat steps above to add and configure other users.
Click OK to return to the Sharing tab.
Click OK to share the resource with the network.
Insider Secret: If you want even more control over how your shared resources are used over the network, you should also set NTFS security permissions on the folder. (Ideally, you should do this before sharing the resource.) To do this, right- click the folder, select Sharing And Security, and then select the Security tab. This tab is similar to the Permissions dialog box shown in the last image above, except that you get a longer list of permissions for each group or user.