Setting Up File Sharing

Sharing (Access and Protection)

As mentioned earlier, networks enable computers to share both files and peripherals. Here's how you do it:

Sharing Drives/Directories/Files:

Assuming that you have set up a network and you can now see all of the other computers on your network, go to Explorer (shortcut = hold the Windows key and the e key - if you have a Windows keyboard).

Now right click on a hard/floppy/CD-ROM/ZIP/etc drive (or even just a single file or directory) that you would like to be visible to others. Click on Sharing

You will now be presented with the following screen:

Make sure that the Shared As option is selected.

Access Type:

Read-Only	Enables other computers to copy any file from my computer onto their computer. Allows them to open any file on my computer so that they can view/use it. They can not delete or edit any of my files
Full	Gives them full access to my files. They can add files to my computer, edit files, delete files. You have to be very trusting when you allow other people full access to your files
Depends on Password	Grants people read-only/full access to my computer depending on the password that I give them

Now press OK.

Hey presto - now other people can now access your files!

Repeat the process to share other files, directories (folders), and disk drives.

Once other peoples drives/directories are shared, you can 'map' them. i.e. you can present them in Explorer as remote drives. To do this, simply right click on the other computers drive or directory and select the Map Network Drive option. Then select a letter that you would like the drive/directory mapped to. e.g. you could have Tom's computers' C:\ drive mapped as your F:\ drive (provided that you do not already have an F:\ drive)

Windows 2000

Sharing (Access and Protection)

As mentioned earlier, networks enable computers to share both files and peripherals. Here's how you do it:

Sharing Drives/Directories/Files:

Assuming that you have set up a network and you can now see all of the other computers on your network, go to Explorer (shortcut = hold the Windows key and the e key - if you have a Windows keyboard).

Now right click on a hard/floppy/CD-ROM/ZIP/etc drive (or even just a single file or directory) that you would like to be visible to others. Click on Sharing

You will now be presented with the following screen:

Each of the PCs hard disks, floppy drive, etc will already have a default share - the drive letter followed by a '$' sign. This signifies the 'administration share' and is only accessible by the administrators of the PC. Therefore in order to properly share your drives and folders you will need to create additional shares. To do this simply click on the 'New Share' button and give it a share name (e.g. 'C').

Once this is done you will need to tell Windows who should be able to access the shared resource. To do this simply click on the 'Permissions' button to see the following screen:

The default is 'Everyone', but you can add/remove users and/or groups of users.

You can also specify what type of access each user/group has on the share.

Permissions:

Change	Enables users to add, remove, edit and view files and folders.
Full Control	Enables users to add, remove, edit and view files and folders. They can also take owne 15 February, 2009 d>
Read	Enables users to view files and folders. They can not add, remove or edit them.

Now press OK.

Hey presto - now other people can now access your files!

Repeat the process to share other files, directories (folders), and disk drives.

Once other peoples drives/directories are shared, you can 'map' them. i.e. you can present them in Explorer as remote drives. To do this, simply right click on the other computers drive or directory and select the Map Network Drive option. Then select a letter that you would like the drive/directory mapped to. e.g. you could have Tom's computers' C:\ drive mapped as your F:\ drive (provided that you do not already have an F:\ drive)

Windows XP

Sharing (Access and Protection)

As mentioned earlier, networks enable computers to share both files and peripherals. Here's how you do it:

Note: In XP there are different methods of administrating the network sharing permissions. The below instructions only describe the basic (most common) approach.

Sharing Drives/Directories/Files:

Assuming that you have set up a network and you can now see all of the other computers on your network, go to Explorer (shortcut = hold the Windows key and the e key - if you have a Windows keyboard).

Now right click on a hard/floppy/CD-ROM/ZIP/etc drive (or even just a single file or directory) that you would like to be visible to others. Click on Sharing and Security

You will now be presented with the following screen:

Note: that if you try to share the root directory of a drive (e.g. C:\ or D:\) it will ask you to confirm that you want to do this before you see that above screen.

The top half of the screen deals with Local sharing and security - i.e. other users of your PC and the bottom half of the screen deals with other users on your network. In this example I have shared out my Pictures folder but I have not ticked the 'Allow network users to change my files' tickbox. This means that other people on my LAN can list, open and download files and directory within my Pictures share but they will not be able to edit, delete, rename or add files. The Pictures share is actually my C:\Pictures\ folder - but could relate to any folder - network users will not know where the files are physically located on my computer.

To allow users to rename, edit, delete and add files under the Pictures share as well as list, open and download the existing files; just tick the 'Allow users to change my files' tickbox.

If you switch to advanced file sharing you will be able to further define and restrict permissions to files and users.

Hey presto - now other people can now access your files!

Repeat the process to share other files, directories (folders), and disk drives.

Once other peoples drives/directories are shared, you can 'map' them. i.e. you can present them in Explorer as remote drives. To do this, simply right click on the other computers drive or directory and select the Map Network Drive option. Then select a letter that you would like the drive/directory mapped to. e.g. you could have Tom's computers' C:\ drive mapped as your F:\ drive (provided that you do not already have an F:\ drive).