| Recently, I got a laptop with Windows Vista installed. | | | | firewall settings on the tabpage 'Exceptions' the file- |
| On my home network file sharing is enabled on each | | | | and printersharing setting is 'checked', because then |
| computer. I share a couple of folders on each | | | | the Windows firewall is not blocking file- and |
| computer in order to easily access and transfer files | | | | printersharing). |
| between computers. | | | | The cause of the problem of not being able to |
| For security reasons, it's important to share a certain | | | | access my Windows Vista's shares was because in |
| folder especially intended for filesharing, instead of | | | | Windows Vista's networking center, sharing with |
| just your C:\ drive for example. This way you can | | | | password protection was enabled. I quickly found out |
| control which files are accessible from another | | | | that when this setting was disabled, I was able to |
| computer. This way you have total control which files | | | | access my Vista shares on my XP and 2000 |
| on your computer are exposed to the outside world. | | | | machines. However, I rather have a good security, |
| At home I make use of a workgroup with the | | | | that's why I turned it on again and I quickly found |
| following name: home. It's important that each | | | | out that the user 'Richard' on my Vista laptop must |
| computer is also a member of the workgroup home, | | | | also exist as a user with the same name and same |
| otherwise you can't share files between all of your | | | | password on my XP and 2000 machines. |
| computers in your home network. | | | | After having user 'Richard' on both my Windows |
| With my Windows Vista laptop I had some trouble | | | | Vista and Windows XP and Windows 2000 machines, |
| sharing files, because Windows Vista's file sharing | | | | I was still not able to access my Vista shares. I |
| security is better than on Windows XP or Windows | | | | wondered how this can be. The reason was that my |
| 2000. On my Windows Vista I was able to 'see' the | | | | user 'Richard' didn't have a password. After setting a |
| shares on my XP and 2000 machines, however I was | | | | real, non-empty password for user 'Richard' on all my |
| not able to see my Windows Vista shares on my | | | | machines, Vista's shares became visible on my XP |
| Windows XP and Windows 2000 computers. | | | | machine (after logging of from Windows and logging |
| On my Windows Vista laptop I granted user 'Richard' | | | | on again on my Vista and XP computers). |
| with administrator rights access to these shares. This | | | | Unfortunately, on one of my Windows 2000 |
| is an essential step when you share a folder. Also I | | | | computers, I still was not able to see Windows |
| gave the user 'Everyone' and 'Guest' and 'Anonymous | | | | Vista's shares. I suspected that I needed to install the |
| Logon' rights to these shares (but this was really not | | | | latest Windows 2000 service pack 4. Indeed, after |
| necessary, as I realised later on). Still, on my XP and | | | | installing this service pack on my Windows 2000 |
| 2000 machines I was not able to access Vista's | | | | machine, Vista's shares also became available on my |
| shared folders. | | | | Windows 2000 machine. |
| In Windows Vista's networking center all settings | | | | On my Windows XP and Windows 2000 machines, I |
| were correct: my network had local and internet | | | | run ZoneAlarm as a firewall. My experience is that |
| access, networking detection was enabled, file | | | | this is a great firewall. It's important that ZoneAlarm |
| sharing was enabled, sharing public folders was | | | | is not blocking traffic to and from ip numbers in your |
| enabled (this is actually only necessary when you | | | | home networking range (which is in my case the ip |
| want to share your public folders), printer sharing | | | | range between ip numbers 10.0.0.150 and 10.0.0.153). I |
| was enabled (this is not really necessary for file | | | | added this ip range to the trusted zone in ZoneAlarm. |
| sharing) and sharing with password protection was | | | | In case you suspect your firewall is blocking |
| also enabled. | | | | filesharing, try shutting down all of your firewalls in |
| The Windows firewall on my Vista laptop was also | | | | your home network and figure out which firewall is |
| enabled (which is no problem in case in the Windows | | | | blocking the filesharing in your home network. |