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