Authentication settings in XP

[hungry joe]

I am in a large uni dorm and there are loads of computers online. however not all of them have accessible files and folders. when i click on them it prompts for a user name and password. this doesnt happen when people try and click my XP machine though.

in the network properties, on the authentication tab there are 3 check boxes. 1. Enable network access (ticked)
2. Authenticate as computer (also ticked)
3. Authenticate as guest (not ticked)

is the reason i cant access some peoples stuff because they have this third box ticked? what do these boxes do exactly?

If i put a sign up in the lobby telling people to untick the third check box will that grant me access? basically its silly for 30 of the 50 computers here to be inaccessable

iuf this isnt what is needed what should i write on the sign?

[Greenstead]

Thats interesting.

Are you using XP Home or XP Pro ? If XP Pro are you using simple file management?. Are you working in a workgroup or a Domain?

My first question would be why should anyone allow all others to access their files? (Yes I know they can define the folders they will allow to be shared and will put there only files they want to share). I would prefer to only give access to people I trusted and who share interesting (and reliable i.e. viruse free) files with me. However, my understanding of XP Home is that you cannot stop anyone accessing your network shares.

I would certainly want to control who got logon access, and authentication is the way to do this. For access to logon I would give the password to the people who have a real need to logon. So I think having to authenticate seems reasonable to me.

You may be (maybe me also) confusing net access to shares with network access to logon onto the computer. Quite different things.

Having read you message again I think you are taking about permission to logon onto the PC. In which case I would question the people who are not protecting theirs PCs rather than thosewho demand authentication.

Is it sharing files you want or logon access?

[hungry joe]

i have shared my directorys of mp3s movies etc etc to anyone in the halls. other people have tried to share folders but when you click on them in network neighbourhood it prompts for a password. everyone in the building (there are several wqokgroups due to no standards being set) will have some files they will want to share. i just want access to the files people want to share.

[Greenstead]

I see now.

The ones you are getting into without authentication are probably XP systems. XP will let anyone access their network shares. The ones asking for passwords are probably PCs with earllier versions of windows (Win2K, WINNT etc) with a different workgroup or domain name to yours. You would normally have to enter
At ID: workgroup\userid (that exists on their PC)
Password: the user password
This would let you acces their share. You have to ask them for this info.