Need Networking Help

[ecmi92]

I am a reading teacher at a local school in my city. I am running 7 computers with windows xp professional.
The main reason I have those computers is to run a program called Scholastic Reading Counts! program. This includes programs like Read180 and several other programs to target and personalize the level of help they need on reading.
I need to create a shared folder among these computers so I can see their progress and scores on my main computer.
I am not connected to any type of outside server. I want to record their files locally.
6 of the computers are for the students. On those computers, i want students to be able to log in a very limited account.

In fact, I want to be able to create accounts with different access levels. One for the internet, (research, etc.), but with appropriate restrictions of course, and another for the Scholastic programs. In the account for the Scholastic programs, I want the program to be able to WRITE on a shared folder to record their data, but I DO NOT want them to be able to READ and see the files in that shared folder.

Also, where exactly would i go to personalize the type of restrictions on each account?

I do not want these computers to connect to a server by logging into a server. I want each of the computers to be separate computers with separate accounts with certain accounts that can only WRITE in a shared folder and not READ or view or delete any files on the folder.

To sum it up:

-how to create a shared folder where limited accounts can write but not view or delete files. The Scholastic database files would be here and the program should automatically record data here.

-how to personalize the restrictions of each account. (ex. make one account access the internet and another record data for the scholastic program.)


Is all this possible? If not, what would be my best course of action.

I know that I'm asking for a lot of help and would appreciate it greatly if you would help me out.

 

[donb01]

I'll give you some information to get you started but don't have the time to go into a lot of detail.

You should be able to do most of what you ask.

All of the computers would need network cards and all should either have network jacks cabled back to a common point or be close enough together to just use long LAN cables (the former will appear much cleaner). Optionally you could do it all wirelessly by buying wireless network cards for all the computers and having a wireless router.

You will need to purchase a router - like a Linksys 4-port router, with or without wireless depending on what you choose to do above. I would also buy a multiport switch/hub to connect after the router so you have enough spots to hook all your PC's. D-Link has a nice 16-port one for less than $100.

Set the router to supply DHCP addresses. Set the PC network connection to receive it's IP address information automatically. This will give each PC it's own IP address - it doesn't matter what they are. You will also have to make sure that all of the computers have the "File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Networks" option set up on the network as well.

Connect the switch/hub to one of the router ports, and then connect all of your PC's to the hub.

Configure the PCs to require a user-name and password to login to the PC using control panel and user info.

On your PC create the directory you want the shared data to go in. Right click on it and go into sharing and security. Tell it the directory should be shared. Go into the security settings and enter the logoin names you want to have access to the directory and what access rights you want to assign - I would use generic login names like PC1, PC2, etc so when the students change you don't have to redo everything.

On each individual PC set up a drive mapping to your shared directory and set windows to reconnect every time you login.

Get the local part of things set up and running first. Load your software, test it, etc.

Then set up the internet connection, either by conencting it to your router or to your PC. If you set the internet connection up on your PC then in network settings set the "Share this internet connection" parameter to yes.

You will have to implement restrictions on the internet use - that can probably also be done based on the login names, etc, but I haven't done that stuff and that's the part I don't have time to teach myself so I can share it.

This should at least get your idea off to a good start.

 

[linney]

Write to Folder but not Read

http://www.eggheadcafe.com/forumarchives/windowsfile_system/Sep2005/post23675411.asp