Network permission differences

[dg043]

In the office where I work there are 3 computers which are networked on the same workgroup and all run XP SP2. When I use another PC to try and connect to the first PC (using Windows Explorer), I am allowed to view files correctly without any restriction. When I try to connect to the second PC, I am immediately presented with a login dialog box where the username field is set as Guest and greyed out (thus I can only type a password). When I try to connect to the third PC, I am immediately presented with a login dialog box where both the username and password fields are available i.e. not greyed out. Now, considering all the machines should be identical in terms of user accounts, why is the above happening? I assume that it is an option that can be selected via Control Panel or Group Policy Editor or something, but I cannot find anything immediately obvious

Dan Griffiths
Software Analyst
National Grid Transco (NGT)

 

[smah]

Using your descriptions above, you have some username and password inconsistancies. On the first machine, I'm not sure if you mean that you can remotely access everything, or if you mean that you can correctly access only the things that should be allowed by your user account. On the second machine, I think that that your account credentials don't match exactly (both username & password) and simple file sharing is enabled. I believe the third machine has Simple File Sharing disabled but wrong user credentials. Check out

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm

 

[dg043]

Thanks for that Smah. The solution is simply that with Simple File Sharing turned off, a username and password login dialog is presented to anybody who tries to connect remotely, and with it turned on the Guest account is automatically used to identify the remote user (with the login dialog box only being presented if the Guest account password is different between the local and remote machines). I knew it must be something relatively straightforward, thanks again

Dan Griffiths
Software Analyst
National Grid plc