Setting Up File Sharing

Hello There,

I currently have 2 machines networked for the internet off a cable modem and a 4 port linkseys router and in as much that I am a compleat rookie right now I would like to find out what the steps are to be able to share files. I can see each machine from the other but I am not sure how to go about setting up file sharing between the two. Any help would be greatly appreciated


Regards,

FireDancer

 

More Information needed...

What are the OS's installed on each system.

 

SORRY FOR LACK OF INFO

BITBYTER,

I am currently running both machines with Win98 SE
do you need more info? Thanks for the responce

Regards,

FireDancer

 

> 2 (W98) machines networked for the internet
> off a cable modem and a 4 port linkseys router

This establishes that TCP/IP is installed and functioning and that it is highly likely that both systems are on the same subnet.

You can start by reading this -- > FPS per Linksys

The Linksys instructions aren't quite right. You will right-click (not double-click) the network neighborhood icon and choose properties and then the Configuration tab. If File and print sharing doesn't appear in the installed components box, then click on the File and Print Sharing button to add it.

You probably only need to enable file and print sharing on one computer.

You should share out a folder that is under the root of a drive. Don't share out the drive.

If you haven't changed the default filters for the Linksys Router then the appropriate ports are probably blocked (135 - 139) to protect your file and print sharing from malicious people on the Internet.

Make sure you use a strong password for the file share (folder that is shared).

> I can see each machine from the other...

Does that mean you can ping each machine or that you see each machine in the network neighborhood display? If the latter then file and print sharing is already installed.

You simply need to establish a file share on one of the systems.

Again, Linksys tells you how to share a drive--don't do that. Go to the drive, create a folder and right-click on the folder, then choose properties. Choose the sharing tab and set up the share.

 

Woot!

BitByte,

Thanks...

I got the file share set up and it is working properly and no I havent changed defaults on linkseys.. should I? And can I set the computer up to share more then one file or drive? I need to retrieve from many files in the C drive. I was seeing the machines in network Nighborhood not pinging.

 

> file share set up

Cool!

> I havent changed defaults on linksys..
> should I?

Not necessarily. If it meets your needs. Most SoHo routers come preconfigured with commonly needed filters and ports 135-139 and 445 among others are probably already blocked. Such filters are part of the whole schema that is your firewall. When you set up file and print sharing, that machine is providing services on one or more of those ports. This means that, for those ports, a program running on your system "listens" and responds to requests sent to those ports. With out the protection of a firewall, password, and possibly other protection, anybody could copy files from your shares.

So your router is protecting the machine on which you just set up file sharing. At some time, you might need to open up one of the ports that the router now has closed. You probably have no such need now.

> And can I set the computer up to
> share more then one file or drive?

"File" sharing is not the sharing of a file per se. What you share is a directory or folder. The service advertises the shared directory. If another machine/user has permission to use the directory, that machine/user has access to the files in that directory. If you make a directory under that directory, the user also has access to that.

You can share more than one directory.

You want to share as few directories as is necessary. More shared objects means more overhead traffic and more work.

More machines doing sharing increases overhead traffic.

More shares means more structure to manage for each machine on the network.

W98 in particular can have a problem with a large number of shares, particularly if they are all mapped to drive letters. This could manifest as a shutdown problem.

Before I even think about shares, my storage structure usually includes at minimum two partitions, one for system files and application files and the other for the data that I create, manipulate, and maintain. The first thing I do with that data partition is create a top level directory in the root of the drive called "Data ". Everything on that partition is stored under the single folder called "Data ". There would never be a reason that I would need to share the drive. I could share everything on the drive simply by sharing the "Data" folder.

Because I seldom want to share ALL my data, any share I would establish would likely be a folder under "Data." Let's call that folder "SharF." I create a folder called "SharF." I can use that, locally, just like any other folder on my machine. Later I share "Sharf" and call the share, "SHARF ". Now other people can get to the folders and files under SharF and I can continue using SharF locally just as I did before.

> I need to retrieve from many files in the C drive.

"C drive" doesn't mean anything to me except that it's probably your system/boot drive. It might also be your "Data" drive as well. If I only had one partition, I would have a folder in the root named "Data" and I would put all of the data files I had in "Data "...

> Is it safer to run off one folder then the whole drive?

It's... ...more managable. I seldom want to share EVERYTHING.

> Is there a better way to share the files
> I need even if they are scattered?

Get organized.

I don't know of any technical reason why sharing a drive is "wrong. "

 

BitByter Thanks so much!!

BitByter,

Sorry for taking so long to respond I have a heavy work schedual anyways I took your advise and moved all to file named Data and put a strong Password on it and at this time it is the only file that needs accsessing for the work to be done. Thanks for all the help and helping me to understand a bit better

Regards,

FireDancer

 

FireDancer - if for some reason you really need to share the entire C: drive, you can certainly do just that. It does leave the PC pretty open but if you need to, it might be worth it.

If you do go that route, I'd advise making a share ending with a $ so it won't show up in network neighborhood at all. You could still connect to it via start~run~\\somepc\C$ (or whatever name you gave the share). Any NT PC you get (NT4/2K/XP) will have this done at setup on the assumption the PC will probably be on a network and a network administrator will need to get to any PC on the network.

 

Not sure I understand

Hi Newt,

I took BitBytes advice and put all shared info in to one main folder to be worked from and passworded it. In as much as the C:\ I have set that up so only I can get into it that also is password protected. Im not sure tho that I understand all the share ending with $ stuff as I am just learning about networks and not good at it at all!! LOL (beginner in most aspects of computing as far as terminology and inner workings) anyways... I set mine up to where the person needing to work off that particular file will need the pass word to get into it and that is all they can get into is that folder. On the other hand I have accsess to both computers and can accsess the C:\ with a password from my puter when needing a file. In short I am a one man operation with 2 puters in my office and all I wanted was not to have to go to my secretarys puter everytime I needed to see something like a recent proposal or quote (snicker no more running back and forth or wondering where she put it when I work late. It is to all go to one file for now. I hope I did this right or is there a better way? I am sorry I dont understand all your terminology. Any more assistance in laymans terms would be gbreatly appreciated. Thanks for the reply

Rgards,
FireDancer

 

FireDancer - sounds like you have things working pretty much the way you want them.

As to using the $ at the end of a share name - it is simply a feature of the networking for making a share not show up in network neighborhood. Any share name (not the folder name but the share name) ending in $ will be non-visible but can still be used if you know it is there and what the share name is.

For instance, if you had a folder on your PC named MyFiles and you shared it as Hidden$, no one could get to it unless they knew it was called Hidden$ since it wouldn't display anywhere. Otherwise it would be a perfectly normal network share.

 

Hi Newt

Newt,

Gotcha!!!! slowly but surley Im getting it all LOL or at least trying to thanks so much for the help and the lesson.

Regards,

FireDancer