file servers, usernames, access to shares . . .

Help needed please!!!

I have been using an old Netgear ND508 to share files on a peer to peer network of 20 pcs in the school where I teach. This works well because it allows all the children to log with the same username but when they access a share on the file server a window pops up to ask them for the username and password to access the share. This allows children to log on to the pcs with one username ( "pupil ") but store their files in a password protected folder.

However it is far too slow and copes with only a few concurrent users. I have purchased a replacement NAS file server (Synology DS101) which includes shares, users and groups in the administration set up. However it takes the username and password from the the workstation login, and blocks access to shares rather than promting for a password.

Does anyone have any ideas how the children could log onto the PCs all using the username "pupil" but then be required to give a password to access a share on a file server? Would it be possible to build a simple file server using Fedora as the OS which would enable this? (Does anyone know if it is possible to add more RAM to the Netgear ND508 to enable more concurrent users?)

Any thoughts or comments greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

As I understand this, students use a generic account to logon to the PC and then a unique account to access the shared folders. If this is correct, why not set it up to allow them to use just one account for both? Or do they use different PCs at different times?

DRD