File Network - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 09:06:29 pm
content: HelloI have a problemi have 3 pcs (1 desktop and 2 laptops)and the thing is that i need to share files open files from one pc to another and stuff .... i was using Google Drive till now but i am sick of uploading files to share them i need my laptop to be able to open a file which is on my desktop or even copy it.Thank you.

author: img
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 09:32:26 pm
content: What operating systems are you running on these computers?Where are they located physically in the house?The most convenient and hassle-free option is probably a small networked hard drive enclosure plugged into your main router. This will act as your 'server'.

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 09:35:00 pm
content: Sorry for short description.....They are all windows 7 and all located into my bedroom.but can i use a 1TB hd i have hooked up via sata to my desktop pc as a server drive? I have also one 250 one.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 09:36:13 pm
content: You have two options.Buy a network switch or hub and three patch cables and make yourself a network.Buy a crossover network cable (or go to some store that will sell you network cable and are willing to put two connectors on the cable and ask them to make a crossover cable) which allows you to connect two computers between them directly using that cable.You just set a different IP to each computer/laptop and they appear in the network and you can use Windows shares or a ftp server / client to send files between the computers.switches and hubs are very cheap on ebay, and also new on amazon or other stores.patch cables and crossover cables are also cheap, 1-2$ a cableIf you want me to explain in more detail how one of these two options work, let me know.

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 09:47:46 pm
content: Quote from: mariush on April 04, 2013, 09:36:13 pmThank you for your answer...but i have some questions1) can i use a normal ethernet cable to connect the pcs together2)can i connect the two laptops with a cable and with the other pc wirelessly3) can i connect them all to my router and just use one hard drive to share files from4)can i use any kind of software to share filesThank you.I have static IP to all my pcs and i will search how to setup an ftp server.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 09:53:54 pm
content: Screw networking. Every time I fart around with it I want to hang myself with Cat5e. I keep my files synchronized between computers using Dropbox, inside an encrypted container since their security is such a joke. I use encfs for that (on Linux) but there are Windows solutions as well. Fast sync, enough space for me (if I have any truly massive files I can share them via sneakernet), and easy to set up. Make friends with the symbolic link tool on your OS and you can make it seamless.

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 09:57:00 pm
content: For me Google drive is the winner for cloud sharing but i want something that i can relly one for big files.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 09:58:44 pm
content: Do you have that many big files to sync? If so, a network share is probably the best solution, but if it's a more normal amount, I strongly suggestsneakernetand an external hard drive for the big ones. The bandwidth is incredible.

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 10:01:47 pm
content: Thank you guys ill try to set it up if i have any problems i will post my questions thank you.

author: img
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 10:05:23 pm
content: Static IPs? Great!Look up how to set up a local FTP server on Windows 7, and you're in business. You'll need to set up each of your computers as a local ftp server. I am guessing that your computers are already on the same subnet and can ping each other without any problems.If your hard drive had an ethernet port, it would have been even easier.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 10:13:47 pm
content: Quote from: img on April 04, 2013, 10:05:23 pmOh FFS, why didn't I think of something that damn simple? Yes, set up each one as an FTP server. I've done the same (actually it's SSH, but same effect), and I didn't even think of it because it's just so second-nature to me to SSH across the room to another computer.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 10:18:54 pm
content: Quote from: ChrisGreece52 on April 04, 2013, 09:47:46 pmA patch cable is another name for a normal ethernet cable, it's the ethernet cable in which the wires are the same in both connectors.The normal ethernet cables are wired so that the wires inside are ordered in the form at the top of the image:A crossover cable is an ethernet cable that has the wires in one connector in a different order than the other connector, as you see at the bottom of the picture.A crossover cable allows you to link two computers together without having to use a switch or a hub. Once you plug this crossover cable between two computers, you just have to give each computer an unique IP (for example 192.168.0.1 and the other 192.168.0.2 and both subnet mask 255.255.255.0) and now the two computers are in a network.With normal cables, you have to use a switch or a hub and you plug all the cables in the switch or hub and the switch or hub has the brains to move the data between the cables.A router is basically a switch plus a network card that connects to your modem cable to get internet into the router. If you have a router and you plug the laptop and computer in the router (or one through wireless and the other through cable), you already have a switch, and you're already in a network.Write here what router you have (who makes it , what model, maybe make some pictures of the back of the router)As for software, the easiest method is the plain Windows sharing, just right click on a folder, and go to Properties, then to Sharing.On the other computers, you then go to "Network neighborhood" , find the computer that has the shared folder, and do whatever you want with it.If you want super speed, you can set up a ftp server on the computer with files, create a ftp account with rights to read, copy and write files in a folder (or you can select the whole drive) and then the other computers connect to the computer using a ftp application and download or upload files.Seehttps://filezilla-project.org/it has both the server application and the client application

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 10:19:20 pm
content: Go with the above solutions, for you to learn a bit more, the ideal solution would be a NAS - Network Attached Storage [$$$'s you probably don't have]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network-attached_storage

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 12:02:25 am
content: Why in the name of all that is unholy are you lot telling him to use an FTP server? It's Windows! It DOES file sharing, built in!http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows7/file-sharing-essentialsAnd for those of you unfamiliar with modern equipment: He's running Windows 7. Chances are all his NICs are made in the 21st century. Crossover cables died a long time ago.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 12:18:55 am
content: Try doing gigabit speeds with windows sharing. Then try doing that through ftp.Not only the speeds are low through windows shares, but the latency will also be high if he tries to copy a folder with lots of files.With a ftp server and a ftp client, he can do 10 simultaneous transfers if he wants (or more), saturating his gigabit port, provided that his hard disks can keep up.Both his laptops and his computer probably have gigabit network cards.As such a crossover cable is probably not even needed, as the gigabit cards nowadays are smart enough to detect incorrect wiring and self correct the issue.. BUT I wanted to give him the technically correct options, without assuming something about the hardware he has.side story: I've had my sister come to me with her work laptop, trying to backup some stupid software using Java and some CRM crap... talk about 30-50.000 files averaging 10 KB - 300 KB in size.I didn't have an usb stick with me, and the drive was sealed by the company he works at.Even with multiple ftp copy threads, it was estimated the transfer would take 6 hours or so.Screw it, just RAR'ed the partition with the (store/no compression) option and uploaded it at the same time through ftp at about 80 MB/s to my computer.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 12:20:39 am
content: Quote from: mariush on April 05, 2013, 12:18:55 amHave done. Single file, no problem. Lots of files, FTP sucks at it too. You need actual tools for that, not 40 year old protocols which weren't any good in the firstplace.

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 01:48:34 am
content: Thanks Monkeh. I was going to post the same thing but you said it pretty well.There is no reason to deal with FTP when you have Windows machines all on the same network (running Windows 7 too).FTP doesn't really have any performance benefits over SMB on a modern network. Windows Vista and later use SMB2 which doesn't have the same problems that original SMB had. As long as both machines are Vista or later, SMB2 will be used (and Win7 and Win8 bring even more enhancements to SMB). Meanwhile, FTP hasn't changed since the 80's.FTP doesn't support file metadata attributes, most notably NTFS security.There is no reason to deal with CAT-5 cabling and hard-wired ethernet switches/hubs when you already have a wireless network configured. There won't be problems due to signal strength, as all the machines are in the same room. Sure - hardwired gigabit will be slightly faster, but unless you are constantly moving around multi-gigabyte files it's not going to matter. The simplicity and lack of wires makes wireless a clear winner.Laptops usually have HORRIBLE ethernet NICs (if they have them at all), and you wouldn't get top throughput out of it anyways if you went with hardwired. Most laptops made today don't even bother with wired ethernet NICs at all.If you install hardwired networking, then you will need to also *disable* your wireless adapters. Connectivity will be extremely unreliable if you have both a wireless NIC and an ethernet NIC in the same machine talking on the same network segment. The TCP/IP stack in non-server Windows doesn't like to be multi-homed.This is 2013, not 2003.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 01:51:27 am
content: Quote from: MacAttak on April 05, 2013, 01:48:34 amI'll have to disagree there. Wired is always superior to wireless. Even with the latest wireless standards, even 100Mbit is not guaranteed.

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 02:04:28 am
content: Quote from: mariush on April 05, 2013, 12:18:55 amMy gigabit network with 2 win7 systems, 1 freenas (SMB I think) and 1 XP sustains 70-80MB/s on large files. The XP machine is 70-80 or around 30 depending which end is doing the transfer.

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 02:49:29 am
content: Cat5 I stooped installing that ages ago. Do the smart thing if you are putting in any new wire, use Cat6 or better yet Cat6A if you can stand the price difference. When you can stand the price of Cat7 use it. Telephone is Cat3, but you can use higher Cat numbers then required.Todays hard drives can be faster then 1G Ethernet.For all you wireless fans, It's radio, some one can hear the wireless signal. the only real question is how close they need to get and how long to brake the encryption if your are running some. A good antenna makes a lot of difference in distance for wireless.C

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 03:23:20 am
content: This is a strange threadWhat Monkeh said.If you have three PCs all at home all connected to the same network hub and all running Windows 7, just let Windows set up a Homegroup for you. It is as easy as falling off a log.The only proviso is that at least one of the PCs must be running Home Premium or Professional. The Home Basic edition won't allow you to create a Homegroup, but it can join a Homegroup that is already set up.

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 01:09:33 pm
content: Thanks for your answers as for the homegroup ntwindows wont let me setup a homegroup network

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 03:29:06 pm
content: Quote from: mariush on April 04, 2013, 10:18:54 pmIf the connection is using 1000BASE-T (i.e. it's gigabit ethernet) there is no longer need for crossover cables.The standard at physical layer allows Auto-MDIX, i.e. the network card itself should detect whether the twisted pairs is reversed.So, a straight cable should be enough in all circumstances.

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 04:17:28 pm
content: as IanB saidQuote1. You could upgrade as least one of the computers to meet the above.2. You may be able to find some software that will allow your version of windows to share files.3. You could find an external hard drive that has a network connection. This network connection lets the hard drive to be Network attached storage (NAS). Last time I looked a good external hard drive with added network connection it was $40 more then the same with out the network port. Spend more money on this and you get more features.#2 may be hard to find, #1 Microsoft did let you do when windows 7 was current, #3 best long term choiceC

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 08:16:15 pm
content: Quote from: C on April 05, 2013, 04:17:28 pm1 can i use ultimate?2 windows homegroup may work ....3 cant i use one of my sata drives??? if it is to spend 40 bucks i prefer i get a ram upgrade for my desktop.(which i will by the next month)

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 08:27:26 pm
content: Quote from: ChrisGreece52 on April 04, 2013, 09:06:29 pmBuy a switch (some have an integrated Wifi access point and DHCP server), CAT5 cables and a NAS (network attached storage). You can setup a home network in Windows from which each computer can access the NAS. It doesn't get any easier. Just read about Windows networking.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 08:29:36 pm
content: Just set up a ftp server (application) on your main computer and you will then be able to read and write files to that computer easily.You only lose the ability to run files directly from the remote computer (and even that can be worked around using a virtual drive, aka map ftp account to a virtual drive)Can't believe one would change the operating system to be able to exchange files between computers.Filezilla server takes literally 5-10 minutes to install and configure (create an account, add drives to account, set read and write permissions).

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 08:30:06 pm
content: ChrisGreece52You can find out the version of windows by looking in the "Control Panel" When you click on the "system" choice it will tell you about your version of windows.Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, Enterpriseversions all have network file sharing.You need one computer to have one of the above and then you can make a folder or drive ( not recommended" visable for use by other computers.mariush's Filezilla server is a #2 option in my previous list.C

author: Kremmen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 08:42:07 pm
content: -1 to ftp. It just doesn't make sense in a home network. FTP is unnecessarily cumbersome and doesn't have the functionality the Windows file sharing has. Never mind the speed, who wants to explicitly copy files around in order to access them? Maybe if you have gigabytes of stuff that you want to move to the next county, (s)ftp is your ticket but inside your home - naah.

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 08:50:42 pm
content: Not sure what all they left out of windows 7 basic. I would not be surprised for some programs not to work that work fine on other versions.Like wise for some things you need Business or Enterprise to work correctly and trying to work around having that foundation gets messy or a security risk.C

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2013, 08:50:42 pm
content: Quote from: ChrisGreece52 on April 05, 2013, 08:16:15 pmOf course Ultimate will work.You can do basic folder sharing with all editions of Windows. Homegroups are just a way of making the process more friendly for home users.To share folders, just right click on the folder in Windows Explorer and either click "Share with >" if it is available, or "Properties" if not. Under the folder properties there should be a Sharing tab. Click that and set up the folder to be shared. Once you have done that the folder should be visible to other computers on your network.You don't have to spend any money, networking is built in to Windows.Once you have things set up, you should be able to see the various networked computers and folders under the Network group in Explorer, like this:To make this work, all your computers will need to be on the same network hub, but if they are all connected to the Internet this is almost certainly the case already. Your Internet provider has probably set you up with a wireless base station or some other kind of basic hub. If that's not the case, you would have to buy some kind of basic wired or wireless router (money, unfortunately) and connect your computers to the Internet through that.

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2013, 10:22:34 am
content: Quote from: IanB on April 05, 2013, 08:50:42 pmThanks for your suggestion but i have a small problem.When i try to access my main pc with my laptop it needs username and password but the thing is when i type the username(bacause i did NOT have a password in the installation proccess) it gives me an error that cant connect...

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2013, 06:30:46 pm
content: Windows security, trying to keep the bad people outIn "Control Panel" you look for usersYou can add users, give a users a password, change passwords.For Network File Sharing you need a user with a password1. on main computer, go in to control panel and add a password to the user name you triedWhen you get the prompt for a username and password accessing the main computer you tell it the user name and password from #1.You should now be able to see folder listing.If you have problems reading or writing files, you correct the problem in the sharing property settings of the folder settingsNotes:User identify: (computer name, username, password).For your computers, Three things go together to identify a user (the computer name, the user name, the user's password). Change any of the three and it is a different user.Security:The computer can control what happens by user identify, One user identify might be able to read files but not create files or write files. A different user identify could do all three.There are security settings for folders, files, sharing. if one of these settings say NO then you do not get access.C

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2013, 11:41:49 pm
content: Thank you that fixed the problem but the thing is that the main pc (which i can connect from the laptop) does not see the laptop as a computer.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2013, 11:53:43 pm
content: Things to check:1. Make sure the main PC is part of a workgroup (Windows will choose a default name, "WORKGROUP" in English language systems)2. Make sure the laptop is part of the same workgroup (join it to the workgroup if it is not)3. Make sure the user name and password you use to log in to both computers is the sameIf you want the main PC to see files on the laptop you will probably have to share one or more folders on the laptop. I think perhaps the main computer wont see other computers on the network unless those other computers are sharing things.Alternatively, if you share a main PC folder with read/write access you will be able to write files to it from the laptop.

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 01:07:05 am
content: Unless A computer is sharing something you have security rights to look at, you will not see that computer from another computer.NOTE:With a workgroup you can NOT create something that works good, what windows will think of as a single user. The workgroup name does not matter as far as security is concerned. With Windows as I stated before a user is three things together (ComputerName, UserName, UserPassword).With three computers, You will always be Three users as far as the three computers are concerned (This is OK).You can make things easy on your self by having UserName & UserPassword match on all the computers but it is not necessary.When you go to access something on a different computer you need a UserName & UserPassword that the computer you are trying to access knows. When you try to access a computer there is a window that will pop up it that computer does not know what (ComputerName,UserName,UserPassword) to use when accessing the other computer. THERE is a box you can check to tell windows to remember this (ComputerName,UserName,UserPassword) when trying to access that computer.If you are sharing files on the main computer, The other computers can read and write the files.Instead of using the main computer to copy files to the other computers, use the other computers to copy files from the main computer.Remember the more copies of a file you have the more problems you are creating for your self.With file sharing all three computer can access the same file with out a need to copy it.To make it easy on the other computers you could create a new drive letter that points to the shared folder that is on a different computer but it is not necessary.You can also create shortcuts to files and folders that exist on the other computers.for example you could create a shortcut that points to a file or folder on the master computer. If you place the shortcut in your documents folder, windows will act like that file or folder is in the documents folder.C

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 01:35:40 am
content: Quote from: C on April 07, 2013, 01:07:05 amThis is not consistent with my experience. I have always been able to create something that works well at home with a workgroup.QuoteI think it matters where visibility is concerned. If two computers are in different workgroups they will not be as easy to find over the network.QuoteIf you are using Active Directory and domains then your username is of the form Domain\UserName, but if you are using workgroups Windows only cares about the UserName bit when authenticating over the network.QuoteI disagree. Notalways.QuoteI think it is necessary if you want easy access to network shares.QuoteYes, but Windows will first try your current username and password by default to see if it works. When you try to access a network share Windows will attempt to use your current username and your current password in an attempt to authenticate on the remote resource. If this username and password works on the remote machine you will get straight in with no pop-up windows.QuoteThis pop-up window only appears if your existing username and password are not recognized. So if you set up all machines with the same username and the same password you will be able to share files seamlessly without any annoying pop-ups.All of the above is based on my experience at home where I don't remember the last time I encountered a pop-up authentication window.

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 03:11:50 am
content: IanBWindows likes to hide things.Active directory lets you create a "DomainName" to replace the ComputerName part of a user_ID.The workgroup name is never a part of a user_ID. You can change the workgroup's name any time and it does not change security at all. Easy to prove.when using windows explorer to look at the network, A windows computer normally limits what it shows you to the current workgroup/domain, but it can and will show other workgroups/domains.What windows shows in no way determines what you can access. If you know a computer name that belongs to a different workgroup/domain, you can try to access that computer.if you know a User_ID (ComputerName/DomainName, UserName, UserPassword) on that computer you get that User_ID's access/security rights.A windows computer will cache a domain_user_id on the computer and with in limits, the computer will allow it's use even if the domain controller is down.It is possible if you know what you are doing to copy a User_ID (ComputerName, UserName, UserPassword) from a different computer to the local computer's User_ID list. Doing this can get messy fast, but can solve a few problems also.When you create an account with the same username & password on more then one computer you are creating a new user_ID on each computer and the windows computers know it's a different user_ID. You can benefit in that when accessing a different computer, Windows will first try finding a account with the current User_ID and if that account is not found will try replacing the ComputerName/DomainName part to the accessed ComputerName and look again. If windows does not find this account then up pops the windows asking you for the information to use.QuoteCorrect, Incomplete. If you are using a domain based User_ID you will be one user_ID to the three computers, also true if you know how to copy a User_ID from one computer to another. If you created the accounts by not coping, it's different User_ID's.QuoteIt can actually make things worse. Windows will sometimes not pop up a window if the usernames match.If you are logged in on a computer as User1 and access a different computer as User1 it is very easy to have problems if the passwords do not match. You may not get the pop up window and/or you may not be able to uses a different passwod.If you are logged in on a computer as User1 and access a different computer as User2. When User2's password changes you more likely get a pop up and be able to use new password.A Mapped network drive/printer works with existing settings or not. As long as you have anything mapped to a different computer you will most likely not get a pop up.In a domain windows useshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerberos_%28protocol%29for security.I have not looked close enough to say for sure this is used for workgroup file sharing, but I would not be surprised.You can rename a User_ID this can create all kinds of fun as the User_ID does not change.If I missed something or something is unclear just ask, been doing this a very ... very long time.C

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 03:32:04 am
content: Yes, networking can get complicated, and I am not an expert on this.I am just sharing what I do at home for an easy life.All my home computers are on a private local network behind a NAT firewall. They are not accessible from the open Internet and so as far as I am concerned I am operating on a private island.On this island I join all my home computers to the default "WORKGROUP" workgroup (since there is no need to pick anything different), and I create the same account names with the same passwords on all computers. I don't usually change the passwords since they will only be used for physical access inside my home. I don't make any holes in the firewall for outside access.Within this setup I find sharing folders between machines convenient and painless. I just share a folder from one machine and I can see it from the others.I understand more complicated arrangements are possible, but when I'm at work I find even the professional network administrators get things wrong. I'm happy to keep things simple.Since I got a Windows 7 machine I tried setting up a Homegroup to see what it was all about. I'm not quite sure what the advantage is. It just seems like a different way of doing the same things.

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 03:57:17 am
content: What windows 7 calls a homegroup you should probably think of a very poor active directory domain.Very easy to have problems with a homegroup vs domain.C

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 08:28:06 am
content: Quote from: IanB on April 06, 2013, 11:53:43 pmThanks for your answer but the thing is that i did NOT create a homegroup connection between the pcs but only a network connectionStart--->Computer-->Network (and from there i have access to both hard drives of the desktop from the laptop but the main pc cant see the laptop).

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 09:30:22 am
content: ChrisGreece52The laptop is fine.If the network is working properly,the laptop can1. create new files on desktop2. create new folders on desktop3. delete folders on desktop4. delete files on desktop5. edit existing files on desktopThe two computers are sharing the files via the network.The reason the desktop can not see the laptop is that the laptop is not sharing anything for the desktop computer to share.This is fine.It is very easy to forget which copy of a file has the most resent changes. If you only have the file and no copies, it is always up to date.Windows should protect you from trying to change the same file with both computers at the same time.Now think about what the laptop can see and change on the desktop hard drives.The Laptop being able to see and change all of the desktop's files can be dangerous. The laptop could change a file that is important to the Desktop's windows system or a file important to one of the Desktop's programs. While using the Desktop computer, the desktop computer will try to keep you from changing something like this. To the laptop these files are just files and the laptop will not try to protect the important desktop files.It is a much better idea to only let the laptop see files that are safe to change. Instead of sharing the whole desktop;s hard drive, Only share a folder or two.C

author: img
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 12:28:50 pm
content: This is what I was afraid of: a lengthy entanglement with Windows networking.A NAS hard drive enclosure looks like a small price to pay for saved time, sanity and better reliability.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 12:35:03 pm
content: Agreed. I personally use Linux servers with Samba for the file sharing, but a NAS (with RAID) would be the sensible option for most people.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 12:45:46 pm
content: Heaven forbid he learn anything and get a more appropriate setup than having to throw everything across to a cheap, unpredictable, and unreliable NAS.

author: img
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 12:48:17 pm
content: Quote from: David_AVD on April 07, 2013, 12:35:03 pmThat's my preferred setup too.

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 01:43:32 pm
content: Quote from: C on April 07, 2013, 09:30:22 amOh but the laptop is sharing the whole hard drive with the desktop and the user files ....

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 01:54:45 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on April 07, 2013, 12:45:46 pmYou forgot to mention "slow" too :-)

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 02:41:48 pm
content: ChrisGreece52If one of two the desktop hard drives the laptops can see is the Desktop's C drive, that is were windows normally lives.There are a lot of ways to do safe Network file sharing.For the C drive, one way that's safe quick and easy thing to do is create a new folder. A good place to create this folder is your documents folder. Name the folder something like "CNetShare" so you know what it is. Share this new folder and un-share the other c drive folders you changed the settings to enable sharing.Put your files in this shared folder.The other hard drive, I have no idea what you have on it. It could contain parts of the desktop's windows system, parts of Desktop's computer programs. It could contain only your data or all three.If you do not know the safe thing is to create a folder on it, share the folder and un-share what you shared on the driveC

author: ChrisGreece52
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2013, 04:42:11 pm
content: Ok now the main pc can see both laptops and the laptops can see each other and the desktop.IT IS DONETHANK YOU ALL SO MUCH !!!!