How can I block other machines from having access to my computer?

  • Thread starter Thread starter SomeOldGuy
  • Start date Start date
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SomeOldGuy

I have a new computer from HP that has Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit
installed. Mostly, it seems pretty good. It has been quite stable since
initial trouble got ironed out (blue-screened severely, fresh out of the box
from day one).

Here's my current problem...

My daughter came to visit over the holidays and brought her laptop with her.
When she connected to my wireless network connection, her Windows Media
Player popped up a message saying it found [computer name] and did she want
to have access to media on that computer. She answered "yes" and proceeded to
show me that she could see all my pictures and movies, and play my music.

Doing some experimenting, we opened Explorer and clicked on the Network
line, and saw icons there for all the computers on this little home network.
We opened one of the remote machines and discovered that we can read AND
WRITE files to it, and can delete them as well.

This seems like a severe security hole to me - if I am mistaken, please
explain.

How can I prevent these computers from being accessible to each other on the
network?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
 
Thanks for the link, but the wireless network has all those things
implemented. I guess I did not explain it clearly:

Any computer that IS connected the to network has access to read/write files
on the OTHER computers. I wish to prevent that.

Thanks in advance for any advice.




Leroy said:
How to Secure Your Wireless Home Network:
http://www.labnol.org/internet/secure-your-wireless-wifi-network/10549/

I have a new computer from HP that has Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit
installed. Mostly, it seems pretty good. It has been quite stable since
initial trouble got ironed out (blue-screened severely, fresh out of the box
from day one).

Here's my current problem...

My daughter came to visit over the holidays and brought her laptop with her.
When she connected to my wireless network connection, her Windows Media
Player popped up a message saying it found [computer name] and did she want
to have access to media on that computer. She answered "yes" and proceeded to
show me that she could see all my pictures and movies, and play my music.

Doing some experimenting, we opened Explorer and clicked on the Network
line, and saw icons there for all the computers on this little home network.
We opened one of the remote machines and discovered that we can read AND
WRITE files to it, and can delete them as well.

This seems like a severe security hole to me - if I am mistaken, please
explain.

How can I prevent these computers from being accessible to each other on the
network?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Click to expand...
.
Click to expand...
 
I have a new computer from HP that has Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit
installed. Mostly, it seems pretty good. It has been quite stable since
initial trouble got ironed out (blue-screened severely, fresh out of the box
from day one).

Here's my current problem...

My daughter came to visit over the holidays and brought her laptop with her.
When she connected to my wireless network connection, her Windows Media
Player popped up a message saying it found [computer name] and did she want
to have access to media on that computer. She answered "yes" and proceeded to
show me that she could see all my pictures and movies, and play my music.

Doing some experimenting, we opened Explorer and clicked on the Network
line, and saw icons there for all the computers on this little home network.
We opened one of the remote machines and discovered that we can read AND
WRITE files to it, and can delete them as well.

This seems like a severe security hole to me - if I am mistaken, please
explain.

How can I prevent these computers from being accessible to each other on the
network?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have your wireless set to "public" and not "private "
 
Thats because you have allowed sharing on your private network
PS Its only allowed for PC's connected to your private network, assuming
your network is protected, others from outside cannot connect

SomeOldGuy said:
Thanks for the link, but the wireless network has all those things
implemented. I guess I did not explain it clearly:

Any computer that IS connected the to network has access to read/write
files
on the OTHER computers. I wish to prevent that.

Thanks in advance for any advice.




Leroy said:
How to Secure Your Wireless Home Network:
http://www.labnol.org/internet/secure-your-wireless-wifi-network/10549/

I have a new computer from HP that has Windows Vista Home Premium 64
bit
installed. Mostly, it seems pretty good. It has been quite stable since
initial trouble got ironed out (blue-screened severely, fresh out of
the box
from day one).

Here's my current problem...

My daughter came to visit over the holidays and brought her laptop with
her.
When she connected to my wireless network connection, her Windows Media
Player popped up a message saying it found [computer name] and did she
want
to have access to media on that computer. She answered "yes" and
proceeded to
show me that she could see all my pictures and movies, and play my
music.

Doing some experimenting, we opened Explorer and clicked on the Network
line, and saw icons there for all the computers on this little home
network.
We opened one of the remote machines and discovered that we can read
AND
WRITE files to it, and can delete them as well.

This seems like a severe security hole to me - if I am mistaken, please
explain.

How can I prevent these computers from being accessible to each other
on the
network?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Click to expand...
.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Set the network to *Home network* and Disable File and Printer Sharing
via the Network and Sharing Center in Control Panel.
Click the "Choose homegroup and sharing options" link, then click
the "Advanced sharing settings" link.


MowGreen
================
* -343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

Thanks for the link, but the wireless network has all those things
implemented. I guess I did not explain it clearly:

Any computer that IS connected the to network has access to read/write files
on the OTHER computers. I wish to prevent that.

Thanks in advance for any advice.




Leroy said:
How to Secure Your Wireless Home Network:
http://www.labnol.org/internet/secure-your-wireless-wifi-network/10549/

I have a new computer from HP that has Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit
installed. Mostly, it seems pretty good. It has been quite stable since
initial trouble got ironed out (blue-screened severely, fresh out of the box
from day one).

Here's my current problem...

My daughter came to visit over the holidays and brought her laptop with her.
When she connected to my wireless network connection, her Windows Media
Player popped up a message saying it found [computer name] and did she want
to have access to media on that computer. She answered "yes" and proceeded to
show me that she could see all my pictures and movies, and play my music.

Doing some experimenting, we opened Explorer and clicked on the Network
line, and saw icons there for all the computers on this little home network.
We opened one of the remote machines and discovered that we can read AND
WRITE files to it, and can delete them as well.

This seems like a severe security hole to me - if I am mistaken, please
explain.

How can I prevent these computers from being accessible to each other on the
network?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Click to expand...
.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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