Setting NIC Permissions?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott

I have two boxes with clean installs of w2k. One has a D-Link wireless
NIC, the other a Linksys wireless NIC. On both machines, only users with
Administrator permissions can access the NIC's -- others, like Standard
users, cannot -- the NIC's are offline. I'm the amateur administrator of
this home network, but can't figure out how to give the kids (Standard
users) permission to access the NICs. D-Link and Linksys would not offer
help, stating that this was an O/S issue. Yet I can't find any
information on setting permissions for network adapters anywhere.
 
In Windows 2000 you must be an administrator to manage network connections.
Windows XP has a new network configuration users group that will allow regular
users to manage most network configuration. --- Steve


"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
 
I *am* the administrator. I need a hint on how to manage network
connections so that Standard users can use the NIC to access the
network. Can't seem to find the controls.
 
One network configuration is set up correctly by an administrator, regular users have
no reason to access network connection properties as the network card configuration
will be the same no matter who is logged on. --- Steve

"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
 
But I want my Standard Users to be able to access the network, i.e., the
Internet, etc., when logged on. I can do it while logged on as
Administrator. If I log off as Administrator then log on as a Standard
user, the NIC becomes inactive, I can't ping the router, etc. Log back
on as Administrator, and bingo -- I can access the Internet again.

How can I tell Win2k to let standard and other non-Admin users use the
NIC? Or do I have to give make all users administrators to let them
access the Internet through the NIC? This doesn't make sense.
 
There are no permissions for network adapters use which leads me to believe
it is a configuration issue of some sort. Log on as the regular user and
view the configuration [wireless properties such as network ID, channel, wep
key, etc.] of the nic to see that it matches when you are logged on. You may
need to temporarily add the other user account to the local administrators
group to do any changes. --- Steve

"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
 
Steven said:
There are no permissions for network adapters use which leads me to believe
it is a configuration issue of some sort. Log on as the regular user and
view the configuration [wireless properties such as network ID, channel, wep
key, etc.] of the nic to see that it matches when you are logged on. You may
need to temporarily add the other user account to the local administrators
group to do any changes. --- Steve
Click to expand...

Which is what I've finally had to do. But I don't like having teenage
boys with Admin priviliges on my home/home-office network. They have the
brains of weasels.

I wish it was as simple as the config of the wireless NIC, as you
suggest, but there's no diff to the settings as a function of who's
logged on. On the machine with the D-Link NIC, you even get an error
after logging on, something like "WMON Error" while all the system tray
apps are loading.

You know, I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that both
machines were previously Win98 boxes, and were running wireless NICs
before I did the w2k clean install. I am not a w2k wizard, but I notice
that even the "clean install" option retains some old setting: users
(sort of), etc., from the 98 setup.

Question: if a fellow has a computer on the desk over there, and a Win2k
Pro CD in his hand, what would be his most efective way to wipe the hard
drive and do a really clean install -- so none of the w2k or w98 stuff
was carried over? I would like to reformat the hard drive, but I don't
know what it would take, boot-floppy-wise to start the w2k install.
Could someone point me to a Guide For Dummies?
 
I still am a bit amazed that you need to be an administrator to use a wireless nic.
But to answer your question about a clean install, though I doubt that will fix your
problem, see the KB link below. The easiest way is to boot from the install cdrom and
go from there as described in the article. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304868

"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
Steven said:
There are no permissions for network adapters use which leads me to believe
it is a configuration issue of some sort. Log on as the regular user and
view the configuration [wireless properties such as network ID, channel, wep
key, etc.] of the nic to see that it matches when you are logged on. You may
need to temporarily add the other user account to the local administrators
group to do any changes. --- Steve
Click to expand...

Which is what I've finally had to do. But I don't like having teenage
boys with Admin priviliges on my home/home-office network. They have the
brains of weasels.

I wish it was as simple as the config of the wireless NIC, as you
suggest, but there's no diff to the settings as a function of who's
logged on. On the machine with the D-Link NIC, you even get an error
after logging on, something like "WMON Error" while all the system tray
apps are loading.

You know, I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that both
machines were previously Win98 boxes, and were running wireless NICs
before I did the w2k clean install. I am not a w2k wizard, but I notice
that even the "clean install" option retains some old setting: users
(sort of), etc., from the 98 setup.

Question: if a fellow has a computer on the desk over there, and a Win2k
Pro CD in his hand, what would be his most efective way to wipe the hard
drive and do a really clean install -- so none of the w2k or w98 stuff
was carried over? I would like to reformat the hard drive, but I don't
know what it would take, boot-floppy-wise to start the w2k install.
Could someone point me to a Guide For Dummies?

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
regular users have
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Another option is to build a Win98 boot floppy with fdisk.exe. Boot the
system from the floppy, run fdisk, delete the existing HDD partition(s) and
create (a) new one(s). Format the new partition. You want to make sure
EVERYTHING is gone? This is the best way.

Then simply re-boot from the CD. Let the Win2K setup reformat the partition
again in NTFS (as opposed to FAT32), and install away.


--
x

"being the smartest window-licker on the shortbus doesn't make you a genius"
By the way, I'm petty and snide.

Dumbass Dentistry -
it's all fun and games until vegetation starts growing in someone's
pulmonary valved conduit.
Steven L Umbach said:
I still am a bit amazed that you need to be an administrator to use a wireless nic.
But to answer your question about a clean install, though I doubt that will fix your
problem, see the KB link below. The easiest way is to boot from the install cdrom and
go from there as described in the article. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304868

"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
Steven said:
There are no permissions for network adapters use which leads me to believe
it is a configuration issue of some sort. Log on as the regular user and
view the configuration [wireless properties such as network ID, channel, wep
key, etc.] of the nic to see that it matches when you are logged on. You may
need to temporarily add the other user account to the local administrators
group to do any changes. --- Steve
Click to expand...

Which is what I've finally had to do. But I don't like having teenage
boys with Admin priviliges on my home/home-office network. They have the
brains of weasels.

I wish it was as simple as the config of the wireless NIC, as you
suggest, but there's no diff to the settings as a function of who's
logged on. On the machine with the D-Link NIC, you even get an error
after logging on, something like "WMON Error" while all the system tray
apps are loading.

You know, I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that both
machines were previously Win98 boxes, and were running wireless NICs
before I did the w2k clean install. I am not a w2k wizard, but I notice
that even the "clean install" option retains some old setting: users
(sort of), etc., from the 98 setup.

Question: if a fellow has a computer on the desk over there, and a Win2k
Pro CD in his hand, what would be his most efective way to wipe the hard
drive and do a really clean install -- so none of the w2k or w98 stuff
was carried over? I would like to reformat the hard drive, but I don't
know what it would take, boot-floppy-wise to start the w2k install.
Could someone point me to a Guide For Dummies?

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"

But I want my Standard Users to be able to access the network, i.e., the
Internet, etc., when logged on. I can do it while logged on as
Administrator. If I log off as Administrator then log on as a Standard
user, the NIC becomes inactive, I can't ping the router, etc. Log back
on as Administrator, and bingo -- I can access the Internet again.

How can I tell Win2k to let standard and other non-Admin users use the
NIC? Or do I have to give make all users administrators to let them
access the Internet through the NIC? This doesn't make sense.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott

Steven L Umbach wrote:


One network configuration is set up correctly by an administrator,

regular users have

no reason to access network connection properties as the network card

configuration

will be the same no matter who is logged on. --- Steve

"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"


I *am* the administrator. I need a hint on how to manage network
connections so that Standard users can use the NIC to access the
network. Can't seem to find the controls.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott


Steven Umbach wrote:



In Windows 2000 you must be an administrator to manage network

connections.

Windows XP has a new network configuration users group that will allow

regular

users to manage most network configuration. --- Steve


"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"



I have two boxes with clean installs of w2k. One has a D-Link wireless
NIC, the other a Linksys wireless NIC. On both machines, only users

with

Administrator permissions can access the NIC's -- others, like

Standard

users, cannot -- the NIC's are offline. I'm the amateur administrator

of

this home network, but can't figure out how to give the kids (Standard
users) permission to access the NICs. D-Link and Linksys would not

offer

help, stating that this was an O/S issue. Yet I can't find any
information on setting permissions for network adapters anywhere.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I, too, am puzzled why I have to be an administrator to use the NICs.

To confirm this, I took one of the machines and upgraded the privileges
of the kid that will be using it to administrative level and hey presto!
he can use the NIC, ping the router, etc.

On the second machine, I did a total re-format of the HD and
clean-clean install of W2k, on the the theory that my issues were
brought over from the previous w98 config information.

The answer is not definitive, but this machine, which previously had the
same behavior as the first, no longer acts so oddly: all users can use
the NIC.

What I have to do is clear. Why I have to do it is not.

Thank you, Steven, you have been very helpful.

Mike Rocket J Squirrel Elliott
I still am a bit amazed that you need to be an administrator to use a
wireless nic. But to answer your question about a clean install,
though I doubt that will fix your problem, see the KB link below. The
easiest way is to boot from the install cdrom and go from there as
described in the article. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304868

Steven said:
There are no permissions for network adapters use which leads me
to believe it is a configuration issue of some sort. Log on as
the regular user and view the configuration [wireless properties
such as network ID, channel, wep key, etc.] of the nic to see
that it matches when you are logged on. You may need to
temporarily add the other user account to the local
administrators group to do any changes. --- Steve
Click to expand...

Which is what I've finally had to do. But I don't like having
teenage boys with Admin priviliges on my home/home-office network.
They have the brains of weasels.

I wish it was as simple as the config of the wireless NIC, as you
suggest, but there's no diff to the settings as a function of who's
logged on. On the machine with the D-Link NIC, you even get an
error after logging on, something like "WMON Error" while all the
system tray apps are loading.

You know, I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that
both machines were previously Win98 boxes, and were running
wireless NICs before I did the w2k clean install. I am not a w2k
wizard, but I notice that even the "clean install" option retains
some old setting: users (sort of), etc., from the 98 setup.

Question: if a fellow has a computer on the desk over there, and a
Win2k Pro CD in his hand, what would be his most efective way to
wipe the hard drive and do a really clean install -- so none of the
w2k or w98 stuff was carried over? I would like to reformat the
hard drive, but I don't know what it would take, boot-floppy-wise
to start the w2k install. Could someone point me to a Guide For
Dummies?

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
message

But I want my Standard Users to be able to access the network,
i.e., the Internet, etc., when logged on. I can do it while
logged on as Administrator. If I log off as Administrator then
log on as a Standard user, the NIC becomes inactive, I can't
ping the router, etc. Log back on as Administrator, and bingo
-- I can access the Internet again.

How can I tell Win2k to let standard and other non-Admin users
use the NIC? Or do I have to give make all users administrators
to let them access the Internet through the NIC? This doesn't
make sense.

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott

Steven L Umbach wrote:



One network configuration is set up correctly by an
administrator,

regular users have


no reason to access network connection properties as the
network card

configuration


will be the same no matter who is logged on. --- Steve

"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
in message



I *am* the administrator. I need a hint on how to manage
network connections so that Standard users can use the NIC
to access the network. Can't seem to find the controls.

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott


Steven Umbach wrote:




In Windows 2000 you must be an administrator to manage
network

connections.


Windows XP has a new network configuration users group
that will allow

regular


users to manage most network configuration. --- Steve


"Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott"
<[email protected]>
wrote in message




I have two boxes with clean installs of w2k. One has a
D-Link wireless NIC, the other a Linksys wireless NIC.
On both machines, only users

with


Administrator permissions can access the NIC's --
others, like

Standard


users, cannot -- the NIC's are offline. I'm the amateur
administrator

of


this home network, but can't figure out how to give the
kids (Standard users) permission to access the NICs.
D-Link and Linksys would not

offer


help, stating that this was an O/S issue. Yet I can't
find any information on setting permissions for network
adapters anywhere.


-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
x said:
Another option is to build a Win98 boot floppy with fdisk.exe. Boot the
system from the floppy, run fdisk, delete the existing HDD partition(s) and
create (a) new one(s). Format the new partition. You want to make sure
EVERYTHING is gone? This is the best way.

Then simply re-boot from the CD. Let the Win2K setup reformat the partition
again in NTFS (as opposed to FAT32), and install away.
Click to expand...

Yup - that's what I did. Squeaky clean results.
 
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