2 wireless PCs must share only among workgroup?

[Damu T]

I have two pcs using xp pro and xp home. Both access the internet through
wireless USB adapters. The wireless base station is with my landlord. I want
to be able to access files and the printer from either of the machines but
dont want to allow access to anyone else. ( my landlord has 3 PCs connected
to the base station through wired ethernet). How can I achieve this?

I think it might look very simple for some of you, but bear with me, as I am
new to this network thing.

Thanks for all of you who take the trouble to reply.

Damu


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[Chuck]

On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 21:16:49 -0500, "Damu T" <*email_address_deleted*> wrote:

>I have two pcs using xp pro and xp home. Both access the internet through
>wireless USB adapters. The wireless base station is with my landlord. I want
>to be able to access files and the printer from either of the machines but
>dont want to allow access to anyone else. ( my landlord has 3 PCs connected
>to the base station through wired ethernet). How can I achieve this?
>
>I think it might look very simple for some of you, but bear with me, as I am
>new to this network thing.
>
>Thanks for all of you who take the trouble to reply.
>
>Damu
>
>
>---
>Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
>Version: 6.0.786 / Virus Database: 532 - Release Date: 10/29/2004

Damu,

You can't password protect an XP Home computer. :(

If I had your hardware setup, the least I'd do is to disable DHCP on my
computers, and assign each a fixed ip address outside the range assigned by the
router (assuming that your landlord never changes his router settings). Then
put good personal firewall on both computers, and open file sharing only for the
ip address of the other computer.

Also, get your own router, and attach a WAP to the WAN port on the router. IOW,
make your own private subnet, connecting thru your landlords router. Do you
have to use wireless between your two computers, or are they close enough to
connect with Ethernet if you put a router next to one?

And Damu, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted email,
than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself
a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - read this article.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

In article >, Chuck
> wrote:
>On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 21:16:49 -0500, "Damu T" <*email_address_deleted*> wrote:
>
>>I have two pcs using xp pro and xp home. Both access the internet through
>>wireless USB adapters. The wireless base station is with my landlord. I want
>>to be able to access files and the printer from either of the machines but
>>dont want to allow access to anyone else. ( my landlord has 3 PCs connected
>>to the base station through wired ethernet). How can I achieve this?
>>
>>I think it might look very simple for some of you, but bear with me, as I am
>>new to this network thing.
>>
>>Thanks for all of you who take the trouble to reply.
>>
>>Damu

>Damu,
>
>You can't password protect an XP Home computer. :(

Yes, you can, on XP Home, and also on XP Pro with simple file sharing
disabled. Create a password for the Guest account:

1. Click Start | Run.
2. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK:
3. Click Guest.
4. Click Reset Password.
5. Type the password in the boxes.
6. Click OK.

Anyone who wants to access a shared disk/folder/printer on your
computer will have to specify the password:

>If I had your hardware setup, the least I'd do is to disable DHCP on my
>computers, and assign each a fixed ip address outside the range assigned by the
>router (assuming that your landlord never changes his router settings). Then
>put good personal firewall on both computers, and open file sharing only for the
>ip address of the other computer.
>
>Also, get your own router, and attach a WAP to the WAN port on the router. IOW,
>make your own private subnet, connecting thru your landlords router. Do you
>have to use wireless between your two computers, or are they close enough to
>connect with Ethernet if you put a router next to one?
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

[Chuck]

On Tue, 02 Nov 2004 00:55:07 -0700, "Steve Winograd [MVP]" >
wrote:

>In article >, Chuck
> wrote:

<SNIP>

>>You can't password protect an XP Home computer. :(
>
>Yes, you can, on XP Home, and also on XP Pro with simple file sharing
>disabled. Create a password for the Guest account:
>
>1. Click Start | Run.
>2. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK:
>3. Click Guest.
>4. Click Reset Password.
>5. Type the password in the boxes.
>6. Click OK.

Thank you, Steve. As frequently happens, when I try to be brief, my brevity
gets the better of me.

What I should have said is, that relying upon a password protected Well Known
account name like Guest will not afford you complete protection against
intruders.

Having the password known (or guessable), by anybody, will give that person
access to all shares.

At the minimum, don't give the Guest account a trivial (guessable) password,
certainly not based upon something that your landlord might know about you.

Better, use a more devious protection. Use the User Accounts applet ("control
userpasswords2" - described above) to rename any well-known account, like
Administrator or Guest, and give it a non-trivial password. Then create a new
account named Administrator or Guest, and immediately disable the new account.
The new account, if disabled, won't offer an intruder any potential to exploit.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

[Damu T]

> Damu,
>
> You can't password protect an XP Home computer. :(
>
> If I had your hardware setup, the least I'd do is to disable DHCP on my
> computers, and assign each a fixed ip address outside the range assigned
> by the
> router (assuming that your landlord never changes his router settings).
> Then
> put good personal firewall on both computers, and open file sharing only
> for the
> ip address of the other computer.

I have ZA on my XP pro and Norton Internet Security on my XP Home. I have
opened file and printer sharing for the IP address of the other computer.
( How do
I change my IP address). THis setup lets me access either computer from both
machines.
Thanks Chuck for ur guidance.

>
> Also, get your own router, and attach a WAP to the WAN port on the router.
> IOW,
> make your own private subnet, connecting thru your landlords router. Do
> you
> have to use wireless between your two computers, or are they close enough
> to
> connect with Ethernet if you put a router next to one?

My landlord wont allow me to drill holes in the walls to pass the ethernet
cable. The wireless
router is mine but it is kept in my landlord house. I dont want to spend for
another
router if I can..
>
> And Damu, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted
> email,
> than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep
> yourself
> a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of
> the
> internet - read this article.
> http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

Thanks for the advice regarding munging my email address.. I have done it..
hope it is right.
>
> Cheers,
> Chuck
> Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

[Chuck]

On Wed, 3 Nov 2004 00:12:06 -0500, "Damu T" >
wrote:

>
>> Damu,
>>
>> You can't password protect an XP Home computer. :(
>>
>> If I had your hardware setup, the least I'd do is to disable DHCP on my
>> computers, and assign each a fixed ip address outside the range assigned
>> by the
>> router (assuming that your landlord never changes his router settings).
>> Then
>> put good personal firewall on both computers, and open file sharing only
>> for the
>> ip address of the other computer.
>
>I have ZA on my XP pro and Norton Internet Security on my XP Home. I have
>opened file and printer sharing for the IP address of the other computer.
>( How do
>I change my IP address). THis setup lets me access either computer from both
>machines.
>Thanks Chuck for ur guidance.
>
>>
>> Also, get your own router, and attach a WAP to the WAN port on the router.
>> IOW,
>> make your own private subnet, connecting thru your landlords router. Do
>> you
>> have to use wireless between your two computers, or are they close enough
>> to
>> connect with Ethernet if you put a router next to one?
>
>My landlord wont allow me to drill holes in the walls to pass the ethernet
>cable. The wireless
>router is mine but it is kept in my landlord house. I dont want to spend for
>another
>router if I can..
>>
>> And Damu, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted
>> email,
>> than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep
>> yourself
>> a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of
>> the
>> internet - read this article.
>> http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm
>
>Thanks for the advice regarding munging my email address.. I have done it..
>hope it is right.

Damu,

Munging is much better.

I guess the question here is whether you trust your landlord. Not just do you
trust him to not try to snoop on your computers, but do you trust him to not get
infected computers, which could (with some combined threat worms) install on one
computer, then attempt to spread across the LAN.

If you trust him (her?) then your physical setup should be fine. You can get by
with file sharing protected by fixed ip addresses, then blocking file sharing
using your firewalls (NPF and ZA) to trust only the single ip address of the
other computer.

Since the router is yours, I presume that you maintain it under your control.
Even though it's physically under the control of your landlord. Good.

Change the router management password, and disable remote (WAN) management.

Enable WEP / WPA. Use non-trivial (non-guessable) values for each. (No "My dog
has fleas").

Enable MAC filtering - add your landlords and your computers MAC addresses.

Change the subnet of your LAN - don't use the default. See step 2 below.

Disable DHCP, and assign an address to each computer manually. For your
landlords protection, do this to his computers too. See steps below.

Install a software firewall on every computer connected to a wireless LAN. Put
manually assigned ip addresses in the Local (highly trusted) Zone.

Don't disable SSID broadcast - some configurations require the SSID broadcast.
But change the SSID itself - to something that doesn't identify you, or the
equipment.

Enable the router activity log. Examine it regularly. Know what each
connection listed represents - you? a wireless neighbor?.

Setting up manually assigned IP addresses:
1) On each computer, wired or wireless, save the current settings. From a
command window, enter "ipconfig /all >c:ipconfig.txt". Save and / or print each
file and keep it safe, for future reference.
2) Change the LAN address of the router. Default might be 192.168.0.1, I would
use, say, 192.168.201.1. Subnet mask stays at 255.255.255.0.
3) Assign ip addresses for each computer. For your landlord's 3 computers,
let's say 192.168.201.101, .102, and .103. For your 2 computers, say
192.168.201.151 and .152.
4) Determine the DNS server settings for the computers. Some routers actively
provide a DNS server, others direct you to your ISPs recommended (provided) DNS
servers. The correct values for you will be in the ipconfig.txt listing (from
step 1).
5) Setup the ip and dns server addresses on each computer. For XP, Settings -
Network Connections - (right click on) Local Area Connection - Properties gets
you the Properties wizard. Then TCP/IP Properties - General tab gives you the
configuration. Select "Use the following ip address", and "Use the following
DNS server addresses", and enter an ip address, subnet mask, default gateway
(192.168.201.1), and dns servers addresses.

As you change ip settings on the router, and on each computer, remember that you
will lose connectivity when changes are made. Always think 2 or 3 steps ahead
of what you're doing, but execute and test changes 1 step at a time.

Making changes to a wireless router, from a computer connected wirelessly, is
not a good idea. Whenever possible, use a wired computer to make router
changes, so the wireless changes don't block you from accessing the router.

The above looks pretty complicated, but after you get used to it, it won't be.
Do everything methodically, and if you make a change and it doesn't work, change
it back, so things work again. Then figure out what you did wrong, and try
again.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.