rustyfender04 wrote:
I am running XP Home w/SP3, and I have another computer (same OS)
networked together on my LAN. I created a network group for these
PCs to share certain folders and a printer, and I also created a
network password for each machine too.

My concern is, how do you sign-off from the network? I'm not
talking about a network drive here.

Shenan Stanley wrote:
Eh?

If this is not a domain (from the description, it is not) you are a
member of - if you do not have the resource (drive, printer, other
computer, etc) connected - that's it.

rustyfender04 wrote:
Thanks for replying, but I'm not sure I understand what you're
saying.
My networking experience is not that great.

Shenan Stanley wrote:
Not sure there are simpler terms.

If you are not connected to a shared printer, a shared storage
space or in some other manner actively using the remote system on
the network (or them connected to you) - then there is nothing to
log off of...
It's not like you create a printer share and/or a file share and
set the share and file/folder permissions on it and then your other
computers just 'know' that those shares are there and connect to it
automatically without you doing some sort of setup on the other
computers (script, you map and remember ther drive letter/printer,
etc.) Sure - if these are unhidden shares then you can browse for
them - but seeing them on the network and actively using them - two
different things.
And if you are are using workgroups only - all that is is a
convenient way of grouping/organizing in the end. It's not like a
corporate/work domain where certain things are controlled by
servers everytime your machine/user is seen on the network. At
least at the level you are at (Windows XP) - a workgroup is nothing
more than a last name, signifying you are part of that group... And just
like the last name - it is possible someone else in the
world is using it too.
So your answer is 'there is nothing to log off of unless you have
connected to comething - just being *on* the same network as the
other computers with the same workgroup name and such does not mean
you are logged into any special network.'

If that is - not sure yet - what you are asking.

rustyfender04 wrote:
Let me try to explain this as best I can...

Two weeks ago, I purchased a switch to network two desktop PCs
together. I used the network setup wizard on both machines to
create a single workgroup. In that workgroup, both PCs have their
shared folders available, and one machine is sharing a printer and
an extra folder as well.
I found out a way to password protect each machine on the network,
but, for security sake, I would like to find a way for a given
machine to sign-off of the network without logging off, or
rebooting. So far, that is the only way I know how to close a given
machine's network connection.

Shenan Stanley wrote:
Go into your network control panel and disable the network device. No
traffic can go through a network if the network device is not
active.

Extra information:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...nnections.mspx

Although disabling it when not in use might be overkill, really, if you are
the only one on your private network. ;-)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html