Usernames and Windows Sharing

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Usernames and Windows Sharing

Okay...I finally think I'm moving in the right track to share selected Mac files with my windows machines, but I still have some questions and issues. I have two pictures below of my accounts preferences and my sharing preferences.

1. If I create a "Shared Only" account can I use that when connecting to my Mac from Windows?

2. What I've noticed is that if "Alex" is selected as shown (below pic) to share files and folder I've noticed that when I go to my Windows machine I don't have to enter in a username and password. I can also see my Mac HD, my 2 external hard drives and my public folder as well. When I uncheck my account name then my Windows machine will ask for username and password. So, am I correct in assuming that I should not keep my account name checked in the sharing pref's?

3. Assuming I am using my Windows Share shared only account is this correct way to get access to my shared files from my mac?

\\ipaddress\windowsshare (short name)

Since it is a shared only account will it not allow me to turn that account on using SMB?

[IMG] http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k278/ayeplussjr/Picture1.png[/IMG]

[IMG] http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k278/ayeplussjr/Picture2.png[/IMG]

24" Aluminum iMac, 3.06 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 500 GB HD, Mac OS X (10.5.6), n/a

Posted on Mar 8, 2009 6:11 PM

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Answer 1

Barney-15E

Level 10

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Mar 8, 2009 6:33 PM in response to jaepluss

From what I read previously, when you share an account over SMB, you open up everything to that user and the username and password are sent in the clear.

With just SMB sharing turned on, you can limit the access to particular folders.

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Answer 2

jaepluss Author

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Mar 8, 2009 7:09 PM in response to Barney-15E

delete

Message was edited by: jaepluss

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Answer 3

jaepluss Author

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Mar 8, 2009 7:10 PM in response to Barney-15E

Okay....makes sense so I will leave my account name unchecked. By leaving this unchecked how would I then access my Mac files from Windows XP?

This is how I've been attempting to access my Mac.

I would go to My Network Places->Add a network place->I would then enter in my ip address for my mac like this

\\ipaddress\username.

Is that correct? Can I replace the username with the shared only user account that I created (which I called Windows Share) so it would look like

\\ipaddress\windowsshare.

The only thing is that when windows does ask for username and password I can't connect. Once I enter the username windowsshare and password my Windows machine will automatically change the username to VAIO\windowsshare. I keep trying to remove the VAIO portion of the username but it keeps going back to it.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,306 points

Mar 8, 2009 7:27 PM in response to jaepluss

I don't know why it does that.
Another thing that might help is to go into the Network Preferences and in the Advanced configuration for the interface you are using, select the WINS tab and enter the same workgroup that you are using on the Windows machine.

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