Microsoft Windows XP Unleashed

5. In the next dialog box, make sure that the Browse for a Printer option is activated

and click Next.

6. In the Browse for Printer dialog box, use the Shared Printers list to select the

network printer you want to use. (To see a computer’s shared printers, double-click

the computer name.)

7. Click Next and then complete the wizard normally.

Sharing Resources with the Network

In a peer-to-peer network, each computer can act as both a client and a server. You’ve

seen how to use a Windows XP machine as a client, so now let’s turn our attention to

setting up your system as a peer server. In Windows XP, that means sharing individual

drives, folders, printers and other resources with the network.

Deactivating Simple File Sharing

The first thing you need to do is deactivate Windows XP’s Simple File Sharing feature.

This feature is designed for novice users who, understandably, don’t want or need to learn

about technical topics such as maximum users and file permissions. Windows XP acti-

vates Simple File Sharing by default, even on Windows XP Professional installations.

(Note, however, that you can’t turn off Simple File Sharing in Windows XP Home; yet

another reason to always choose Windows XP Professional.)

To help you understand the difference between simple and classic file sharing, Figure

22.19 shows the property sheet for the My Music folder on a system using Simple File

Sharing. Notice the following in the Sharing tab:

• In the Local Sharing and Security group, you activate Make This Folder Private to

prevent other users from accessing the folder.

• In the Network Sharing and Security group, you activate Share this Folder on the

Network to share the folder, and you type a name in the Share Name text box. If

you want network users to be able to modify the files, you activate the Allow

Network Users to Change My Files check box.

As you can see, what this approach adds in ease of use it takes away in power and flexibil-

ity. It’s an all-or-nothing, one-size-fits-all-users approach. To regain the power and flexibil-

ity to share your resources properly, you need to run off Simple File Sharing by following

these steps:

1. Launch Control Panel’s Folder Options icon (or, in Windows Explorer, select Tools,

Folder Options).

2. Display the View tab.

3. Deactivate the Use Simple File Sharing check box.

4. Click OK.

CHAPTER 22 Setting Up and Accessing a Small Network618

FIGURE 22.19 The Sharing tab on a system using Simple File Sharing.

Creating User Accounts

You need to set up an account for each user that you want to access a shared resource. I

discussed creating user accounts in Chapter 6, so I won’t repeat the details here. Here are

some notes to bear in mind for creating users who will access your computer over a

network:

• Windows XP does not allow users without passwords to access network resources.

Therefore, you must set up your network user accounts with passwords.

• The usernames you create do not have to correspond with the names that users

have on their local machines. You’re free to set up your own usernames, if you like.

• If you create a user account that has the same name and password as an account of

a user on his or her local machine, that user will be able to access your shared

resource directly. Otherwise, a Connect To dialog box appears so that the user can

enter the username and password that you established when setting up the account

on your computer.

Sharing a Resource

With Simple File Sharing turned off, follow these steps to share a resource:

1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the drive or folder and then click Sharing and

Security. Windows XP displays the object’s property sheet with the Sharing tab

selected, as shown in Figure 22.20.

Sharing Resources with the Network 619

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