Best way to network my computers

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Awrrr
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#1724144 21-Feb-2017 22:08

Yeah that is how I have also been doing it and it has worked well for me, but I need a little more flexibility now. I thought setting up a share was supposed to be simple but Windows has managed to waste another whole evening of my life. I have gone through this kind of crap so many times. I am older now and I just don't have the patience for it anymore. It shouldn't be necessary.

Anyway, I am done ranting (for the moment, at least). I found out how to get rid of the damned ghost HomeGroups by killing the shares in Windows Management and restoring Win 10 and I think the damage is undone but I still can't get the bloody folder share to work. One computer seems okay but the other one I am using to set this up and test it keeps generating an error. The remote computer sees the folder being shared okay but can't connect to it for some reason. I have checked the firewall settings and I can't find anything wrong but it says it is not getting any data through port 445. So much for this being simple.

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ANglEAUT

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#1724147 21-Feb-2017 22:14

Hi.

Here are a couple of helpful pointers.

If your Wi-Fi AP supports host isolation mode, disable it, otherwise devices connected to Wi-Fi can't see other Wi-Fi connected devices.
Ensure all devices are connected to a private network as per the Network Sharing Centre. See red arrow
You will also want to turn on network discovery for your private network
Ensure your Firewall also detects you are on a private / trusted network
Enable file-sharing to go through your firewall

That will allow devices to discover each other and then talk to each other. Next you'll want to decide where the files will be hosted from. A NAS is a good option. You will need only one NAS account that every PC can use to connect. Otherwise you will have to create Windows accounts on every PC that can be used for remote access or you go with the less secure option of giving the 'Everyone' group at least read access to the share. On Windows networks, Everyone = anonymous, no authentication required access. Windows HomeGroup is similar in concept to DLNA which various NAS devices or HTPC offer. It basically broadcasts that it has media files available for remote access. Having a NAS device with a file share or advertising DLNA media gives you that central control.

Hopefully your router hands out IP addresses in the range of 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x or 172.16.x.x which then means that all of this traffic between your devices will stay internal to your home. These IP addresses are defined as non-route-able and can't be sent via the Internet.

Please keep this GZ community vibrant by contributing in a constructive & respectful manner.

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Awrrr
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#1724172 21-Feb-2017 22:29

Thanks a lot for the info. That looks very helpful. I am too knackered to go through it tonight but I will give it another go tomorrow. Security on my internal network is not an issue, as long as it doesn't leak too much to the Internet. I just want to share a single folder for sending videos to different computers. My router is a Huawei B315 Gateway device and addresses are 192.168.etc.

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PaulBags

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#1724174 21-Feb-2017 22:31

I wrote the following and then refreshed the thread before posting, IcI has put in some nice work there & should get you well on the way to using windows shares. Or you could read on for my method, albeit I'm not going to be as great at talking you though anything as most others here (I'm also half expecting some criticism).

If you can handle copying files temporarily from one computer to another rather than streaming, FTP might be an option. I always found windows shares a PITA & with 3 computers & two computer users in the house getting a NAS when my motherboard has 6 sata ports - just seemed a waste.

I use FileZilla Server, I like the client too but you can use windows explorer if that's more comfortable.

Here's a quick & dirty install guide:
* You'll want to set the computer with the FTP server with a static IP, we can work through that if needed but it's kinda beyond scope (and I'm lazy)
* Install filezilla server
* Edit > Settings > General Settings > IP filter - the first box blocks IP addresses, the second allows IPs despite the block. * in the first blocks everyone, 192.168.1.0/24(or similar, should look like your static IP but end in .0/24) in the second allows your LAN (this step is to block access from the internet, you should be behind NAT anyway but just in case).
* Allow the server through the windows firewall so other computers on the network can reach it, you shouldn't need to change anything on other computers
* Set up a user (edit > users > add) - set user name anonymous with no password for easier access, or set a name/pass if you want - if non-trivial security is a concern though you'll need to go more in depth than I'm willing to.
* Now the fun part, while still is users go to shared folders. Here we add folders to share. You need to set one as a home directory, I suggest setting up a blank folder out of the way. Next as you add folders also right click on them and add aliases in the format /folder.

Now from other computers you can connect to the FTP server with the static IP you set, on port 21 if you need to set it, with name/pass if you set something other than anonymous with no pass. From windows explorer for example this would look like: ftp://192.168.1.123

1101

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#1724334 22-Feb-2017 11:36

Rikkitic:

.......but I still can't get the bloody folder share to work. One computer seems okay but the other one I am using to set this up and test it keeps generating an error. The remote computer sees the folder being shared okay but can't connect to it for some reason.

I feel your pain, Win PC to PC sharing has been a buggy mess for so many years . It either works 1st pop or you get PC's
that just dont want to share . Add to that some share bugs that have been there since vista & still there on 10

turn off password protected sharing (ie make it non pass protected sharing)
Make sure all the pc's have the same workgroup name
turn off homegroup sharing
in the share (right click the folder ) add the user everyone & give read & write access : this is bad advice ,as anyone on your wifi or network will then have access (potentially) ,but it often whats needed
Try unsharing & resharing after making network share setting changes

If you can actually see the folder, thats 1/2 the battle done . Now its just a matter of permissions . Its probably not a Win firewall
issue if you can see the folder
You can try temp disabling all the firewall & see if that helps, just to confirm/rule out a firewall issue
Some AV internet security programs can cause weird issues , if you have a 3rd party internet security program, uninstall it (re-install it later)

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1724340 22-Feb-2017 11:39

Did I mention that I hate Windows? Really, really, really hate it.

I have just spent another morning I will never get back going around in circles. One of my computers, the one I actually need, naturally, refuses to communicate with any other. The Internet works fine, but nothing internal. After very confusing problems with HomeGroup yesterday, I am now trying just to get simple file sharing working as a test.

I have set up a file share on the non-functioning computer. When I try to access it from another machine, it sees the computer but says it can’t connect. When I run the diagnostic, it says the file and print sharing resource is online but it is not responding. When I look at details, it says the problem is with port 445.

I have carefully checked the Windows firewall several times. All the private networking settings are as they should be (I am on Home network, of course, not public). I have tried to research the issue. I found three services that according to Microsoft should be running but weren’t so I started them. This being Windows, of course, it didn’t make a damned bit of difference. I tried running the Win 7 networking diagnostics. Grand result: it says it needs more information, without any hint whatsoever as to what information, or how to obtain it. Does Microsoft hire people for their ability to irritate customers?

I don’t know what to try next. I could really use some help here.

@IcI: Thanks again for your trouble. I have checked everything and can't find anything wrong. My firewall looks slightly different from your example and there is no entry for File and Printer Sharing over SMB Direct. I am running Win 7 Home Premium SP1 and all connections are LAN only while testing. Everything else seems to check out.

@PaulBags: Also thanks for your trouble. I may end up following your advice but now I really want to know why this 'simple' function refuses to work on this one computer.

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Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1724346 22-Feb-2017 11:44

1101:

Thank you very much for your reply. I saw it after my last post. I will work through your suggestions and see if I get anywhere. Also thanks for the sympathetic words. How Microsoft keeps doing this kind of thing after so many years is just incomprehensible. It might be different if I had a better understanding of what I'm playing with but my lack of experience in this area doesn't help.

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PaulBags

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#1724358 22-Feb-2017 12:09

Not sure if this has been mentioned, check your network adapter properties & make sure "file and printer sharing" is installed/ticked.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1724397 22-Feb-2017 12:51

You nailed it! Thank you so much. I have no idea why it was unticked but now I can access the folder. I just have to get past the permissions. Why the hell doesn't the so-called 'diagnostic' think of something this obvious? There are hundreds of settings scattered all over the place that can affect this so how on earth is anyone supposed to know where to look? You just have to painfully work through every one. Windows is such a piece of ****!

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Rikkitic

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#1724408 22-Feb-2017 13:06

Okay, now I am tangled up in the permissions runaround. Who dreams up this kind of stuff?

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MikeB4

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#1724409 22-Feb-2017 13:10

Rikkitic:

Okay, now I am tangled up in the permissions runaround. Who dreams up this kind of stuff?

When I was doing MCSE permissions were a very loooooooooooooooooooong section to grind through.

1101

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#1724416 22-Feb-2017 13:28

Rikkitic:

Okay, now I am tangled up in the permissions runaround. Who dreams up this kind of stuff?

Yep. It works really well & easily on MS Server based shares. You can see where MS's priorities sit . I guess homegroup
was a half arsed way to try & make this easier .
PC to PC : can be frustrating but allways do-able (eventually) .

remove the share. A reshare might refresh the share permissions
Reshare, add 'everbody' and 'guest' to the share permission. Give them at least read access

You might need to set NTFS permissions , right click folder , properties, security
There are 2 different types of permissions to look at if get access issues

There is also a long standing bug where some PC's need to use a "net use" batch file to get this all to work. Thats
quite rare but an absolute nightmare on PC's effected by that bug.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1724426 22-Feb-2017 13:38

I know rants are boring to other people but I am so fed up with this kind of stupid Windows $$$#%^# (insert appropriate term). Who comes up with this crap? While searching this I came across an elderly man plaintively asking why he can't get permission to access his own file on his own computer in his own home and why he should have to know about this BS anyway! All he wants to do his play a video for his grandchildren. It is a good question and one all the overpaid bright young oh so trendy things at Microsoft ought to pause and ask themselves.

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Lias

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#1724443 22-Feb-2017 13:56

Rikkitic:

I know rants are boring to other people but I am so fed up with this kind of stupid Windows $$$#%^# (insert appropriate term). Who comes up with this crap? While searching this I came across an elderly man plaintively asking why he can't get permission to access his own file on his own computer in his own home and why he should have to know about this BS anyway! All he wants to do his play a video for his grandchildren. It is a good question and one all the overpaid bright young oh so trendy things at Microsoft ought to pause and ask themselves.

I reckon it's because back when these things were created noone really envisioned people having multiple computers at home, and now if MS made it too easy it would dilute the value of Windows Server for smaller businesses.

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

MikeB4

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#1724471 22-Feb-2017 14:12

Rikkitic:

I know rants are boring to other people but I am so fed up with this kind of stupid Windows $$$#%^# (insert appropriate term). Who comes up with this crap? While searching this I came across an elderly man plaintively asking why he can't get permission to access his own file on his own computer in his own home and why he should have to know about this BS anyway! All he wants to do his play a video for his grandchildren. It is a good question and one all the overpaid bright young oh so trendy things at Microsoft ought to pause and ask themselves.

When it comes to desktop and networking MSFT's focus and profit is from the Enterprise market. File permissions are necessary and vital, remember many IT Professionals make a good living from this. For the home they envisage that most will use Windows Home and have very simple networks if any and allow Windows install to set the permissions to default. There is no real revenue for them to do anything different. They would expect that user that want to delve further into the OS and networking will undertake some training.

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