Domain Controller, File and Print sharing, visitors

[MrMille]

Title: "Domain Controller, File and Print sharing, visitors"

Not much activity on this category, so I hope someone sees this thread and can help! :confused:

I got a call and the client wants me to network 5 laptops, and the occassional visitor (so they can see a specific folder)

I would normally use, Network Magic (great piece of software) as the regular way (using Windows functionality) is a bit clunky and error prone.

The client has a domain controller to which the printer is attached, so how do I go about setting up the things in the title (but just using built-in Windows XP functionality)?

Thanks!!!

[Blues]

Log onto the domain server and set it up on the domain PC so that any PC on the domain can view it. Then create in active directory the guest login and set it up to also have access to the resources. I would suggest limiting the access they have. So yeah just use windows built-in sharing features to set this up if they have a Domain Controller and Active Directory.

[MrMille]

Excellent! a reply on a very difficult topic.

However, I don't know how to do the following things... 1, 2, and errrm, 3 :D

1/ Log onto the domain server and set it up on the domain PC so that any PC on the domain can view it.

2/ Then create in active directory the guest login and set it up to also have access to the resources.

3/ I would suggest limiting the access they have. So yeah just use windows built-in sharing features to set this up if they have a Domain Controller and Active Directory.

[Blues]

you need the administrator password and what is the Domain Controller running and who set it up?

[MrMille]

I haven't seen the installation yet.

What i need is a tutorial in #pdc's etc.

I'd prefer to install network magic and let that be the end of it.

[greggh]

Network magic is great for the small home network, and the peer-to-peer small businesses. But it is NOT magic on a network with a domain controller. What OS is it? NT 4? 2000? 2K3? Is it a real PDC (NT 4) or is it an Active Directory server? Is it a master or a replicated one? A Multi-master setup? Is it in, or does it control a forest? Lots of questions come to mind...

[Blues]

With all the talk of using windows features I thought it would be a WIndows server running Active Directory but then when he replied I got the impression it may not be. I would suggest you tell them you need to go onsite to do an assesment of thier equipment to ensure a proper and fitting configuration for them so that you don't sound like you don't know anything and so that you can know what your dealing with.

[greggh]

Always the best way to do it. I usually hit up a network with belarc advisor and microsoft baseline security analyzer (mbsa) on every machine, print to PDF (using PDF Creator, freeware/open source pdf printer.) And then take it back to my place and build a nice picture of their network and what needs to be done on it.

[MrMille]

Network magic is great for the small home network, and the peer-to-peer small businesses. But it is NOT magic on a network with a domain controller. What OS is it? NT 4? 2000? 2K3? Is it a real PDC (NT 4) or is it an Active Directory server? Is it a master or a replicated one? A Multi-master setup? Is it in, or does it control a forest? Lots of questions come to mind...

You know a lot more about this stuff than I do.

I wish I could even attempt to answer your questions.

I'm going to go onsite and ask the questions you posted.

Any others things I should be looking for?

[tkrabec]

I got a call and the client wants me to network 5 laptops, and the occassional visitor (so they can see a specific folder)

The client has a domain controller to which the printer is attached, so how do I go about setting up the things in the title (but just using built-in Windows XP functionality)?

1st a Domain Controller (DC) is probably over kill for 5 users, but it does add a bit of security into the mix.

I will assume that the DC has already been installed. "Go to active directory users and computers" under administrative tools. Then add a user (security tip) don't call it guest, call it phil or something that would look like a regular user in the domain. next Give it a password and remove it from the group everyone (very important)

Next navigate to the folder that is to be shared, right click on it and grant the proper permissions to this guest user. Make sure they have permission to under both sharing and security (since they are no longer in "everybody").

Next give them permission to print on the printer(if required) by right clicking on the printer to be shared.

If DHCP is set up properly, and DNS is also running on the domain controller.
Navigate to the domain controller via \\{domain controller name}\ or via the
IP address if that is not set up ie \\192.168.1.15\

You will be prompted for a login. Login using this format {domain}\{username} or {username}@{domain}
(don't save the password)

then you should only see the folder and the printer on that machine.

Let me know if you need more detail

[MrMille]

1st a Domain Controller (DC) is probably over kill for 5 users, but it does add a bit of security into the mix.


Agreed, I did mention this to him, and have suggested he use a workgroup and network magic.


I will assume that the DC has already been installed. "Go to active directory users and computers" under administrative tools. Then add a user (security tip) don't call it guest, call it phil or something that would look like a regular user in the domain. next Give it a password and remove it from the group everyone (very important)

I went onsite yesterday, and it's a W2K3 server with most of the wizards having being run.
I haven't done as suggested yet, as it turns out the high priority problem is the slow login and slow connection to the printer, and file sharing.


If DHCP is set up properly, and DNS is also running on the domain controller.
Navigate to the domain controller via \\{domain controller name}\ or via the
IP address if that is not set up ie \\192.168.1.15\

You will be prompted for a login. Login using this format {domain}\{username} or {username}@{domain}
(don't save the password)


This is good.
I have several questions.
The set up is as follows.

Wireless broadband router -> Hub -> W2K3 (Domain Controller) -> 4 XP Pro's (mix of desktops and laptops)

Here are my questions...
Where should the authorative DNS server be? on W2K3?
I think the broadband is not static, it's a dynamically assigned IP address. Is this going to be a problem?
Should W2K3 being doing both DNS and DHCP?
What should the 4 clients be pointing at for DNS and DHCP?

I'm worried that if I change anything I could break the existing network
aswell as existing internet connectivity.

I have LogMeIn access to the Domain Controller and one of the clients.
Is this is enough access to work with?

Thanks guys! really appreciate your help.
DPCS

[tkrabec]

I went onsite yesterday, and it's a W2K3 server with most of the wizards having being run.
I haven't done as suggested yet, as it turns out the high priority problem is the slow login and slow connection to the printer, and file sharing.



This is good.
I have several questions.
The set up is as follows.

Wireless broadband router -> Hub -> W2K3 (Domain Controller) -> 4 XP Pro's (mix of desktops and laptops)

Here are my questions...
Where should the authorative DNS server be? on W2K3?
AD pretty much requires DNS to function properly.

I think the broadband is not static, it's a dynamically assigned IP address. Is this going to be a problem?
Should W2K3 being doing both DNS and DHCP?
What should the 4 clients be pointing at for DNS and DHCP?

I run several locations with a similar setup. Running DNS locally just enables the local network to see everything locally properly. Adding your ISP's DNS into the "forwarders" allows your server to resolve all internet IP's.
As long as the IP of your gateway does not change then your dynamic IP should not be a problem. I use DHCP for all my networks small and large. It allows me to push network changes with a simple network switch power cycle. I can change the DNS, Gateway, Time server or any other DHCP option


I'm worried that if I change anything I could break the existing network
aswell as existing internet connectivity.

I have LogMeIn access to the Domain Controller and one of the clients.
Is this is enough access to work with?

Thanks guys! really appreciate your help.
DPCS
That should be enough, however I'd make the changes when you can get access, quickly and fix the problem in person.

[MrMille]

I've setup this before, for my own department, but when doing for someone else I'm hesistant to change their existing (but not working very well) settings.

Are there any picture book type guides for doing this type of stuff?

And I reckon life would be easier if the domain controller had two NICs.

So, this is the network I'm shooting for...


Internet > Switch/Hub < Win2003 Server < Printer
< WinXP Pro client
< WinXP Pro client

So Internet cable plugs into Swith/Hub,
Printer into server, and both server and client into the switch/hub.

Server is to have DNS and DHCP running (which it currently doesn't have and this is probably the source of all the problems)
Server is to have ISP's DNS and DHCP in forwardering tabs
Clients are to be set to automatic for both DNS and DHCP.

Now what do I do for print and file sharing? is that done automatically by W2K3?

[tkrabec]

File and print sharing is fairly simple on 2k3, there are MS labs on doing the work. You can get several of them by buying the exam prep books, they are fairly expensive ~80USD but if you go to the book store you can look and see if the book they have will do what you want.

I've got some nice hefty servers running with 1 NIC. The server supports 50 users, 35 printers. The internet connection comes over our link to the rest of the WAN.

Unless you want to set the server up as a router, I would not worry about having 2 NIC's. I would make sure that the border device (router/DSL modem/whatever) has decent security, at least NAT, then manage the internal PC's with good AV and the windows Firewall does a decent job of hardening the machines. You can always add some software to sniff the traffic and look for compromised machines. Also make sure that UnPNP is disabled on the router

[MrMille]

Starting from the top, does this make sense?

[tkrabec]

more like thishttp://www.kracomp.com/Technibble1.pdf
Hope it helps

Note the server and all the PC's and Notebooks can be off the same hub/switch as the router

[gadz00ks1]

Starting from the top, does this make sense?

Hi, I interested in knowing how this turned out for you.