Hi
In theory it is more risk, in reality if some one knows how to brake WPA2
sharing settings would not be a big hurdle either.
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"rik" wrote in message
news:1184181107.300899.177160@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>I set up a home network for my desktop and my laptop (Win XP Pro on
> both, using the XP networking tool). The desktop connects to the
> router via an ethernet cable, the laptop via wireless. The wireless is
> a secure WPA2 (aka WPA-PSK ?) connection. I wanted to be able to
> access any file on one computer from the other, so I set both
> computers to "share" their entire C: drives.
>
> But recently, I was wondering about the security of this. Is this a
> completely dangerous thing to do, leaving my computer wide open? Just
> slightly dangerous--such that someone can only attack the computer if
> they first hack thru the WPA2 security?
>
> Also, I sometimes connect to a secure network (though it is only
> regular WPA, not WPA2) at my university. Is this any different than
> the situation at my home?
>
> I would greatly appreciate the advice of someone more expert in this
> area than myself. Thank you!!!
>

On Jul 11, 4:11 pm, "Jack \(MVP-Networking\)."
wrote:
> Hi
> In theory it is more risk, in reality if some one knows how to brake WPA2
> sharing settings would not be a big hurdle either.
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> "rik" wrote in message
>
> news:1184181107.300899.177160@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> >I set up a home network for my desktop and my laptop (Win XP Pro on
> > both, using the XP networking tool). The desktop connects to the
> > router via an ethernet cable, the laptop via wireless. The wireless is
> > a secure WPA2 (aka WPA-PSK ?) connection. I wanted to be able to
> > access any file on one computer from the other, so I set both
> > computers to "share" their entire C: drives.
>
> > But recently, I was wondering about the security of this. Is this a
> > completely dangerous thing to do, leaving my computer wide open? Just
> > slightly dangerous--such that someone can only attack the computer if
> > they first hack thru the WPA2 security?
>
> > Also, I sometimes connect to a secure network (though it is only
> > regular WPA, not WPA2) at my university. Is this any different than
> > the situation at my home?
>
> > I would greatly appreciate the advice of someone more expert in this
> > area than myself. Thank you!!!

Thanks for the response. But it occurs to me that I should ask the
question on my second point, regarding the university wireless
network, in a different way: do other (legitimate) users (such as
other students or IT network administrators) of the university WPA
wireless network automatically have access to my shared hard drive
when they and I are connected to this network? Or would they need to
know my computer login password or something?

"rik" wrote in message
news:1184275385.486339.222330@n60g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
> On Jul 11, 4:11 pm, "Jack \(MVP-Networking\)."
> wrote:
>> Hi
>> In theory it is more risk, in reality if some one knows how to brake WPA2
>> sharing settings would not be a big hurdle either.
>> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>>
>> "rik" wrote in message
>>
>> news:1184181107.300899.177160@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>>
>> >I set up a home network for my desktop and my laptop (Win XP Pro on
>> > both, using the XP networking tool). The desktop connects to the
>> > router via an ethernet cable, the laptop via wireless. The wireless is
>> > a secure WPA2 (aka WPA-PSK ?) connection. I wanted to be able to
>> > access any file on one computer from the other, so I set both
>> > computers to "share" their entire C: drives.
>>
>> > But recently, I was wondering about the security of this. Is this a
>> > completely dangerous thing to do, leaving my computer wide open? Just
>> > slightly dangerous--such that someone can only attack the computer if
>> > they first hack thru the WPA2 security?
>>
>> > Also, I sometimes connect to a secure network (though it is only
>> > regular WPA, not WPA2) at my university. Is this any different than
>> > the situation at my home?
>>
>> > I would greatly appreciate the advice of someone more expert in this
>> > area than myself. Thank you!!!
>
> Thanks for the response. But it occurs to me that I should ask the
> question on my second point, regarding the university wireless
> network, in a different way: do other (legitimate) users (such as
> other students or IT network administrators) of the university WPA
> wireless network automatically have access to my shared hard drive
> when they and I are connected to this network? Or would they need to
> know my computer login password or something?
>
If you are using guest authentication and if you have not set a password for
the guest
account and if you have not renamed the guest account and if you are logged
on, anybody who wants to can
map to your shared drive If anybody is logged on to your computer,
anybody else can also map to the administrative shares.

I would circumvent all of these possibilities by either not placing
sensitive data on a Windows PC or by placing such data
on a removable drive.

Jim

On Jul 12, 4:56 pm, "Jim" wrote:
> "rik" wrote in message
>
> news:1184275385.486339.222330@n60g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> > On Jul 11, 4:11 pm, "Jack \(MVP-Networking\)."
> > wrote:
> >> Hi
> >> In theory it is more risk, in reality if some one knows how to brake WPA2
> >> sharing settings would not be a big hurdle either.
> >> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> >> "rik" wrote in message
>
> >>news:1184181107.300899.177160@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> >> >I set up a home network for my desktop and my laptop (Win XP Pro on
> >> > both, using the XP networking tool). The desktop connects to the
> >> > router via an ethernet cable, the laptop via wireless. The wireless is
> >> > a secure WPA2 (aka WPA-PSK ?) connection. I wanted to be able to
> >> > access any file on one computer from the other, so I set both
> >> > computers to "share" their entire C: drives.
>
> >> > But recently, I was wondering about the security of this. Is this a
> >> > completely dangerous thing to do, leaving my computer wide open? Just
> >> > slightly dangerous--such that someone can only attack the computer if
> >> > they first hack thru the WPA2 security?
>
> >> > Also, I sometimes connect to a secure network (though it is only
> >> > regular WPA, not WPA2) at my university. Is this any different than
> >> > the situation at my home?
>
> >> > I would greatly appreciate the advice of someone more expert in this
> >> > area than myself. Thank you!!!
>
> > Thanks for the response. But it occurs to me that I should ask the
> > question on my second point, regarding the university wireless
> > network, in a different way: do other (legitimate) users (such as
> > other students or IT network administrators) of the university WPA
> > wireless network automatically have access to my shared hard drive
> > when they and I are connected to this network? Or would they need to
> > know my computer login password or something?
>
> If you are using guest authentication and if you have not set a password for
> the guest
> account and if you have not renamed the guest account and if you are logged
> on, anybody who wants to can
> map to your shared drive If anybody is logged on to your computer,
> anybody else can also map to the administrative shares.
>
> I would circumvent all of these possibilities by either not placing
> sensitive data on a Windows PC or by placing such data
> on a removable drive.
>
> Jim

@ Jim:

Guest authentication on my computer or on the network? The guest
account on my computer has been deactivated and removed. The
university network does not allow for open access 'guest' accounts--
all users must have login passwords.

"If anybody is logged on to your computer, anybody else can also map
to the administrative shares."
Not sure what you mean by that, especially in the context of the
specific scenario I have described. I am the only person who should be
logged in into my computer, and I use a strong password. I'm not sure
what you mean by 'administrative shares'. As i said, the entire hard
drive is shared. So, I guess I'll ask again: can other users of the
WPA network be able to map to the hard drive in the scenario described?

On Jul 12, 4:56 pm, "Jim" wrote:
> "rik" wrote in message
>
> news:1184275385.486339.222330@n60g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> > On Jul 11, 4:11 pm, "Jack \(MVP-Networking\)."
> > wrote:
> >> Hi
> >> In theory it is more risk, in reality if some one knows how to brake WPA2
> >> sharing settings would not be a big hurdle either.
> >> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> >> "rik" wrote in message
>
> >>news:1184181107.300899.177160@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> >> >I set up a home network for my desktop and my laptop (Win XP Pro on
> >> > both, using the XP networking tool). The desktop connects to the
> >> > router via an ethernet cable, the laptop via wireless. The wireless is
> >> > a secure WPA2 (aka WPA-PSK ?) connection. I wanted to be able to
> >> > access any file on one computer from the other, so I set both
> >> > computers to "share" their entire C: drives.
>
> >> > But recently, I was wondering about the security of this. Is this a
> >> > completely dangerous thing to do, leaving my computer wide open? Just
> >> > slightly dangerous--such that someone can only attack the computer if
> >> > they first hack thru the WPA2 security?
>
> >> > Also, I sometimes connect to a secure network (though it is only
> >> > regular WPA, not WPA2) at my university. Is this any different than
> >> > the situation at my home?
>
> >> > I would greatly appreciate the advice of someone more expert in this
> >> > area than myself. Thank you!!!
>
> > Thanks for the response. But it occurs to me that I should ask the
> > question on my second point, regarding the university wireless
> > network, in a different way: do other (legitimate) users (such as
> > other students or IT network administrators) of the university WPA
> > wireless network automatically have access to my shared hard drive
> > when they and I are connected to this network? Or would they need to
> > know my computer login password or something?
>
> If you are using guest authentication and if you have not set a password for
> the guest
> account and if you have not renamed the guest account and if you are logged
> on, anybody who wants to can
> map to your shared drive If anybody is logged on to your computer,
> anybody else can also map to the administrative shares.
>
> I would circumvent all of these possibilities by either not placing
> sensitive data on a Windows PC or by placing such data
> on a removable drive.
>
> Jim

@ Jim:

Guest authentication on my computer or on the network? The guest
account on my computer has been deactivated and removed. The
university network does not allow for open access 'guest' accounts--
all users must have login passwords.

"If anybody is logged on to your computer, anybody else can also map
to the administrative shares."
Not sure what you mean by that, especially in the context of the
specific scenario I have described. I am the only person who should be
logged in into my computer, and I use a strong password. I'm not sure
what you mean by 'administrative shares'. As i said, the entire hard
drive is shared. So, I guess I'll ask again: can other users of the
WPA network be able to map to the hard drive in the scenario described?

On Jul 12, 4:56 pm, "Jim" wrote:
> "rik" wrote in message
>
> news:1184275385.486339.222330@n60g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> > On Jul 11, 4:11 pm, "Jack \(MVP-Networking\)."
> > wrote:
> >> Hi
> >> In theory it is more risk, in reality if some one knows how to brake WPA2
> >> sharing settings would not be a big hurdle either.
> >> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> >> "rik" wrote in message
>
> >>news:1184181107.300899.177160@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> >> >I set up a home network for my desktop and my laptop (Win XP Pro on
> >> > both, using the XP networking tool). The desktop connects to the
> >> > router via an ethernet cable, the laptop via wireless. The wireless is
> >> > a secure WPA2 (aka WPA-PSK ?) connection. I wanted to be able to
> >> > access any file on one computer from the other, so I set both
> >> > computers to "share" their entire C: drives.
>
> >> > But recently, I was wondering about the security of this. Is this a
> >> > completely dangerous thing to do, leaving my computer wide open? Just
> >> > slightly dangerous--such that someone can only attack the computer if
> >> > they first hack thru the WPA2 security?
>
> >> > Also, I sometimes connect to a secure network (though it is only
> >> > regular WPA, not WPA2) at my university. Is this any different than
> >> > the situation at my home?
>
> >> > I would greatly appreciate the advice of someone more expert in this
> >> > area than myself. Thank you!!!
>
> > Thanks for the response. But it occurs to me that I should ask the
> > question on my second point, regarding the university wireless
> > network, in a different way: do other (legitimate) users (such as
> > other students or IT network administrators) of the university WPA
> > wireless network automatically have access to my shared hard drive
> > when they and I are connected to this network? Or would they need to
> > know my computer login password or something?
>
> If you are using guest authentication and if you have not set a password for
> the guest
> account and if you have not renamed the guest account and if you are logged
> on, anybody who wants to can
> map to your shared drive If anybody is logged on to your computer,
> anybody else can also map to the administrative shares.
>
> I would circumvent all of these possibilities by either not placing
> sensitive data on a Windows PC or by placing such data
> on a removable drive.
>
> Jim

@ Jim:

Guest authentication on my computer or on the network? The guest
account on my computer has been deactivated and removed. The
university network does not allow for open access 'guest' accounts--
all users must have login passwords.

"If anybody is logged on to your computer, anybody else can also map
to the administrative shares."
Not sure what you mean by that, especially in the context of the
specific scenario I have described. I am the only person who should be
logged in into my computer, and I use a strong password. I'm not sure
what you mean by 'administrative shares'. As i said, the entire hard
drive is shared. So, I guess I'll ask again: can other users of the
WPA network be able to map to the hard drive in the scenario described?

On Jul 12, 4:56 pm, "Jim" wrote:
> "rik" wrote in message
>
> news:1184275385.486339.222330@n60g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> > On Jul 11, 4:11 pm, "Jack \(MVP-Networking\)."
> > wrote:
> >> Hi
> >> In theory it is more risk, in reality if some one knows how to brake WPA2
> >> sharing settings would not be a big hurdle either.
> >> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> >> "rik" wrote in message
>
> >>news:1184181107.300899.177160@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
> >> >I set up a home network for my desktop and my laptop (Win XP Pro on
> >> > both, using the XP networking tool). The desktop connects to the
> >> > router via an ethernet cable, the laptop via wireless. The wireless is
> >> > a secure WPA2 (aka WPA-PSK ?) connection. I wanted to be able to
> >> > access any file on one computer from the other, so I set both
> >> > computers to "share" their entire C: drives.
>
> >> > But recently, I was wondering about the security of this. Is this a
> >> > completely dangerous thing to do, leaving my computer wide open? Just
> >> > slightly dangerous--such that someone can only attack the computer if
> >> > they first hack thru the WPA2 security?
>
> >> > Also, I sometimes connect to a secure network (though it is only
> >> > regular WPA, not WPA2) at my university. Is this any different than
> >> > the situation at my home?
>
> >> > I would greatly appreciate the advice of someone more expert in this
> >> > area than myself. Thank you!!!
>
> > Thanks for the response. But it occurs to me that I should ask the
> > question on my second point, regarding the university wireless
> > network, in a different way: do other (legitimate) users (such as
> > other students or IT network administrators) of the university WPA
> > wireless network automatically have access to my shared hard drive
> > when they and I are connected to this network? Or would they need to
> > know my computer login password or something?
>
> If you are using guest authentication and if you have not set a password for
> the guest
> account and if you have not renamed the guest account and if you are logged
> on, anybody who wants to can
> map to your shared drive If anybody is logged on to your computer,
> anybody else can also map to the administrative shares.
>
> I would circumvent all of these possibilities by either not placing
> sensitive data on a Windows PC or by placing such data
> on a removable drive.
>
> Jim

@ Jim:
Guest authentication on my computer or on the network? The guest
account on the computer has been deactivated and removed. The
university network does not allow for open, 'guest', access.

"if anybody is logged on to your computer, anybody else can also map
to the admin shares."
Not sure what you mean by that, especially in the context of the
specific scenario I've described. I am the only person who should be
logged in in to my computer, and I use a strong password. I'm not
positive what 'administrative shares' means. As I said, the entire
hard drive is shared. So I guess I'll ask again: can other users of
the WPA network be able to map to the hard drive in the scenario
described?