Need some assistance with some networking help in my home network. I've got several machines, all XP Pro (two are Media Center) all are fully updated, windows firewall, and anti virus stuff installed on them. Now my question is how do I gain access to them from the My Network Places - I've tried adding myself as a user administrator on those pc's and that doesn't work and if I try to just access them it's either just the shares or a grayed out login box that say \\computername\Guest then asks for a password. Now the Guest account is disabled on all of them but I'm not sure how to change it. I've tried the authentication with the name@computername\c$ or what not, but I'd like to be able to just click right into them. Anyway that's possible? I'd like to be able to have control over all of the machines. If it makes any difference (it shouldn't) but all the pc's are separate from each other - ie there's one connected to the modem/wireless router then I'm connected to a 2nd wireless router that's connected to the first, and the other 3 pc's are all on wireless. Any help is appreciated.
If you're after control over the machines, then you want to use 'Remote Desktop Sharing'... Just put the computer's IP address in that and it should turn up. My Network Places is 'basically' just for shared folders and printers.
That's true, but the other computer accounts need to have passwords for you to be able to connect using Remote Desktop (RD). I like to use a VNC viewer as it doesn't kill the session or require a password to logon like RD. Plus you have way more control with VNC. I use RealVNC . To test that your computers are talking, type thier network name into the run box. (e.g. Mine would be \\Bradford). If they are not talking then run the network setup on each computer, reboot and do the run command again. Once they are talking, go onto RD or VNC.
Aye, there are ways around the password problem: something like, Administrative Tools -> Local Security Policies -> Local users require passwords -> Disable It's not exactly that, but close. Also, there is a hack for keeping the current session open involving downloading a file. Works fine, although can't remember directions for that. Aye, this is getting a little confusing. Depends on the situation and a lot of people on here prefer RealVNC over the pre-installed Microsoft options.
Yeah thanks for the advice guys, at work I use GenControl, but that apparently only works on networks with domains, which mine at home is just a workgroup. RealVNC sounds closer to what I'd like to try out, I'll give it a shot when I get home
