File sharing over LAN

windoofus · 07 Jan 2020

I am wondering if it is possible to share files over the LAN for specific users on 2 computers in my network? I can't seem to do what I need to do.

Anyhow, this is the setup: 2 Windows 10 computers connected by ethernet cables to the same modem / router. (I am at home and the computers are at the office so I do not have the version number in front of me, but I believe they are both Win10 home edition and both have all of the latest windows update.) Each computer has several users. I need to be able to selectively share folders and files to specific users on each computer.

I enabled file sharing but can't seem to selectively share files. For example, when I right click a folder that I want to share on the network, enabled sharing, and then go to set permissions in the advanced sharing area the only users showing up on the permission user list are users who are on the same computer as the one enabling the file sharing. I can't select users on the secondary / client computer to give permission to. The only way I can give access to the client computer is by selecting the "everyone" permission setting, but I do not want everyone on the client and server computers having access to the files.

Is it possible to limit the file sharing to specific profile users from the client computer, or is file sharing from other computers limited to having to share to the entire computer? If so, how do you go about being able to access the user profiles on other computers in the file sharing permission area?

Any help is appreciated. I am stumped and frustrated. Thanks.

Samuria · 07 Jan 2020

Welcome to the forum. The very simple way is to set the user you want to share with a account with same name and password as they use on their pc. You have to remember you set share option but you must also set NTFS permissions on the folder or files. If others are using a MS account you can add them using their email. or use their pcname ie \\fredpc\fred

Bree · 07 Jan 2020

windoofus said:

...how do you go about being able to access the user profiles on other computers in the file sharing permission area?

If you had a domain server and all the PCs were members of the domain then it would be simple. All the user accounts would be held centrally on the domain controller and available for assigning permissions.

...when I right click a folder that I want to share on the network, enabled sharing, and then go to set permissions in the advanced sharing area the only users showing up on the permission user list are users who are on the same computer as the one enabling the file sharing....

With a peer to peer Workgroup network such as you have, then permissions can only be applied to local accounts on the PC doing the sharing.

If you set up a local account on the PC doing the sharing in the same name as the user account on the PC that wants to connect then you can control the specific permissions for that user. If you set the same password as they use on their machine they will not be challenged for a password when they try to connect.

To prevent this user from being able to sign in locally on the PC doing the sharing, you can disable the account, or hide it with Option Three in this tutorial.

Enable or Disable Account in Windows 10