home network - printing & file sharing questions

I just set up a two computer home network via a D-Link DI-604 router, that
is also connected to my DSL modem. I am running Windows 98 SE on both
machines, as well as Zone Alarm free edition. I have a couple of questions:

1. I know that I can share files and a printer, how do I go about doing
this? In "Network" of Control Panel I presume...

2. Will there be any outside security concerns by opening up file sharing /
printing between these machines?

Howie

 

There will be no problem with doing this because the machines are setting
behind the NAT router and they are protected by the router. You should
disable ZA for the initial setup of the networking to make sure it works and
the machines will be protected because of the NAT router.

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-NAT.asp

After you enable ZA, then you'll need to configure ZA to allow networking
between the machines and that may involve putting the device IP of the
router or the DHCP IP(s)/Subnet Mask(s) being used by the machines into the
Trusted Zone of ZA. I don't use ZA and someone else may know how to
configure ZA or you can use Google.

Duane

 

Yes; there are security concerns. You should install "netbeui" protocol
and bind it to "file and printer sharing" and unbind tcp/ip from sharing
files.

 

Since you have a router, and there should be a firewall in it, uninstall
Zone Alarm. Without this firewall software, you will see that your machines
will run a bit faster, have greater resources, and also be more stable.

You must set your hard disks to share, if you want them shared across the
home network. Also, each of the machines will need the printer driver
installed for the shared printer. The machine that has the printer
installed, must have the printer properties set to share. The remote
machine's printer properties must be set up to see the host computer's
printer over the home network.

--

Jerry G.
=====

I just set up a two computer home network via a D-Link DI-604 router, that
is also connected to my DSL modem. I am running Windows 98 SE on both
machines, as well as Zone Alarm free edition. I have a couple of questions:

1. I know that I can share files and a printer, how do I go about doing
this? In "Network" of Control Panel I presume...

2. Will there be any outside security concerns by opening up file sharing /
printing between these machines?

Howie

 

If the D-link NAT router can meet the specs in the link for *what a FW
does*, then it is an appliance that has a FW. Otherwise, it's just a NAT
router that may have some FW like features but is not a router with a true
FW or a FW appliance like a Watchguard or Cisco and others. Some people
supplement the NAT router with a PFW solution like ZA that can stop
outbound.

http://tinyurl.com/4awxu

Duane