win2k network question

[crazyman]

I have just setup a dedicated pc that has the printer connected to it,so my kids can print still if I am working on mine,etc,etc,

I have win2k on all 5 pc's here,everything is working perfect,all the pc's can print to the printer and see each other and any shared drives I have designated.no prob.

and also if I reboot a box and then click on any of the other pc's and it askes for a username and password,the other box accepts it just fine,

I am getting to my question,if we want to print to the printer,we have to sign in with user name,which I have set in permissions,and then it will print just fine,

how can I print from any of the other boxes to the printer pc with out having to sign in to it?

I have tried everything I can in "users" & "groups" & "permissions" and "shares".what am I overlooking?

[silencio]

Do the usernames and passwords match on all machines (if I logon to this machine as l/p:bob, password my l/p has to be the same on the other machine)? If so and you still need to manually logon, create a logon script for each machine to connect to the ipc$ share like so.

net use \\machinename\ipc$ /userthermachinename\username password hehe, that's colen o and not eek.

XP should automatically reconnect if you have the checkbox checked or use "net use /persistant:yes" but, sometimes it gets confused between \\machinename\usernames. Not sure why but it does. BTW, you'll need one of those for each machine.. lots of typing... might want to just setup a domain.

[crazyman]

Originally posted by silencio
might want to just setup a domain.

well,I'm not an expert at networking,

if I was to set up a domain,would that be just for printing? or what?

would it be better to set up a domain? or just leave it the way it is?

and don't forget,I will need instructions on setting up a domain,if thats what I am gonna do.

[silencio]

A small domain is easy to setup (if you have the software of course). I'd install 2000 server on the print server you have. You don't even need to wipe it. As far as hardware, I'd recommend at least 256meg of RAM. More is always better but it's not like you'll be processing thousands of requests. As to whether or not to do it, only you can decide. I would, it's fun to do (i may have an odd definition of the word fun). The other option is to do what I posted above and I'd add to that one other thing. Create hosts and lmhosts files on all of your machines (you can search windrivers on how). They speed up name resolution. But, if you want to setup a domain, here are the steps.

First, figure out what you want to call your domain. 2000 uses DNS so you want something with a .xxx. I've heard it's not necessary but it's good practice. I call my home domain cluster.lab The .xxx can be anything but don't use a .com/net/etc even if you own one. If you ever decide to host a web server it will just complicate things.

Second, once you have a domain name in mind, run dcpromo on the new server. When prompted for a DNS name use domain.xxx When prompted for a netbios name drop the .xxx and just use "domain". When prompted to install DNS, do it. Add an Active Directory integrated zone for domain.xxx and a reverse lookup zone for your subnet (192.168.x.x probably).

Third, once dcpromo ends you'll be prompted tol reboot. Don't do it yet. First, goto your network settings, tcp/ip. Make sure that the DNS server points to itself as a DNS server (static IP should be the same as primary DNS). Then goto DNS settings and add "domain.xxx." in the DNS suffix box. Make sure you add the trailing period. It's important for something I can't remember.. Check the "Register this connections address in DNS" and "Use this connection's DNS suffix in DNS registration." Click ok a few times and then allow the machine to reboot.

Four, the machine will take quite some time to reboot while it checks DNS and adds the appropriate entries. In particular, the _msdcs, _sites, _tcp, and _udp are added for domain functions. If they're not there in your DNS zone after the reboot then your primary DNS server doesn't match your static IP. If they are there your doing well.

Five, the machine will require access to the internet if you share cable/dsl/etc. It needs to access the internet to resolve external DNS queries. And in order to enable this, delete the "." zone in your forward lookup zones. Then reboot (not required but quicker). Upon reboot your DNS server will populate it's root hints. This again may take some time. Some people enable forwarders, I prefer to use root hints. You can do either. Also, in DNS under the server and domain.xxx disable zone transfers (more secure).

Six, your DC should be happy enough to run your domain now. There's many more things you can do to make it run better, more secure etc but, for the most part it will take care of itself. So, add some users. Use the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snapin to do it. Make yourself a member of the administrators, domain admins, and domain users groups. Make everyone else members of the domain users group.

Seven, give your client machines static IPs, add the DC as the primary DNS server, and add "domain.xxx." to your domain suffix just like you did on the DC. Check the DNS registrations boxes too. Now, navigate to "my computer/properties/computer name" and click change. Put your domain.xxx in the domain box and enter your admin name and password when prompted. Reboot. (If it can't find the domain check your network settings.)

Eight, logon to the machine as a domain admin. Add whoever will use the machine to the local admins group. If you don't want your users/kids adding drivers or programs without your knowledge don't do this part. Since it's your house, I'd do it.

Nine, logoff and back on as the new user. Start adding your shares again and set permissions for the printer. If you set your share level permissions to "domain users" everyone should have access and authentication is done by the DC. No more logging on all the time. You will have to recreate your desktops, mail, internet settings etc but once you do it once it's done.

This may sound complicated but with five machines you can have it done in an hour. Other things I'd recommend are; don't use any encryption (if you lose your dc your files are gone), backup your DC (easiest way is to add a second drive and schedule a full backup once a week to the second drive), if you have the space backup your users "my documents" folder to the DC once a week (handy if you lose a drive), replace the everyone group with the domain users group on all NTFS permissions in the domain (security), don't put your DC in a DMZ, setup a Domain DFS root on your DC (check technet for exact "how to", the benefit is that all shares in the domain can be made accessible via a single mapped network drive), there's more but I can't think of them right now...

Feel free to chime in here people.

[NooNoo]

Or if you haven't got 2k server just activate the guest account on the print server and allow everyone access to the printer.

[crazyman]

Originally posted by silencio
A small domain is easy to setup

thanks for the info,I don't have win2k server though.

[crazyman]

Originally posted by NooNoo
Or if you haven't got 2k server just activate the guest account on the print server and allow everyone access to the printer.

I have already done that,

but that still requires a login after a reboot(to the printer pc),yes that works easy enough once I login until a reboot,I just wanted to try and eliminate that step(login).I had it setup that way before and I can't remember how I did it.

[NooNoo]

This way perhaps?