A friend came into my office with his laptop and had access to my
Shared Documents JUST LIKE THAT!  I've looked all over and don't see a
way to put a password protection.  If I right-click on a folder I only
get choices SHARE THIS FOLDER ON THE NETWORK, and then a 2nd check box
to ALLOW NETWORK USERS TO CHANGE MY FILES.  I'm using XP HOME.  On W2K
there is a box where I can enter a password.  Is that gone in XP HOME?
 I would like to let people use the printer without a password but
Good Lord -- access to my Shared Docs just by walking in?  He didn't
even have to know the name of my Workgroup!  It just showed up there
for the picking!  Help me make this a bit more secure?  We have a
wireless router and maybe I need to tell it something?  It's a
Linksys.

Thanks.  Barry

The ability to restrict access to shared files to users with a
password does not exist in XP Home. Instead, it has only what is
called "Simple File Sharing." For more information, see this link:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/

I would suggest you upgrade to XP Pro or 2000 Pro if you need to share
files and would like to require a password.

Also, since you mentioned wireless, I would hope you at least use WEP
or MAC filtering to prevent any of your neighbors (or someone driving
by) from accessing your network.

I would like to add a couple of notes to my comment. If you follow a
link on that page, you come to:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/filesharing.htm
which explains the simple file sharing in more detail. It does mention
the possibility of creating a hidden share, but that is far from a
secure solution. As I recall, those "hidden" shares can still be
discovered.

In xp home, if you go to control panel, then network connections,
right click on the network you use, go to properties, go to advanced,
and check the box that says to prevent access to your comp from the
internet.