is it possible to share the printer only?

When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
only?

by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.

The PCs are behind the firewall, however, there is a possibility that
the PC used by the kids have trojan or are even hijacked (anti-virus
are installed but it's still not that secure). So I only want to share
the printer.

Thanks.

someone@somewhere.com wrote:
> When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
> sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
> only?
>


No, there isn't. But if you don't assign sharing to any folders and
then grant other permissions to access those folders, they can't be
accessed.


> by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
> vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
> file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.
>

That is the hidden administrative share that is common to all Microsoft
operating systems based upon the original WinNT kernel. Only people
with administrative privileges to the host computer can see of access
this share. As long as you take the rudimentanty precaution of not
granting administrative privileges to everyone could this be a
vulnerability.




--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

This is a good question. You may modify the registry. This how to may help:
how to disable administrative share -
http://chicagotech.net/netforums/vie...3 49bc7d25cbc


--
Bob Lin, Microsoft-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com


<someone@somewhere.com> wrote in message
newsok5h51aldild0lc1np9h0m20duvdrncru@4ax.com...
> When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
> sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
> only?
>
> by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
> vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
> file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.
>
> The PCs are behind the firewall, however, there is a possibility that
> the PC used by the kids have trojan or are even hijacked (anti-virus
> are installed but it's still not that secure). So I only want to share
> the printer.
>
> Thanks.

To add to other posters.
To increase your security level, in Vista, you've got "Windows Firewall with
Advanced Security".
Under "Inbound Rules", you can check properties of "Server Message Block
(SMB)".
Check "Scope" tab. Here you can set local and remote IP addresses that are
allowed to connect to your network share(s).

<someone@somewhere.com> wrote in message
newsok5h51aldild0lc1np9h0m20duvdrncru@4ax.com...
> When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
> sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
> only?
>
> by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
> vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
> file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.
>
> The PCs are behind the firewall, however, there is a possibility that
> the PC used by the kids have trojan or are even hijacked (anti-virus
> are installed but it's still not that secure). So I only want to share
> the printer.
>
> Thanks.

Personally I had that problem and chose a printer that had a ethernet
connection hooked to my router and basically I can print from any computer
in my home but yet not have any sharing turned on..

<someone@somewhere.com> wrote in message
newsok5h51aldild0lc1np9h0m20duvdrncru@4ax.com...
> When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
> sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
> only?
>
> by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
> vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
> file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.
>
> The PCs are behind the firewall, however, there is a possibility that
> the PC used by the kids have trojan or are even hijacked (anti-virus
> are installed but it's still not that secure). So I only want to share
> the printer.
>
> Thanks.

Hi
What is functionally Sharable on your system if you turn File and Printer
Sharing On but you do not enable individually any File Sharing Folder?
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

<someone@somewhere.com> wrote in message
newsok5h51aldild0lc1np9h0m20duvdrncru@4ax.com...
> When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
> sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
> only?
>
> by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
> vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
> file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.
>
> The PCs are behind the firewall, however, there is a possibility that
> the PC used by the kids have trojan or are even hijacked (anti-virus
> are installed but it's still not that secure). So I only want to share
> the printer.
>
> Thanks.

I think that I have made it clear that I only want to sharing printer
but not folder. Sharing printer poses less security risk. Even if
you don't explicitly share any folder. C$ is only shared by OS and
there doesn't seem to be a way to turn it off, as a result, C$ is
subject to password cracking.

On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:42:40 -0500, "Jack [MVP-Networking]"
<jack@discussiongroup.com> wrote:

>Hi
>What is functionally Sharable on your system if you turn File and Printer
>Sharing On but you do not enable individually any File Sharing Folder?
>Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
>
><someone@somewhere.com> wrote in message
>newsok5h51aldild0lc1np9h0m20duvdrncru@4ax.com.. .
>> When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
>> sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
>> only?
>>
>> by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
>> vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
>> file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.
>>
>> The PCs are behind the firewall, however, there is a possibility that
>> the PC used by the kids have trojan or are even hijacked (anti-virus
>> are installed but it's still not that secure). So I only want to share
>> the printer.
>>
>> Thanks.

You can disable the administrative shares.

John

someone@somewhere.com wrote:
> I think that I have made it clear that I only want to sharing printer
> but not folder. Sharing printer poses less security risk. Even if
> you don't explicitly share any folder. C$ is only shared by OS and
> there doesn't seem to be a way to turn it off, as a result, C$ is
> subject to password cracking.
>
> On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:42:40 -0500, "Jack [MVP-Networking]"
> <jack@discussiongroup.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi
>> What is functionally Sharable on your system if you turn File and Printer
>> Sharing On but you do not enable individually any File Sharing Folder?
>> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
>>
>> <someone@somewhere.com> wrote in message
>> newsok5h51aldild0lc1np9h0m20duvdrncru@4ax.com...
>>> When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
>>> sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
>>> only?
>>>
>>> by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
>>> vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
>>> file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.
>>>
>>> The PCs are behind the firewall, however, there is a possibility that
>>> the PC used by the kids have trojan or are even hijacked (anti-virus
>>> are installed but it's still not that secure). So I only want to share
>>> the printer.
>>>
>>> Thanks.

How to disable the administrative shares? Thanks.

On Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:51:26 -0400, John John - MVP
<audetweld@nbnot.nb.ca> wrote:

>
>You can disable the administrative shares.
>
>John
>
>someone@somewhere.com wrote:
>> I think that I have made it clear that I only want to sharing printer
>> but not folder. Sharing printer poses less security risk. Even if
>> you don't explicitly share any folder. C$ is only shared by OS and
>> there doesn't seem to be a way to turn it off, as a result, C$ is
>> subject to password cracking.
>>
>> On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:42:40 -0500, "Jack [MVP-Networking]"
>> <jack@discussiongroup.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi
>>> What is functionally Sharable on your system if you turn File and Printer
>>> Sharing On but you do not enable individually any File Sharing Folder?
>>> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
>>>
>>> <someone@somewhere.com> wrote in message
>>> newsok5h51aldild0lc1np9h0m20duvdrncru@4ax.com...
>>>> When you turn on file and printer sharing, both file and printer
>>>> sharing are turned on. Is there a way to turn on printer sharing
>>>> only?
>>>>
>>>> by default, c$ is always shared on windows XP pro, I am not sure about
>>>> vista/windows 7 home premium. So there is some security risk with
>>>> file sharing, while there is less risk with printer sharing.
>>>>
>>>> The PCs are behind the firewall, however, there is a possibility that
>>>> the PC used by the kids have trojan or are even hijacked (anti-virus
>>>> are installed but it's still not that secure). So I only want to share
>>>> the printer.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.