Setting up Windows 8 home server

[Nem]

So I just set up windows 8 on my NAS, set up 2 data drives, filled them with files etc. Now I'm trying to set up permissions on these so I can control who on my network has access to what

 

There are 2 other windows desktops (and 2 mac laptops) on my network. All the windows machines use local accounts (none of that microsoft account stuff)

 

How do I correctly set up the folders on my NAS so that users on other computers have correct access to certain folders?

 

All the windows machines are in the same homegroup so everything can be seen, written to, but I want finer control over certain folders

 

I have tried, on the NAS, going into the sharing options of a folder > advanced sharing > permissions. However, in there, I cannot seem to add users that exist on other network computers (other locations cannot be seen). 

 

This same issue is a problem when trying to set up remote desktop too, because for that I need to give access to certain users, but again, other computer users cannot be seen

 

What is the correct way to set up these types of permissions across the network?

 

When I had linux installed on the NAS instead, folders could be protected by a user/password which meant I could just given that user account certain permissions and then log in using those credentials on other computers. This type of password protecting doesnt seem possible in windows...

[twosome]

For you to use user authentication across the network, you need to set up and configure active directory. This is not something you would love to do if you do not own a license for Windows Server.

 

However, you can achieve your goal by adding local users to you Windows 8/NAS box. Simply open Computer Management and navigate to users folder in the left hand pane.

Start make the users you need, a unique user for each computer is i start. The next step is to go to you Shares. As you wrote, open Advanced Sharing and give everyone full access.

Remember, this is ONLY on the share its self, not the files inside it. To manage the file permissions use the security tab on the folder Properties. Remove Authenticated Users and Everyone or who else that got permission. Then you add each user and give them the appropriate permissions. In Computer Management you could also create groups to ease up the process. For example a Movies_RO and Family_RW. And you can add your self to the administration group to get full access to everything.

 

A tip is to NOT give anyone but your self Full Access i security tab, Modify is enough. Full Access means simply that the user have the rights to change the permissions. Modify is RW.

 

Hope this help on the way.

[Nem]

What I tried doing earlier was similar to what you suggested

 

I created a second local account which has the same name as my main computer "Simon". my NAS has a main account called "admin". Using the admin account I went to advanced sharing on a share, removed "everyone" from the permissions list, but added "Simon" and gave that account full permissions just as a test

 

I then went to my main windows computer, went to that share on the network and tried to open it and it gave me permission denied. Therefore I couldn't even get to your second recommendation of going into the security tab on specific folders

 

Did I miss a step somewhere? Both the NAS account, and my main computer have the same login name of "Simon" and I still don't have permission to access the share...is there somewhere else where I'm meant to set up login/account credentials to give me access?

[twosome]

Then you are half there.

How does Share Permissions look like for you now? The simplest way is to give Everyone Full Control. When this is set, adjust Security after your needs.

 

If you do not have Everyone on Share Permissions no one can connect to it because you block your self out even before you get the chance to enter credentials.

[Nem]

Then you are half there.

How does Share Permissions look like for you now? The simplest way is to give Everyone Full Control. When this is set, adjust Security after your needs.

 

If you do not have Everyone on Share Permissions no one can connect to it because you block your self out even before you get the chance to enter credentials.

 

I will give this a go tomorrow when I have more time.

 

If you adjust security on a particular folder within the drive/share, does it only affect the files/subfolders that are currently in there? Or will those settings propagate through to every new/future file that gets put in there too? 

[twosome]

It will first correct all files and folders, and whenever you add new files or folders they will get the attributes from the parent folder.

[Nem]

I just tried adjusting the security settings and its not working as intended

 

Before any adjustments, most folders have the following group/users in the Security settings: Authenticated Users, SYSTEM, Administrators, Users

 

None of those can be removed because it says "this object is inheriting permissions from its parent"

 

The bigger issue, is theres another folder which has Administrators and SYSTEM in the list (Im not sure how it lost all the other users/groups - I was probably messing around with it earlier). Anyway, I ("Simon") cannot access this folder from my own computer (which makes sense). So I add "Simon to the list in the security tab, give the user permissions....and I still cant access the folder

 

It will only allow me to access the folder when I add "Users" to the security list...

[twosome]

Folder Properties

Security

Advanced

Disable inheritance

Convert

 

This will allow you to set explicit access rules.

 

As for the permissions. Can you confirm that you have Everyone at Full Control under Folder Properties, Sharing, Advanced Sharing, Permissions?

 

When you set the Folder Security to a specific user, that user need to enter their credentials when opening the folder at the remote computer. Try to map the share as a network drive and check "Connect using different credentials". This will force the dialog to enter credentials for the network location.

[Nem]

Folder Properties

Security

Advanced

Disable inheritance

Convert

 

This will allow you to set explicit access rules.

 

As for the permissions. Can you confirm that you have Everyone at Full Control under Folder Properties, Sharing, Advanced Sharing, Permissions?

 

When you set the Folder Security to a specific user, that user need to enter their credentials when opening the folder at the remote computer. Try to map the share as a network drive and check "Connect using different credentials". This will force the dialog to enter credentials for the network location.

 

yes everyone has full control when I go into advanced sharing > permissions for the drive

 

I created a new local "Simon" account on the NAS with a password, gave that account permissions under Folder Security. Then tried mapping the entire drive as a network drive on my main computer, forcing different credentials. I then login using the same user/pass as the one I had set up on the NAS. I still get a permissions error when trying to open the folder, despite having logged in....

[twosome]

yes everyone has full control when I go into advanced sharing > permissions for the drive

 

I created a new local "Simon" account on the NAS with a password, gave that account permissions under Folder Security. Then tried mapping the entire drive as a network drive on my main computer, forcing different credentials. I then login using the same user/pass as the one I had set up on the NAS. I still get a permissions error when trying to open the folder, despite having logged in....

 

Ok, I am afraid this beats me. You have everything set correct by my book. If you add the user Simon to the administrators group, do you still get error?