Sharing a printer and files over UofA network?

[web_wierdo]

Well more or less the title says it all.

I want to share files and a printer with my room mate. Can it be done without opening my computer up to the whole network?

[jharriso]

Not easily. I would reccomend getting a router or switch for your room, and making your own sub net within the UA network.

[webwierdo]

We aren't so much going for easy as we are for cheap. Can it be done another way.

[fischerm]

Another way you could do it is by limiting what IP addresses can connect to the printer port with a firewall. I don't know if the built-in windows xp firewall is this configureable, I think it might be an all or nothing thing. Kerio firewall is free through the UA sitelicense website (https://sitelicense.arizona.edu/). I don't know enough about Kerio to give you step by step instructions, but it should be possible. The biggest problem will be if your roommate's IP address changes, as is likely with DHCP. If Kerio supports it try and filter by MAC address, as that won't change.

On the other hand, cheep linksys router/firewalls are like $40 these days, and are really easy to configure, making it much more difficult for unwanted traffic of all types getting to either computer.

[webwierdo]

Lets say someone on the network has no firewall or any other thing stoping me from connecting to there computer. How would one do this?

[powellm]

That sort of activity is stritctly prohibited on the U of A's network without the consent of the other party. In fact, the agreement you signed when you registered for web access specifcally states that you will not participate in such activites. If you're trying to do this with a friend I would suggest that you don't put a PC on the network with file sharing enabled and no firewall. To do so would be to invite trouble.

[dparm]

Josh's suggestion is the smartest, in my opinion. You can use file/print sharing without sharing to the entire building.

Freshman year, there were scores of people in my dorm who had file and print sharing enabled...and there was more than enough illegal stuff on many computers to get them expelled.

You can share a printer with a USB switching device, FYI. CompUSA sells one made by Belkin for about $30 I think.