aLemmer

Problem

You have files on a computer that you’d like to access anywhere, anytime, and you’d like to do it securely.

Solution

Set-up a VPN (I chose Hamachi) and configure a few network settings (namely file sharing settings).

Step 1: Download and install Hamachi

On the computer that holds the files you wish to share, download Hamachi (unmanaged) and install it.

During the installation you’ll eventually be prompted to select the network type for the Hamachi adapter. Select whichever you find most appropriate, but keep your selection in mind!

Step 2: Create a network in Hamachi

Create a new network in Hamachi. Give it a network ID, such as “Gary Oak’s Network”, don’t forget a password for security!

Step 3: Configure network settings

Click onto the Windows orb, then open the control panel. From here change the view (view by) to large or small icons. Now click Network and Sharing Center.

In the left pane click change advanced sharing settings. Remember what you selected for the type of network Hamachi is on, i.e., home, work, or public. For whichever you specified, click the encircled arrow aside it to expand a list of options. Scroll through the options and make sure password protected sharing is on.

Step 4: Create a user account for remote authentication

Go back to your control panel and click on user accounts. Then click manage another account. Now click create a new account. Type in an account name and select standard user. Once finished press the create account button. You’ll be brought back to the previous screen (manage accounts). Click on the account you just created. Now click create a password. Fill out the information required, then click the create password button.

Step 5: Sharing files

Sharing files in Vista and Windows 7 is simple. Just right-click the folder you wish to share and select properties.

Click onto the sharing tab, then click the share… button.

Type in the name of the account you just created, then click add. You can change the permission level here, change to whatever you find most suitable for your needs. Once you’re done click the share button.

Step 6: Configuring another computer with Hamachi

Now that you’ve set-up things on the computer you wish to have share files, let’s configure the computer you want to access the shares thereof.

Download and install Hamachi onto this computer. Once you have Hamachi running make sure you have the same encryption settings your sharing computer has (if you turned encryption off, make sure the encryption is turned off here). Remember it’s: system, preferences, settings.

Now let’s join the network you created! From the Hamachi menu click network, then join an existing network…. Type in the appropriate credentials.

Once you’ve joined, you should see your sharing computer’s name. Right-click it and select browse. You’ll be prompted to enter credentials. Remember when you created a user account on the sharing computer? Well use that account name and password here.

Having troubles?

If you can’t access your share from another computer, it’s likely a firewall problem on the sharing computer. So don’t forget to configure your firewall!

Additional Notes

By default your /users directory will be listed as your computer’s share. You can disable this by simply modifying the share settings of this directory.