Network: resource sharing
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Resources are made available to other systems on the network when they are shared. After the File and Printer Sharing service has been installed and configured you have the option of specifying which local files, drives, and printers are shared. Every computer that shares its resources becomes a peer server, or host, for that resource.

Folder Sharing

To share a folder on the network:

  • Identify the folder to be shared and right-click it;

  • Select Sharing from the context menu to display the Sharing tab of the Properties dialog shown below;

    The Sharing tab of the Folder Properties dialog can be used to control folder sharing.

  • Click the Shared As radio button. Windows uses the folder name as the default name. You can change the name or add comments by entering them in the text boxes. Adding a dollar sign ($) to the end of the Share Name will hide the resource from the Network Neighborhood directory. This is referred to as a hidden share.
  • Select the Access Type. Full access will give others the ability to create and delete files in the shared folder. Read only access prevents shared files from being written to or deleted. Several Family History Department data files require full access to operate even though they were copied from CD.
  • Click OK to save changes and close.

In the following figure the hand below each folder indicates that all of the FamilySearch folders are shared.

The FamilySearch directory with all folders shared.

Share Access

Shared folders can be accessed via Universal Naming Convention (UNC) paths or mapped drives.

UNC paths

UNC paths are network addresses of the form \\<computer name>\<share name>\<path>. Two backslashes precede the remote computer name followed by a single backslash and the share name. An optional directory path can be used to specify lower level files or folders.

Logical Drives

DOS applications do not recognize UNC paths and can only access shared folders via logical drives. The association, referred to as a mapping, can be defined in Windows by right clicking My Computer and selecting Map Network Drive. In the screen capture below a logical drive N: is created with the content of the af$ share on the computer named Client21. Mapped paths are restricted to two components, \\<computer name>\<share name>, and can not refer to subfolders within a share.

The Map Network Drive dialog is used to associate a drive letter with a network path.

The 'Reconnect at logon' checkbox name is misleading. Actually the parameter controls the persistence of the mapping. If unchecked the mapping is temporary, i.e. for the current session only, if checked the mapping will be available each time the system is started.

Reconnection of resources to shares is controlled by the Network Logon Options section in the Client for MS Networks Properties dialog illustrated on the previous page. Selecting Quick Logon will have Windows log the system onto the network without opening shared resources. This is usually the best option when hosts may not be operating when the clients logon.

Selecting Restore Network Connections will have Windows attempt to re-establish a connection and assign the same drive letter to a resource every time it starts. If the resource is not available, e.g. host not turned on, a "connection not available" or "share name not found" message will appear along with a Yes/No prompt to try again next time. Unfortunately, if you click on the No button, Windows will delete the connection record from the Registry.

Printer Sharing
Server Configuration

Any system with a local printer can be configured to share its printer with the network by following this procedure:

  • Identify the printer to be shared and right-click its icon;

  • Select Sharing from the context menu to display the Sharing tab of the Properties dialog shown below;

    The Sharing tab of the Printer Properties dialog can be used to enable printer sharing.

  • Click the Shared As radio button;
  • Enter a name in the Shared Name text box. We recommend the printer manufacturer and model with an 'hp' suffix where h is the hub number and p is the port number of the computer the printer is connected to. In the screen capture above Client13 is sharing a local HP LaserJet printer as HPLJ6P13.
  • Choose OK to save changes and close.

Installed printers are displayed in the Printers folder. In the following screen capture, taken from the system above, the hand below HP Laser13 indicates it is a shared local printer and the checkmark indicates it is the default printer for Windows applications. The cable below HP Laser23 indicates it is a network printer.

The Printers window shows a local printer, Laser13, shared over the network and a network printer, Laser23.

Client Configuration

A networked system can only access a shared printer if it has been installed locally. The Add Printer Wizard in the Printers folder will lead you through the steps to install a network printer.

Because FamilySearch is a DOS application it requires an association between its default printer port, LPT1, and a network printer.

Click Capture Printer Port to define an association between a local printer port and a network printer.

The Capture Printer Port dialog can be used to create an association between a local printer port and a network printer.

The Details tab on the printer Properties dialog below indicates that output directed to the printer, HP Laser13 $0.10 sheet, will be directed to the network path \\client13\hplj6p13.

The Detalis tab of the Printer Properties dialog can be used to direct printer output to a network printer.

The screen capture below shows HP Laser13 and HP Laser23 installed as network printers on this system.

The Printers window shows two network printers installed on this system.