How to share files with some of the computers on a network.

m3ddl3r

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May 16, 2014
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I live in an apartment and share a network with my neighbors. I do not have access to the router and the internet connection is not mine.
That being said, I have an external hard drive that I would like to access via wifi from my laptops (varied between pc and mac, although the mac is optional.. If I can't get that one to work it's no big deal). I have a spare laptop that I am willing to sacrifice and leave running to do this. I do not need to access these files outside of the network but I don't want neighbors to have access to my network either. What is the best way to do this?
 
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Honestly you can't in the context you have provided. First, while you can' "share" through Windows HomeGroup (you didn't say what OS these computers...


Honestly you can't in the context you have provided. First, while you can' "share" through Windows HomeGroup (you didn't say what OS these computers are or what version) that only the other computers you physically type that same HomeGroup password on, the problem is the default Wireless Isolation feature normally on Public Wifis'. This feature, as the name implies, isolates each wireless device (iPhone, Laptop, whatever) from all other wireless devices so no one can 'snoop' or 'hack' the other wireless devices. That being the second issue, IF you could 'see' other computer on the network (Wireless Isolation is off) then your leaving your computer wide open 24x7 to constantly be 'hacked', even if put on the 'software Firewall' built into Windows.

If you want security, and sharing, privately, then you need your own private network. To do that you should get a router for yourself, and set it (which you would need to coordinate with your apartment manager) to repeat the wireless signal to your wireless devices (BobRouter instead of GoldAptWifi) so they wireless devices are 'behind' your router, and share the wireless signal the router gets from the Apt Wifi. Now there is Travel Routers, specifically for business people whom can go to a hotel with say Wired Internet and plug in to make it wireless, but also when at a Hotel Wireless share it securely with their business wireless devices to keep people from snooping (corporate espionage) on what they are doing. These are expensive, and you will have to hunt them down (Staples may have some but I better suggest Fry's Electronics or Best Buy, or best yet check on Amazon.com for Travel Router).
 
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