Windows 7 Professional with Workgroup: easiest way to create public shared folder(s)

Question

I'm using Windows 7 Professional in a workgroup and want to share a particular directory, so everyone in our network can read or write on it (but only on this directory and not, for example \\my-machine\c$!). What would be the easiest way to achieve that?

Answer 1

To share a folder without requesting a username and password, you need to turn public folder sharing on. To do so, open the Network and Sharing Center from the Control Panel, and select Change advanced sharing settings from the menu on the left. Then select Turn off password protected sharing under Password protected sharing towards the bottom of the page. Then choose Save settings.

Guests will now have access to all normal file shares. (Windows never permits unsecured access to special shares like C$.) Please note that the Guest user must have permission to read and edit files in the shared folder in both the network share permissions and the regular file permissions accessible from the Security tab of the folder properties window. (Giving Everyone full control, of course, implies that permission.)

Answer 2

Share the folder with Share permission set to Everyone-Full Control. Then Set File security to Everyone Modify. Just remember that everyone means Everyone. Anyone on the network would have access

You can add more security by adding accounts but that will becoime cumbersome

Answer 3

Right click on the folder you want to share and go to>properties>sharing and select share.

Answer 4

You can also utilize HomeGroup to share files and such as well: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/homegroup-from-start-to-finish