How to Disable Auto Login to Network Share Folders

Protect shared network folders with a password.

If you are sharing folders over a network, you may want these folders to be password-protected to disable auto-login. Placing a password on shared folders will allow only authorized users to access the files inside, increasing your network security. In Windows XP, you will need to set a password for the guest account to do this. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, you will need to activate password-protected sharing.

Instructions

Windows XP

1. Click the "Start" button and choose "Run" from the start menu.

2. Type "command" (without quotation marks) and press the "Enter" key on your keyboard.

3. Type "net user guest *" and press the "Enter" key on your keyboard.

4. Type the password you would like to assign to your shared folders and press "Enter" on the keyboard.

5. Type the password a second time to confirm and press "Enter" on your keyboard. This will place a password on your network share files and prevent users from automatically logging in to the folders.

Windows Vista and Windows 7

1. Click the "Start" button and choose "Control Panel" from the start menu.

2. Choose "Network and Internet" from the "Control Panel" and then click "Network and Sharing Center."

3. Scroll down to the "Password protected sharing" section and click the arrow button next to the header to extend the section.

4. Place a mark next to "Turn on password protected sharing" and then click the "Apply" button.

5. Enter the administrator password if prompted. Now only people with a user name and password on the computer will be able to log into shared network folders.

References

• Microsoft Support: Setting Up Password for the Guest User in Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows: Sharing Files With the Public Folder