Windows 10: Need help with setting up network and security

I'm looking for help with getting my network setup so I can have various programs on different computers communicate properly, but also keep my data secure.

Not exactly sure where to start as networking difficulties steam back to Win 10 installation on Desktop computer. On top of that I suspect I may have a security issue arise in the last 2 days.

For networking I have a Desktop and 3 laptops. Mostly the networking is used for print sharing. Printer is hooked up to desktop. But I do have Microsoft flight simulator installed on my desktop and have some flight simulator add on associated programs running on a laptop that needs to communicate with flight simulator on my desktop.

The networking difficulties steam from not being able to see or browse the desktop computer from my laptop. But I can map a network drive off my desktop drives/folders from my laptop computer by typing in the computer/folder path (I can't via the map network browse option because I can't see desktop via browse). I can then access and read/write to desktop via mapped drives.

I've having difficulty configuring the flight simulator add on programs getting them to connect to the flight simulator program and suspect the inability to browse to my desktop is preventing proper configuration.

Through all of this I have tried many different things that I have found searching on the internet regarding similar issues but nothing has fixed it. Also to help I have reduced security features.

However the last 2 days I have had an unknown computer name show up in my network listing on and off and concerned that someone now has gained access to my network with low security settings.

Looking for help on either getting my network setup correctly and also making sure my network is secure, but that my programs can communicate properly.

:)

 

Need help setting up Corporate and Microsoft account

Hi,

I believe what you're asking will require an Office 365 subscription.

Synchronizing your directory with Office 365 is easy

Setting up email for a Custom Domain on a Windows Azure hosted website

Repost the question to
MSDN Forum

 

Need help setting up Corporate and Microsoft account

Hello,

I have the same kind of problem.

My issue is that I would like to separate the two users, no matter if I'm using Xbox or not.

I want an user for Corporate use (Joining Azure domain) and one other to Microsoft Use (also joining Azure Domain).

Please, any help will be appreciate.

Thank you

 

You are overthinking this. Your Flight Sim has zero to do with network security. As for the printer, stop sharing from another computer, use a network print share or upgrade to a printer with Wireless and/or Wired capability. By default Windows sets Password protection on personal shares, turns off File and Printing sharing in Advanced sharing. That is the same with all OS. No one can get on your network unless you give then the SSID and passphrase to your wireless network or open it wide open. Same as opening attachments that can carry a payload bomb to let someone get in.

If you look at the MAC ID in the IPTables for your gateway, it is most likely a secondary IP that a device could be using for a VM for IPv6.

 

Thanks bro67 for your response.

OK, I would like to focus on getting networking configured correctly between the two computers. I have a program called Activesky on my laptop that I trying to get to connect up to my flight simulator program on my desktop. I have been working with the maker of Activesky and their conclusion is that my network is not setup correctly thus preventing the program from communicating with the flight simulator program.

I think the crux of my issue is that I can read/write between the necessary folders on the two computers, but only when I use "work a rounds", not by the normal way. For example the only way I have figured out how to see a folder on my desktop from my laptop is to setup a network drive. And then only by manually typing in the desktop computer name and folder path in the network drive setup dialogue window. I can't do it by clicking on the browse button in the network drive setup dialogue as my desktop computer does not show up in the list when I click browse.

However I can see normally my laptop computer from my desktop. I have checked every setting I can think of and both computers are running windows 10 and have all the network settings setup the same.

 

It depends on what you are wanting to do. If sharing files, you just right click on the folder you want to share on the network and click on sharing. The Flight Sim cannot be shared between computers because of the design. Also there is a lot better Flight Sim out there that works on multiple platforms called Flight Gear.

 

I'm not trying to share flight sim across computers. I'm trying to off load some flight sim add-on programs that work with the flight sim program to free up resources on the flight sim computer. In this case Activesky is a separate weather program that works with and enhances the flight simulator program.

Activesky goes beyond file sharing with flight sim. It communicates directly with the flight sim program via software called SimConnect.

So the bottom line is in order for that to all work, I need a fully functioning network connection between the two computers. And as detailed previously, I don't think I do currently. And looking for someone smarter than me to help figure out why it's not, and how to get it functioning the way it's intended to.

 

If you want to put files in storage, get a 1TB USB Pocket Drive. You can get them for under $60 these days. You have both computers on a network, there is not going to be any issues. Moving files between computers is still not going to solve your issue. Use a Pocket Drive or purchase a NAS that is within your budget.

 

Sorry bro but apparently I'm not explaining my situation clearly enough for you to understand.

This is not about sharing files or about the size of files. I can share files across my network right now, albeit with somewhat of a work around. I also have plenty file storage space. I am trying to get the two programs to run at the same time and communicate with each other while they are running.

I'm I'm trying to get Microsoft Windows 10 to work like it is designed to work and not figure our ways to get around it not working as it ought to.

 

You are over explaining something so simple. If you are running out of space, get a NAS or a USB Pocket Drive. If you are worried about someone looking at the files on your computer, that is up to you how you want to keep them out and once again see that now I have stated to either use a Pocket drive or a NAS. No one is going to get into your computers as long as you keep them password protected, do not share public folders, do not leave your wifi open with no password.

Windows 10 has zero to do with what you are asking about. The same way that we have connected computers since Windows 95 has not changed other than the stupid Home Groups that never work.

 

Bro67,

Nott sure how else to explain this. I'M NOT RUNNING OUT OF SPACE!!!. The intention of running Activesky on another computer is to free up computer resources on Flight sim computer such as CPU resources, memory resources, etc. Trying to improve frame rates on flight simulator.

If both programs are running on the same computer at the same time, they have to share CPU, memory, etc. If I can run one program on one computer and the other on a different computer they each have their own CPU, memory, etc and don't have to share.

 

Again I stated that you have a couple of options of storing files for both machines to be able to access them. Nothing has changed for how networking is done for Windows 10 and that you are overthinking this and making yourself upset because the matter was resolved in the first post I gave you.

The program that you are using does not share anything on both computers and if they tried to share the user files, they cannot because one machine would lock out the other machine while accessing them while running the program.

 

Bro forget everything about security and file sharing that I stated previously, and let's start over.

I have Microsoft Flight Simulator running on my Desktop computer.

I have ActiveSky running on my laptop computer.

Both are separate programs running at the same time.

Microsoft Flight Simulator I think is pretty straight forward as to what it is. ActiveSky is a wheather enhancement program. It improves the built in wheather function of Microsoft Flight Simulator. ActiveSky is a separate stand alone program that has to be running at the same time that Microsoft Flight Simulator is running. ActiveSky interacts with and improves the wheather in Microsoft Flight Simulator by using SimConnect which is a software development kit built into Microsoft Flight Simulator that allows external programs to communicate and interact with Microsoft Flight Simulator.

So everything works fine if I run both programs on the same computer. Both programs run at the same time. Activesky connects up with Microsoft Flight Simulator via SimConnect and changes/improves the built in wheather function of Microsoft Flight Simulator. So if everything is fine with both programs running on the same computer, why would I want to run ActiveSky on a different computer?

Because Microsoft Flight Simulator is a graphic intensive program. It requires a lot of CPU, memory, and GPU resources to run effectively. By effectively, I mean with high enough frame rates to look smooth when running and not jerky. So the fewer programs i have running on my desktop computer (because any other program running will use/tie up some of the desktop's CPU, memory, GPU leaving less available for Microsoft Flight Simulator) with Microsoft Flight Simulator the better as far as frame rates of Microsoft Flight Simulator are concerned.

Thus the desire to be able to run ActiveSky on a separate computer, my laptop. Now SimConnect is designed not only to allow external programs to communicate/interact with Microsoft Flight Simulator while running on the same computer, but also to allow external programs to communicate/interact with Microsoft Flight Simulator on separate computers that are networked together. So if I can run ActiveSky on a separate computer (laptop) that is networked with my desktop computer which is running Microsoft Flight Simulator, Then ActiveSky will be using the laptop's CPU, memory, etc resources to run and not the desktop's CPU, memory, etc. Thus leaving more of the desktop's resources available for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

I worked with the developer of the ActiveSky program to try and get ActiveSky setup and running correctly on my network. Their conclusion at the end of a lot of troubleshooting with me was that there was something wrong with the windows network between my computers which is preventing ActiveSky to connect up with Microsoft Flight Simulator over my network. Whatever is wrong with the windows networking on my computers was beyond their ability and scope to figure out.

 

Again you are going too deep with this and the solutions have been given and also your worries about security have been addressed. There is no other items to explain, since again you have been given proper answers on how to address these issues. Files when shared between computers do not work, because one computer will lock those files so that no others cannot overwrite the data. Has zero to do with your claim to work with someone with some program. If you think that that party can address your questions and give you something different, you are free to go seek them.

 

OK I will try your advice,

So you will need to help me out with instructions on how to run ActiveSky a windows based program on a storage device and once running how to then get it to connect to Microsoft Flight Simulator. Because I have no idea about what you are talking about and don't know anything about pocket drives or NAS.

.