I just moved in a building in CM, which offers internet access in my room through a LAN.

I plug one cable end into the ethernet socket of my Laptop and the other end into the socket on the wall,and I'm ready to surf.

I use Zone Alarm

Now what happens really worries me.

If I check the "Microsoft Windows Network" I can see 3 different workgroups:

-Mshome

-Arbeitsgruppe(sounds German to me)

-Workgroup

If I try to click on these icons I can only acces the workgroup I created previously(Mshome) as expected(i guess), but what worries me even more is that i can see 2 unknow computers in Mshome(my workgroup!).

Is this usual when you share an internet connection through a LAN or it rappresents some sort of breach in my system?

I have another laptop that I use to create a small network through a cross cable(i think that's what it's called). Usually I share some folder between the two laptops.

Does this mean the unknow PC's I found in Mshome can access my shared folders?

As you can see I'm really ignorant about this topic and I'm freaking out , really need help.

TIA

I just moved in a building in CM, which offers internet access in my room through a LAN.

I plug one cable end into the ethernet socket of my Laptop and the other end into the socket on the wall,and I'm ready to surf.

I use Zone Alarm

Now what happens really worries me.

If I check the "Microsoft Windows Network" I can see 3 different  workgroups:

-Mshome

-Arbeitsgruppe(sounds German to me)

-Workgroup

If I try to click on these icons I can only acces the workgroup I created previously(Mshome) as expected(i guess), but what worries me even more is that i can see 2 unknow computers in Mshome(my workgroup!).

Is this usual when you share an internet connection through a LAN or it rappresents some sort of breach in my system?

I have another laptop that I  use to create a small network  through a cross cable(i think that's what it's called). Usually I share some folder between the two laptops.

Does this mean the unknow PC's I found in Mshome can access my shared folders?

As you can see I'm really ignorant about this topic and I'm freaking out , really need help.

TIA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In Zonealarm go to firewall - and tab Zones, put the network which connects you to the internet into the internet zone

make sure you give your other laptop an IP adress goto network connections (can be accessed through the control panel) and right click on local area connection , and click properties, select internet protocol and properties, assign a ip adress. and click ok

go back to zonealrm - firewall - zones

tab on the 'add' button (right bottom) and put the ip adress for your second computer in the trusted zone.

you have now put the network you acces the internet on into the onternet zone, what means that sharing/accessing folders on other computers in thsi network in not allowed by zonealrm

and your second computer should be able to acces the internet and- share folders

should do the trick

good luck

thanks bangbuathong for your help, i'll set zone alarm as you said(and I'll read carefully the help once for all).

So basically the others workgroups listed in "Microsoft Windows Network" are just PCs connected to the same LAN and they cant' access my HD?

ok I'll try and see what happens.

thx again!

thanks bangbuathong for your help, i'll set zone alarm as you said(and I'll read carefully  the help once for all).

So basically the others workgroups listed in "Microsoft Windows Network" are just PCs connected to the same LAN and they cant' access my HD?

ok I'll try and see what happens.

thx again!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

if you have your computer setup for networking to share files and printers then other computers within the same workgroup should be able to acces your files

thanks bangbuathong for your help, i'll set zone alarm as you said(and I'll read carefully  the help once for all).

So basically the others workgroups listed in "Microsoft Windows Network" are just PCs connected to the same LAN and they cant' access my HD?

ok I'll try and see what happens.

thx again!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

if you have your computer setup for networking to share files and printers then other computers within the same workgroup should be able to acces your files

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yes , you confirmed my suspect.

I didn't think of changing my setting which was suited for a connection via adsl modem at my home.

Stupid, stupid ,stupid

Thanks a lot for your help

Why do you have shared files, if you only have one machine?

Turn off those shares, immediately.

You may also be able to snoop into the files on the other machines.

Why do you have shared files, if you only have one machine?

Turn off those shares, immediately.

You may also be able to snoop into the files on the other machines. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

herr , actually i wrote I have another laptop (I use them both to trade US futures) and that's why I want to share files.

Anyway I just put my laptops in trusted zone(zone alarm setting) and now they can share with no intrusion.

Only their IP's are allowed to pass the firewall.

Snooping on other machines? naaaa I'm not a bad guy