JSI Tip 4312. Where is the user-level access control in Windows XP 'My Network Places' or for sharing files?

If you come from Window Millennium Edition (Me) or Windows 98, to Windows XP Home Edition, you can't find any way to set an access password on remote computers or from the Sharing tab in a folder's Properties dialog in My Computer?

 The Windows XP Simple File Sharing model is very different from than the WinMe and W98 sharing model.

The default behavior of Windows XP Home Edition is to force all incoming network connection to the Guest level of access.

NOTE: Windows XP Home Edition computers always have Simple File Sharing enabled.

NOTE: You would only encounter this issue in Windows XP Professional if the computer was NOT logged onto a domain.