Share and Share Alike: More on Vista's Network and Sharing Center Printer, Password-Protected, and Media Sharing with Windows Vista Joe Moran
Printer Sharing
This setting is pretty self-explanatory: When printer sharing is on, any printers configured on your system will be available for others to use. This can include locally-attached printers (i.e., connected via USB), network printers, or virtual printers like the kind used to send faxes or create PDF devices.
Password-Protected Sharing
This setting determines how other network users can access shared files. The default setting – password-protected sharing turned on – means only those with user accounts and passwords on the system will have access to shared resources. Turning this option off is analogous to Simple File Sharing in Windows XP, which means no password, or even user account, is necessary for access.
Media Sharing
This setting pertains specifically to media content (e.g., music, videos and photos) shared via the built-in Windows Media Player 11 utility. Clicking the Change button will launch a WMP 11 configuration dialog that can enable media sharing and specify which networked computers and devices you want to have access. For more details on how to configure this, see this article.
Last but not least, two links at the bottom of the NSC offer a quick way to see what you're sharing. Well, at least one of them does. The first one, "Show me all the files and folders I am sharing," shows nothing on either of my Vista systems, although plenty of shared folders exist.
Some online research suggests I'm not the only one with this problem, although I couldn't immediately find a cause or resolution. If anyone knows what gives, please drop me a line. The second link, "Show me all the shared network folders on this computer," is far more useful.
