File & printer sharing / WAN

Hi!

I have Windows2003 server which now is being used as Web/Mail server only.
So, all the ports are blocked exept 80,25,110 and couple of others. The
server has public IP address (let's say "A") . There is also a small local
network behind the router/firewall (address="B"). B is also public IP
address from the same subnet and in fact A & B both plugged into main DSL
modem/router.

I'd like to share the printer and some folders on A and allow the
workstations behind B to access it. To do this I can allow traffic for
specific ports between those two IP addresses, continuing to block all the
requests on those ports for any other IPs.

My question is: what ports/protocols support "File & Printer sharing" and
must be unblocked?

Thenks in advance,
Dmitry

Dmitry,

To share files and printers from a Windows 2003 Server using CIFS, you'll
only need to open 445/TCP. That will work for Windows 2000 and later
clients, as well as for Samba 3-based clients.

Alternatively, you can share files and printers using Web server and HTTP
protocol. For files, use W2K3'b built-in WebDAV/Web Folders capability. For
printers, use W2K3's support for Internet Printing Protocol (IPP). In both
cases, Web site security, including authentication requirements, SSL etc.
apply. Online help would be a good start.

--
Svyatoslav Pidgorny, MVP, MCSE
-= F1 is the key =-

"Dmitry Duginov" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi!
>
> I have Windows2003 server which now is being used as Web/Mail server only.
> So, all the ports are blocked exept 80,25,110 and couple of others. The
> server has public IP address (let's say "A") . There is also a small local
> network behind the router/firewall (address="B"). B is also public IP
> address from the same subnet and in fact A & B both plugged into main DSL
> modem/router.
>
> I'd like to share the printer and some folders on A and allow the
> workstations behind B to access it. To do this I can allow traffic for
> specific ports between those two IP addresses, continuing to block all the
> requests on those ports for any other IPs.
>
> My question is: what ports/protocols support "File & Printer sharing" and
> must be unblocked?
>
> Thenks in advance,
> Dmitry
>
>

"S. Pidgorny <MVP>" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Dmitry,
>
> To share files and printers from a Windows 2003 Server using CIFS, you'll
> only need to open 445/TCP. That will work for Windows 2000 and later
> clients, as well as for Samba 3-based clients.

445 TCP/UDP is open now. But the clients cannot connect to the server. Ping
is OK, but "search for computer" fails. Any ideas?

Regards,
Dmitry

>
> Alternatively, you can share files and printers using Web server and HTTP
> protocol. For files, use W2K3'b built-in WebDAV/Web Folders capability.
For
> printers, use W2K3's support for Internet Printing Protocol (IPP). In both
> cases, Web site security, including authentication requirements, SSL etc.
> apply. Online help would be a good start.
>
> --
> Svyatoslav Pidgorny, MVP, MCSE
> -= F1 is the key =-
>
> "Dmitry Duginov" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hi!
> >
> > I have Windows2003 server which now is being used as Web/Mail server
only.
> > So, all the ports are blocked exept 80,25,110 and couple of others. The
> > server has public IP address (let's say "A") . There is also a small
local
> > network behind the router/firewall (address="B"). B is also public IP
> > address from the same subnet and in fact A & B both plugged into main
DSL
> > modem/router.
> >
> > I'd like to share the printer and some folders on A and allow the
> > workstations behind B to access it. To do this I can allow traffic for
> > specific ports between those two IP addresses, continuing to block all
the
> > requests on those ports for any other IPs.
> >
> > My question is: what ports/protocols support "File & Printer sharing"
and
> > must be unblocked?
> >
> > Thenks in advance,
> > Dmitry
> >
> >
>
>

Hi there:

"Dmitry Duginov" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> 445 TCP/UDP is open now. But the clients cannot connect to the server.
Ping
> is OK, but "search for computer" fails. Any ideas?

That is self-explanatory: the clients cannot locate/browse the server. Try

telnet server_ip 445

to verify port 445 connectivity, then

net use * \\server_ip\share$ /user:servername\username *

to connect to the share. Capturing and analysing traffic should help with
troubleshooting. When and if that works, you might wish to add the server
name to DNS and shares to AD.

Not sure why you've discarder sharing over HTTP. Everything gets wrapped in
HTTP lately.

--
Svyatoslav Pidgorny, MVP, MCSE
-= F1 is the key =-

"S. Pidgorny <MVP>" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:eA1zix%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi there:
>
> "Dmitry Duginov" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > 445 TCP/UDP is open now. But the clients cannot connect to the server.
> Ping
> > is OK, but "search for computer" fails. Any ideas?
>
> telnet server_ip 445
>
> to verify port 445 connectivity, then
>
> net use * \\server_ip\share$ /user:servername\username *

Thanks, I've found the problem. It was "NETBIOS protection feature" of
Sygate Personal Firewall on the workstation. Now I can connect to the server
using
either net use T: \\server_ip\volume_D\ or "Map network drive" menu in
Explorer.

BUT in both cases I'm getting "The network path was not found" very often

Typical scenario:

Open Windows Explorer
Click on T: drive
"T: is not accessible. The network path was not found". Close error
messagebox.
Click again
"T: is not accessible. The network path was not found". Close error
messagebox.
(... maybe 3 to 6 times over and over again)
Click again.
Now I can see the folders on T:

Click on some folder. Lets'say "Test"
"T:\Test is not accessible. The network path was not found". Close error
messagebox.
Click again.
"T:\Test is not accessible. The network path was not found". Close error
messagebox.
Click again.
....
....
Click again.
Now I can see the subfolders and files in T:\Test

So, finally I'm able to get into every folder on the server, but practically
none of them can be opened from the first attempt.

What is this all about? I've never seen this before...

>
> Not sure why you've discarder sharing over HTTP. Everything gets wrapped
in
> HTTP lately.

I just want to keep it as simple as possible

Regards,
Dmitry