Network Settings - Private or Public

Question

Network Settings - Private or Public

Anonymous

I currently have two machines, one runs Win11 and the other Win8. Both connect via ethernet cable to a netgear switch which in turn ethernets to the BT Hub - so both are connected to the Internet. I run AVG VPN on both. I recently made both machines discoverable and can access the drives of each from the other computer (I’m prompted for the login credentials when I do). A few weeks after I set this up and installed the VPN I got messages from the VPN about ARP spoofing. I could account for all the devices on my network, some ethernet, come Wifi, and the IP v MAC’s looked OK but I was a bit rattled and did a network reset on both machines. I’ve not had any warnings come up since.

I would like to have the machines as they were though because I use the Win8 with the larger hard drive for storage.

I’m not completely comfortable with network settings and when I make each machine discoverable on the network I'm a little unclear if I should be using private or public settings in windows (or even if just making it discoverable is the best way to go about it).

What’s the best way, settings wise, to have each machine see each other but to ensure I don’t inadvertently do so in such a way as to introduce security concerns given the network and both machines are online Internet wise ?

Thanks for any assistance.

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2 answers

Answer 1

Hi Shawn,

We haven't heard from you in 72 hours, so we will be considering your issue resolved. If you do need further help, please create a new thread to discuss those concerns as we will not be monitoring this thread going forward.

Thank you for understanding.

Regards,

Chan G

Microsoft Community Moderator

Answer 2

Hi Shawn,

Thank you for using Microsoft products and making community posts.

Here’s how you can safely configure your network while ensuring both devices can see each other:

Best Practices for Secure File Sharing

Use a Private Network
- Set both machines to Private Network instead of Public.
- Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Ethernet (or Wi-Fi if applicable).
- Select your network and ensure it’s set to Private.
Enable Network Discovery & File Sharing
- On both machines, go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.
- Under Private Network, enable Network Discovery and File and Printer Sharing.
Use Strong Credentials for Access
- Since you’re prompted for login credentials when accessing shared drives, ensure you’re using strong passwords.
- Avoid using an account with administrator privileges for file sharing.
Restrict Access to Specific Users
- Instead of sharing files with Everyone, grant access only to specific users.
- Right-click the shared folder > Properties > Sharing > Advanced Sharing.
- Click Permissions and add only the users who need access.
Disable Guest Access
- Ensure Password-Protected Sharing is enabled under Advanced Sharing Settings.
- This prevents unauthorized users from accessing shared files.
Monitor ARP Spoofing Alerts
- Since you received ARP spoofing warnings, consider using static IP addresses for your devices.
- You can also enable MAC address filtering on your router for extra security.
Use a Firewall to Restrict Access
- Configure Windows Defender Firewall to allow file sharing only on your private network.
- Go to Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app through firewall and ensure File and Printer Sharing is enabled only for private networks.
Regularly Check Shared Folders
- Periodically review which folders are shared to ensure no unintended files are exposed.

Please feel free to let me know how it goes.

Chan G

Microsoft Community Moderator

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Network Settings - Private or Public

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