WHS requires password logon for client computers?

[Severian]

I'm playing around with WHS for the last few weeks. I use it mainly for media streaming to my HTPC, but I'm interested in utilizing its automatic backup feature my family's machines on the network.

It seems like if I want to utilize this feature, each computer will need a password protected logon of its own to the WHS, which is fine, I can handle that, but it also seems like WHS wants each machine to have this password required just to log onto the client machine to get to its desktop. Am I misinterpreting this? Most of the machines at home just boot to the desktop, no password required. I'd hate to add a password protected logon to each machine simply to utilize WHS.

Any WHS gurus care to share their thoughts with me? Am I incorrect, and the password isn't necessary except to log onto the WHS server from the client machine?

Thanks

 

[tdawg]

I'm no expert and this is basically a place holder until RebateMonger sees this, but I thought you only needed strong client passwords if you wanted to utilize remote access to the clients through the server.

 

[Binky]

Just set each machine to have a password, but to also logon without entering the password. The password should be the same as the password that client uses on WHS.

I don't know what version of windows you're using, but this will get you started.
http://www.google.com/search?num=20...+without+password&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

 

[Severian]

well I eagerly await RebateMonger's input!

I'm not concerned with just "strong client passwords", I don't have passwords at all on the rest of the family's pc's. Hate to add one just to use the client.

I'm using mostly Win7 with a couple XP machines in the mix as well. Probably six to eight client machines that would utilize WHS' backup feature.

 

[Raduque]

I've used WHS' client backup on computers without a local password. The user doesn't even need the WHS master password either.

I'm playing around with WHS for the last few weeks. I use it mainly for media streaming to my HTPC, but I'm interested in utilizing its automatic backup feature my family's machines on the network.

It seems like if I want to utilize this feature, each computer will need a password protected logon of its own to the WHS, which is fine, I can handle that, but it also seems like WHS wants each machine to have this password required just to log onto the client machine to get to its desktop. Am I misinterpreting this? Most of the machines at home just boot to the desktop, no password required. I'd hate to add a password protected logon to each machine simply to utilize WHS.

Any WHS gurus care to share their thoughts with me? Am I incorrect, and the password isn't necessary except to log onto the WHS server from the client machine?

Thanks

I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you getting a password prompt somewhere after you've installed the WHS Console?

Actually, re-reading your post, I think you're getting Client Backups confused with User Accounts.

User accounts on the WHS do need a password, and for simplicity's sake it's best to have the local password match the WHS User Accounts password (Ex: PC has local user John with password 123abc, so you would create a WHS User Account John with password 123abc, to avoid having to type in a user/pass every time you access shared files from that PC). User accounts are for accessing the Shared Files storage and for individual protected storage on the server.

Client Backups don't require a user account; they're managed by a PC's network name.

So I guess, in short, you don't need a local password to use Client Backups on WHS.

 

[RebateMonger]

Microsoft's Remote Desktop access normally requires a password on the host PC (the PC you are trying to remote into). This is because Microsoft business OSes (the ones that offer Remote Desktop), by default, requires a password to access them over a network.

Allowing remote access with no password is risky. For instance, if somebody enters your network through a wireless router, they'll now have full access to your PCs with no password required.

You can disable the requirement for a password on a Remote Desktop connection:. Here's a discussion of how to do it in Vista Remote Desktop:
http://marsbox.com/blog/howtos/allow-blank-passwords-for-vista-remote-desktop/

While I haven't experimented with this, I'm GUESSING that, once you enter your Windows Home Server account/password, you should be able to do the Remote Access part without a password on the PC you are trying to access.

Personally, I'd suggest using a password on computers with remote access enabled.

 

[Severian]

Thanks for everyone's input. Just to be clear, I am NOT interested in remote access or remote desktop, I'm only interested in connecting client pc's to my WHS for backup purposes. I'll give this a spin again.

thanks again!

 

[RebateMonger]

Not sure how I got the wrong impression. I guess I looked at a couple of early posts and then skipped down to the bottom.

Where, exactly, are you seeing a problem? A bit more detail would help. As Raduque states, backups should run fine without supplying any password at all (except during the initial WHS Client Connector installation.

I've got at least one office where some of the PCs are XP Home and they aren't using passwords to log on and Windows Home Server backups work just fine.

Backups to WHS are authorized an internally-saved WHS Administrator password. That's accomplished during the setup of the WHS Client Connector software. Once that's set, backups proceed without need for any typed password. Users can "Backup Now" without supplying any password.

As you know connecting to WHS Shared Folders normally requires a password (unless using the Guest account), but that Username/password doesn't have to match whatever is being used to log onto the client PC itself.

 

[Severian]

I was simply doing something wrong. I got it set up last night without any difficulty at all. Now I just need to add some more storage, but we all know that song, I know.