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General discussion

Internet access for other accounts

by jdorisco Sep 1, 2005 1:29PM PDT

Since I've switched from dialup to cable, accounts other than mine (administrator) have no internet access. When I log into another account, the connection is disabled and cannot be enabled. Also, I cannot switch users from my account. When I click "Switch Users" nothing happens, and when I hit the Windows key and L, I get a box asking for my password - and I have never had one. Do I have to make all other accounts administrator accounts, to enable internet connections for these accounts?

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6 Posts
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Jdorisco, Have You Tried??
by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Sep 2, 2005 3:36AM PDT

.....Giving admin privileges to the other users temporarily, then while in the other user's account, open the "Network Connections" icon, RIGHT click on the "Local Area Connection" icon, choose "Enable". Then check to make sure the other user has an internet connection. Follow this same procedure for all other users. When you're sure you've got all users connect, then change their user permissions back to "limited users".

In regards to pressing the "Windows key + L", the computer is behaving as designed. Pressing that key combination is the "Lock" option in Windows XP. It locks the key and will only allows an administrator or the logged in user to log back in with their password. If you don't have a password, leave it blank and click on OK. If you HAD a password, your password would be required to access the compute again.

In regards to "Switch Users", have you created the correct settings in "Control Panel/User Accounts/Change the Way Users Log On and Off" ? Personally, I'm not a fan of "fast user switching" because there are a number of program, including Microsoft programs that don't function well using it. Instead, I prefer performing a full "log off". It only takes a few seconds longer but it's much more secure...that is, if you have a password.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Administrative rights
by jdorisco Sep 2, 2005 6:11AM PDT

Thanks Grif - I gave admin. rights to all accounts, but after changing them back to Limited, "Enable" is again grayed out. I guess the only way a limited account holder can access the internet is to first go into my (admin.) account, and connect. Then they can log into their accounts and have internet access.
Thanks also for clarifying why the "Switch User" doesn't work - I must have "Fast User Switching" disabled.

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Jdorisco, But Did You?
by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Sep 2, 2005 9:37AM PDT

...after giving the other users admin rights, did you access their accounts, then "Enable" the connection, then change their permissions back to "Limited Users". Once it's changed from their own accounts, which requires admin rights,, it should stay as "enabled" and they should be able to access the net at all times from their account. In addition, make sure that the other users log in normally when they change their Network Connections to enable. Don't use the "fast user switching" when doing it.

Another thought comes to mind..assuming you can change their settings to "enable"...Check all firewall settings while using the "Limited User" accounts and while temporarily set as admin. There may be some settings that disallow the connection for Internet Explorer and they may need to be changed.

Limited users should be able to access the internet. It's a simple as that.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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I did
by jdorisco Sep 2, 2005 5:55PM PDT

From my admin. account, I entered User Accounts, and changed the others to admin. accounts. I then logged off and logged into one of these accounts. I was able to connect to the internet. I then - while still in this account, went into User Accounts and changed it back to a limited account. I then logged out of, and then back into this account. Internet access was again disabled and could not be enabled. It would appear that a connection can not be enabled or disabled from a limited account ? but only from an administrative account. Limited accounts are at the mercy of the administrator to enable a connection.

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Really Strange...
by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Sep 3, 2005 3:21AM PDT

I just checked two different XP SP2 HOME machines and they both act differently than what you are seeing. (Just to be sure, are you using XP HOME or PRO?) On both machines, if I choose "Enable" or "Disable" while using ANY admin log in, it changes all of the other users on the machine to the designated setting. If my original admin user is set to "Enable" internet access, ALL other users will have that setting and will then have internet access.

I'm not sure why your computer is different. Do you have any third party software such as NetNanny, etc. which could be causing the issue?

On Windows XP PRO there are "group policies" that might be changed, but on XP HOME, I can't think of anything that would cause the issue other than third party programs.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Thanks Grif
by jdorisco Sep 3, 2005 9:04AM PDT

I'm running Windows XP Home. It sounds like we're both on the same page - i.e. Limited accounts cannot surf the Internet, download Mail, etc., unless an Admin. account first establishes a connection. Nor can a Limited account disable a connection. This wasn't the case when we had a dial-up connection.

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