Win XP, NAT, DSL and File Sharing

From: QuickHare (noone_at_home4comment.com)
Date: 09/26/05 

Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 20:09:19 GMT

Yup, this is a common question raised, but this one is slightly different as I
hope someone out there can just read through what I write and confirm or correct
my understanding. Also, any names of systems, workgroups, user accounts, etc are
used for generic reasons so others can learn too, and the set-up does not use
any default names for security (eg, not on the Workgroup workgroup). 

---
Right, I have two machines, A and B. A is a desktop machine, B is a laptop. Both 
run Window XP Home SP2 with all the updates fully installed and working great. A 
(desktop) is connected to a router by wire (ethernet cable). B (laptop) is 
connected via a wireless connection to the router, set up with passwords, 
encryption and MAC filtering (to keep the unwanted connections out). The router 
is a DSL/cable router with built in hardware firewall and NAT (network address 
translation). It connects to the internet.
Now, I wish to allow B to see the entire hard disks of A using File and Printer 
Sharing. On looking into this, it is a bad idea when connected direct to the 
Internet. However, I have found a Scope button in the Exceptions tab of the 
Windows XP firewall, which I can limit only to the local IP addresses only 
(which are not likely to change).
So.......
Can I do the following safely with no trouble outside?
1. Enable File and Print Sharing.
2. Change the scope settings to only allow it to be open for my known computers 
on my local network.
3. Using this, share the root of all harddrives.
Any help would be appreciated.
QuickHare
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