A way to hide your Windows computer.

[br_fusion]

First of all, to see the domains you can run the command:
net view /domain
To see all the computers in your domain run the command:
net view /domain:"mshome"
To view the shared contents of a remote computer you can run the command:
net view \\computername

However what if you dont' want to be seen?
"Get a firewall"
Well maybe, but how bout this.

Right click "MyComputer" or go to "Properties". Click the "Computer Name" tab, then click "Change".

The workgroup text box at the bottom will show your current domain: (Ex: mshome, workgroup, i'mnot1337).

Time to make it " ". By this I mean hold "ALT" and type "255". This adds a blank space. Click ok and restart your computer. As far as I know, this blank workgroup will not be shown by "net view /domain"

cheers

[j3r]

Uhh, and also get a firewall. Your computer will show up just fine in a network scan, as it will respond happily to TCP packets. This a basically a half-assed way to set up a LAN war3z server.

[skiddieleet]

From your post it sounds like a person doing this doesn't even want to share, in that case your best bet is to disable file and printer sharing, and the client for microsoft networks. Also, a really really really good idea mentioned in both your posts is to get a firewall. In the case that you do want to share, read this
That should make you pretty secure. In any case, security by obscurity is not the way to go.

[Tiger Shark]

Fusion: That's called security through obscurity - It works great if you Auntie Martha is on the other computer..... It lasts about 30 seconds if a complete lamer is on the other computer and if the god of all script kiddies is on the other computer..... Well... You can imagine......

[mark_boyle2002]

I find that pulling the network cable works very well in disguising computers on the network.

[taxed]

Don't flame the guy, nice of him to share.

[Da_realist]

true that taxed

[Zonewalker]

Don't flame the guy, nice of him to share.

taxed- except that he isn't being flamed at all... TigerSharks reply explicitly explains why br_fusions thoughts wouldn't work very well and j3r's and h3r3tics replies also make very valid points. Mark's post whilst written in a flippant way does actually make a valid point if you're willing to read between the lines - the only way you get 100% remote security (not talking about physical security here) is to completely disconnect yourself from a network.

Yes it was nice of br_fusion to share... the above replies just explain why it won't work very well, it's not a flame

Z

[Noia]

A firewall, router or disabeling printer and file sharing would have done that for you, so the only reason why you'd want to creat an 'invisible' groupe was if it was there illigaly, which I do not appove of, not to mention it's a bit of a **** post. And just for the record, 160 would probably work better because it's not an illegal character.

- Noia

[br_fusion]

Well guess what fellas, I was just giving a quick tip. I wasn't telling everyone the DE FACTO way of protecting a computer. (quote "A way..") You honestly think that I dont know about firewalls and disabling filesharing.

Too many people lecturing.

Many thanks goes to Da_realist and taxed. I'm becoming more fond of AO newbie/junior members every post.

cheers!