Networking, How many servers?

Hello, You can tell I am a newbie to networking.
We started a small company, we have three employees, this one employee put a password on the main computer so that he can work from home and then transfer the information to the main computer. In other words did he locked me out of my computer? I have to have his password to enter his. He also put me a password on for me to get on, but not to his site.
1.) How many people can be on one computer with their own password to open the computer?
2.) Are their home computers tied with this one computer?
3.) Will I get their virus from their home computers?
4.) In the furture I will be using paypal, will they get to my account?

I have more questions, but I will just start with these. Thanks :)

Unless you trust this employee, like he was your beloved spouse
or first born son, you should not let him design your computer
network, doing things that you are not able to understand.

If you are the boss, you have to be the boss.
:cool:

Quote:

---

Bosses are stupid and make idiot decisions to save money.

---

Whaa? Well, I would hope someone running some sort of small business with employees at hand wouldn't be an "idiot". Or, that they'd realize there could be financial losses through a poorly setup network

Raelynn,
is that employee in charge of the network itself? I'm not fully sure I understand....
is the "main" computer, the computer you use? It's possible he set a "domain password".

1.) It doesen't really depend on the same password, but the same "User". This depends on the Operating System you're running (i.e. Windows, Linux..). If it's "Windows" and something like "Remote Desktop" was being used, I don't believe it allows two of the same users to be logged in at same time.

2.) I'm not sure if I understand this question fully. If you're asking whether a home computer is connected with that computer at all times, I'd say not likely. What he probably does is write down the computers IP address (the unique number you need in order to connect to), leave the "main" computer on with some sort of "Remote Connection" program running, get on their computer at home and enter that unique IP.

3.) Not likely.

4.) Every bit of information that your computer sends out, and gets from the web has to go through the network's "router" first. It is possible to monitor the information flow (i.e. Websites you visit..) from the router, but this depends solely on the morality of your network administrator. "PayPal" is pretty secure prevention of this happening, so you shouldn't have to worry too much of this.

I hope I was able to provide some useful information to ya, and please do feel free to ask more questions! :)

Quote:

---

You've never met management before have you?

1. And remote desktop? He said nothing about that. He appears to be asking about a number of users on a server.

2. Are you sure you know what you're saying?

3. WTF if they have Windows on a Server and on their Desktops, if one Desktop gets a virus and connects to the server... You don't think it would spread? That's almost as bad as the time you said Port Scanning was in no way against the law. Quit spouting things off you don't understand.

4. So when he does this over HTTPS you're going to tell him everyone can see it from the router????


Here you go-

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directo..._for_idiots.asp

---

This was in no way positive. This site is here to help people, and ThePastorGang helped out as best he (or she) could, with the information they were given.

Now, is this network set up already? I'm not entirely sure I understand the overall question. I second what rcgreen said. Make sure you know how everything is going to be set up. Your in charge, it's your company, make sure you know what's happening in it, especially in such an important aspect.

So, first of all, physically only one person can use the computer at a time (obvisouly), so I'm going to say it's safe to assume you mean remotely. I'm not sure what limitations are on SSH, or VNC programs. It would probably depends on the specific server, and it would probably say in the docs. Again, be sure to know, and understand the aspects of your network for your company.

Secondly, what do you mean tied? Chances are the employee is connecting remotely, so it isn't actually "tied" to it in any way, other than the fact it's connected to it though some remote resource. Sorry, you're going to have to elaborate on it a little bit more.

Again, it depends on the way they are connecting. If your using SSH or a VNC server, chances are slim of getting the virus from the home computer (given there is a virus on the home computer). However if they're emailing their work to each themselves, there is a much higher risk.

As both ThePastorGang and gore pointed out, PayPal is a quite secure website, and it uses HTTPS (which is a secure hypertext transfer protocol), so the router would still be able to "capture" the information, but it probably won't be able to decode it so it would readable to humans.

Again, your going to have to elaborate on some of the questions.

Good luck

enmand

Quote:

---

You've never met management before have you?

1. And remote desktop? He said nothing about that. He appears to be asking about a number of users on a server.

2. Are you sure you know what you're saying?

3. WTF if they have Windows on a Server and on their Desktops, if one Desktop gets a virus and connects to the server... You don't think it would spread? That's almost as bad as the time you said Port Scanning was in no way against the law. Quit spouting things off you don't understand.

4. So when he does this over HTTPS you're going to tell him everyone can see it from the router????

---

Are you just searching for reasons to bash out at me?!

Maybe you should re-read their questions before you start going at my answers.
It appears as though they're asking if one of their work networked computers would get a virus from a home computer connected to the server. But it's difficult to tell with the way they're asking questions. This depends on many situations, but don't you think if the person is smart enough to set a remote connection, they'd be smart enough not to spread a virus? It also depends on the type of Virus Gore.

Did you want me to explain the whole HTTPS algorithm to them?! If they ask more as to why "PayPal" is safe, then I'll explain more into detail.

How is this in any way answering their questions?

i love the human mind... how much it differs from person to person.. yet how similiar it is between people...

has anyone ever gotten buzzed of herbal tea??

Oh gosh, you're high aren't ya?

Quote:

---

Originally posted here by raelynn52
Hello, You can tell I am a newbie to networking.
We started a small company, we have three employees, this one employee put a password on the main computer so that he can work from home and then transfer the information to the main computer. In other words did he locked me out of my computer? I have to have his password to enter his. He also put me a password on for me to get on, but not to his site.
1.) How many people can be on one computer with their own password to open the computer?
2.) Are their home computers tied with this one computer?
3.) Will I get their virus from their home computers?
4.) In the furture I will be using paypal, will they get to my account?

I have more questions, but I will just start with these. Thanks :)

---

Looks like someone cleaned up the unproductive posts. Well, most of them. Thanks whoever you are.

Anyway, rcgreen was correct in that we need more information to get a full idea of how best to answer your question. If you are a small company (less than 10 machines), you may be running a peer network. If this is connected to the internet, which it sounds like, your employee likely set up an ftp site or remote desktop to the "main" computer. This shouldn't impact your particular computer, but may not be the most secure or correct way to run your systems.

To provide some basic non-specific answers to your questions:

1. The old WinNT 4.x would not be too happy with more than about ten users with profiles on the systems. That was a long time ago, though. Today, it shouldn't be a problem.
2. When a user remote desktops into a system, yes, they are connected to your internal network. Depending on how the remote desktop is set up, this might not be a good thing. Depends on how much you trust your employee.
3. It is entirely possible. See #2.
4. I wouldn't use PayPal from a work system, if that is what you are asking. Especially, I wouldn't recommend it based on what I'm seeing in your message.

just my tuppence.

You're welcome.

If one of your employees has created a kind of vpn, made an account on your server(?) and password protected it and then wont let you in to his account - I would start thinking about restricting his right/privilages on your network to stop him doing things like this willy nilly, or at least so he would have to run it by you first before he done it.

You have provided so little information for anyone to go off. Did he have your permission to do this? Is he your "IT Guy" or is he just an employee that is running loose on your network!?

Hi Raelynn , I think you have been given most of the answers, but they are a bit fragmented?

My view would be:

1. this one employee put a password on the main computer so that he can work from home and then transfer the information to the main computer. In other words did he locked me out of my computer?

It would seem that he created an account and password protected it. This is normal, as an unprotected account with remote access would be a serious security risk.

This does not lock you out of the computer if it is a server that is, it has been set up to be used by multiple people at the same time. Where you are most likely to experience a lockout is within software (applications) where a particular record or function can only be accessed by one person at a time.

2. I have to have his password to enter his. He also put me a password on for me to get on, but not to his site.

I am not too sure what you mean. You should both have "accounts" on the "server" and have your own passwords to these. You are using the same systems and software applications, this is simply a security measure. You sign on as you and he signs on as him.

By "site" I assume you mean his home computer?...............you should have no reason to access it, the data flow is in the oposite direction. My only concern would be that he might not save important work to the server and his home system crashes? Everything that is on there should be on your server so you can both access it.

YOUR NUMBERING:

1.) How many people can be on one computer with their own password to open the computer?

In theory, thousands...............the limitations are usually software and hardware.

2.) Are their home computers tied with this one computer?

Home computers are attached to a "server" computer at the office/datacentre or whatever. They are just remote versions of what is in the office. In a large organisation there will be a number of servers and remote workers will access the ones they are supposed to, just the same as if they were actually in the office.

3.) Will I get their virus from their home computers?

This is quite possible. You should ensure that they have adequate protection installed and practice safe computing habits. You also need to ensure that the server is protected at your end.

4.) In the furture I will be using paypal, will they get to my account?

Anyone who has relatively unrestricted access to your systems, particularly physical access, might be able to do this.

Some organisations will split their server functionality to give additional security to "sensitive" areas such as HR, Finance, Payroll etc................unauthorised personnel are denied access.

Hope that helps :)