Using the guest account

Updated: March 30, 2011

Applies To: Windows Home Server 2011

Server installation automatically creates the Guest account for you, but the account is deactivated by default. If you activate the Guest account on the server, the account can be used to access only the shared folders on the server that the administrator specifies. Additionally, if you activate the Guest account on the server and on a computer that is connected to the network, users who log on to the network computer as Guest can automatically access the shared folders on the server without being prompted for a password.

The server automatically assigns a blank password for the Guest account.

You can also use the Guest account another way. It can be used as a convenient way to turn on access to resources that are stored on your server (such as photos and music) for someone who is not a regularly using the home server. You can activate the guest account to share files with your extended family (such as grandparents) and friends. Use the guest account for temporary access to resources on the server and deactivate the guest account when the guest no longer requires access to the resources on the server.It is recommended that you think about what level of access to the server folders should be provided to the guest account, whether read/write access is required, or if a read-only access is sufficient. These considerations will provide maximum protection and privacy to your data. For more information about setting access to server folders, see How do I manage access to server folders?

To activate the Guest account

1. Open the server Dashboard.

2. On the main navigation bar, click Users.

3. In the list of user accounts, right-click the Guest account, and then click Activate the user account.