# How do I shut off my PC's sharing of folders **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shut-off-my-pcs-sharing-of-folders/646810 "2013-01-11T01:00:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shut-off-my-pcs-sharing-of-folders/646810/1 "2013-01-11T01:00:29Z")
I just got a new smart tv, and in the ‘input’ list it shows folders on my laptop. So I’m guessing my laptop is sending signals to my TV. Does this communication between my laptop and TV only extend within my password protected wifi, or can neighbors see inside my laptop? I assume the latter, but don’t know a lot about this. Either way, how do I turn this function on or off? ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shut-off-my-pcs-sharing-of-folders/646810/2 "2013-01-11T01:18:50Z")
Assuming Win7 – to turn off sharing - [here](http://www.it.cornell.edu/security/howto/filesharingwin7.cfm) ---
**Author:** ![John\_H\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@John\_H\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_H_1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shut-off-my-pcs-sharing-of-folders/646810/3 "2013-01-11T01:25:31Z")
If you want to nuke it from orbit you can disable the server service. -go to services (start, type in services) -find the service named ‘server’ and go into it -click stop, set the startup type to disabled then ok ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shut-off-my-pcs-sharing-of-folders/646810/4 "2013-01-11T02:44:56Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Does this communication between my laptop and TV only extend within my password protected wifi, or can neighbors see inside my laptop? I assume the latter, but don’t know a lot about this. The former, but I expect that is what you really meant. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shut-off-my-pcs-sharing-of-folders/646810/5 "2013-01-11T02:46:42Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Does this communication between my laptop and TV only extend within **my password protected wifi** , or can neighbors see inside my laptop? You’re fine, unless they crack your wifi password. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shut-off-my-pcs-sharing-of-folders/646810/6 "2013-01-11T09:02:02Z")
Just disabling Sharing or the Server service may not be enough. If you set up Windows Media with a library, you may be sharing your Windows Media libraries via DLNA/UPnP, yet another ad-hoc sharing protocol that is specific to Digital Media. Again, this is not visible outside your internal network. I have not tried this, but this link tells you how to [disable DLNA](http://pario.no/2012/01/26/disable-dlna-in-windows-7/) sharing. Si