Accessing a Shared File (UNC) From a Remote, Non-Trusted Domain With Credentials

Question

We\'ve run into an interesting situation that needs solving, and my searches have turned up nill. I therefore appeal to the SO community for help.

The issue is this:

Answer 1

The way to solve your problem is to use a Win32 API called WNetUseConnection.
Use this function to connect to a UNC path with authentication, NOT to map a drive.

This will allow you to connect to a remote machine, even if it is not on the same domain, and even if it has a different username and password.

Once you have used WNetUseConnection you will be able to access the file via a UNC path as if you were on the same domain. The best way is probably through the administrative built in shares.
Example: \\computername\c$\program files\Folder\file.txt

Here is some sample C# code that uses WNetUseConnection.
Note, for the NetResource, you should pass null for the lpLocalName and lpProvider. The dwType should be RESOURCETYPE_DISK. The lpRemoteName should be \\ComputerName.

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices ;
using System.Threading;

namespace ExtremeMirror
{
    public class PinvokeWindowsNetworking
    {
        #region Consts
        const int RESOURCE_CONNECTED = 0x00000001;
        const int RESOURCE_GLOBALNET = 0x00000002;
        const int RESOURCE_REMEMBERED = 0x00000003;

        const int RESOURCETYPE_ANY = 0x00000000;
        const int RESOURCETYPE_DISK = 0x00000001;
        const int RESOURCETYPE_PRINT = 0x00000002;

        const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_GENERIC = 0x00000000;
        const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_DOMAIN = 0x00000001;
        const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_SERVER = 0x00000002;
        const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_SHARE = 0x00000003;
        const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_FILE = 0x00000004;
        const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_GROUP = 0x00000005;

        const int RESOURCEUSAGE_CONNECTABLE = 0x00000001;
        const int RESOURCEUSAGE_CONTAINER = 0x00000002;


        const int CONNECT_INTERACTIVE = 0x00000008;
        const int CONNECT_PROMPT = 0x00000010;
        const int CONNECT_REDIRECT = 0x00000080;
        const int CONNECT_UPDATE_PROFILE = 0x00000001;
        const int CONNECT_COMMANDLINE = 0x00000800;
        const int CONNECT_CMD_SAVECRED = 0x00001000;

        const int CONNECT_LOCALDRIVE = 0x00000100;
        #endregion

        #region Errors
        const int NO_ERROR = 0;

        const int ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED = 5;
        const int ERROR_ALREADY_ASSIGNED = 85;
        const int ERROR_BAD_DEVICE = 1200;
        const int ERROR_BAD_NET_NAME = 67;
        const int ERROR_BAD_PROVIDER = 1204;
        const int ERROR_CANCELLED = 1223;
        const int ERROR_EXTENDED_ERROR = 1208;
        const int ERROR_INVALID_ADDRESS = 487;
        const int ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER = 87;
        const int ERROR_INVALID_PASSWORD = 1216;
        const int ERROR_MORE_DATA = 234;
        const int ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS = 259;
        const int ERROR_NO_NET_OR_BAD_PATH = 1203;
        const int ERROR_NO_NETWORK = 1222;

        const int ERROR_BAD_PROFILE = 1206;
        const int ERROR_CANNOT_OPEN_PROFILE = 1205;
        const int ERROR_DEVICE_IN_USE = 2404;
        const int ERROR_NOT_CONNECTED = 2250;
        const int ERROR_OPEN_FILES  = 2401;

        private struct ErrorClass 
        {
            public int num;
            public string message;
            public ErrorClass(int num, string message) 
            {
                this.num = num;
                this.message = message;
            }
        }


        // Created with excel formula:
        // ="new ErrorClass("&A1&", """&PROPER(SUBSTITUTE(MID(A1,7,LEN(A1)-6), "_", " "))&"""), "
        private static ErrorClass[] ERROR_LIST = new ErrorClass[] {
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED, "Error: Access Denied"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_ALREADY_ASSIGNED, "Error: Already Assigned"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_BAD_DEVICE, "Error: Bad Device"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_BAD_NET_NAME, "Error: Bad Net Name"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_BAD_PROVIDER, "Error: Bad Provider"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_CANCELLED, "Error: Cancelled"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_EXTENDED_ERROR, "Error: Extended Error"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_INVALID_ADDRESS, "Error: Invalid Address"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER, "Error: Invalid Parameter"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_INVALID_PASSWORD, "Error: Invalid Password"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_MORE_DATA, "Error: More Data"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS, "Error: No More Items"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_NO_NET_OR_BAD_PATH, "Error: No Net Or Bad Path"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_NO_NETWORK, "Error: No Network"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_BAD_PROFILE, "Error: Bad Profile"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_CANNOT_OPEN_PROFILE, "Error: Cannot Open Profile"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_DEVICE_IN_USE, "Error: Device In Use"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_EXTENDED_ERROR, "Error: Extended Error"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_NOT_CONNECTED, "Error: Not Connected"), 
            new ErrorClass(ERROR_OPEN_FILES, "Error: Open Files"), 
        };

        private static string getErrorForNumber(int errNum) 
        {
            foreach (ErrorClass er in ERROR_LIST) 
            {
                if (er.num == errNum) return er.message;
            }
            return "Error: Unknown, " + errNum;
        }
        #endregion

        [DllImport("Mpr.dll")] private static extern int WNetUseConnection(
            IntPtr hwndOwner,
            NETRESOURCE lpNetResource,
            string lpPassword,
            string lpUserID,
            int dwFlags,
            string lpAccessName,
            string lpBufferSize,
            string lpResult
        );

        [DllImport("Mpr.dll")] private static extern int WNetCancelConnection2(
            string lpName,
            int dwFlags,
            bool fForce
        );

        [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)] private class NETRESOURCE
        { 
            public int dwScope = 0;
            public int dwType = 0;
            public int dwDisplayType = 0;
            public int dwUsage = 0;
            public string lpLocalName = "";
            public string lpRemoteName = "";
            public string lpComment = "";
            public string lpProvider = "";
        }


        public static string connectToRemote(string remoteUNC, string username, string password) 
        {
            return connectToRemote(remoteUNC, username, password, false);
        }

        public static string connectToRemote(string remoteUNC, string username, string password, bool promptUser) 
        {
            NETRESOURCE nr = new NETRESOURCE();
            nr.dwType = RESOURCETYPE_DISK;
            nr.lpRemoteName = remoteUNC;
            //          nr.lpLocalName = "F:";

            int ret;
            if (promptUser) 
                ret = WNetUseConnection(IntPtr.Zero, nr, "", "", CONNECT_INTERACTIVE | CONNECT_PROMPT, null, null, null);
            else 
                ret = WNetUseConnection(IntPtr.Zero, nr, password, username, 0, null, null, null);

            if (ret == NO_ERROR) return null;
            return getErrorForNumber(ret);
        }

        public static string disconnectRemote(string remoteUNC) 
        {
            int ret = WNetCancelConnection2(remoteUNC, CONNECT_UPDATE_PROFILE, false);
            if (ret == NO_ERROR) return null;
            return getErrorForNumber(ret);
        }
    }
}