Home Network: 3 Computers, but Letting Only 2 Share Data?

Hi everyone.

My roommate and I have a home network setup, using the Microsoft Base
Station.
(This is not a wireless setup.)

He runs a laptop. I run two computers: A new Dell Dimension 8400
with an Ethernet jack, and an older, custom-built computer with a PCI
Microsoft Network card.

The older computer is not currently hooked up to the network. I want
to hook it up to the network, so it can share data with the new Dell.

Here's my question: Is it possible to set up the network so that only
MY two computers communicate with each other, and leave my roommate's
laptop out of the communication loop? I only want MY computers to
share data with each other.

If that is possible, how do I configure the network? I'll be darned
if I can find the user's manuals for the base station and card.
(Sorry.)

(Both of my computers have Windows XP Pro SP -2.)

One other question: Is there any loss of speed, regarding data
transfer, between computers on a network? I want to burn backups
using a DVD burner and am concerned about buffer underrun.

If you need more information in order to assist, please let me know.
Thank you!



To reply privately,
please remove the number 5 from the return address.
Thank you! J. Danniel

Jack Danniel wrote:

> Hi everyone.
>
> My roommate and I have a home network setup, using the Microsoft Base
> Station.
> (This is not a wireless setup.)
>
> He runs a laptop. I run two computers: A new Dell Dimension 8400
> with an Ethernet jack, and an older, custom-built computer with a PCI
> Microsoft Network card.
>
> The older computer is not currently hooked up to the network. I want
> to hook it up to the network, so it can share data with the new Dell.
>
> Here's my question: Is it possible to set up the network so that only
> MY two computers communicate with each other, and leave my roommate's
> laptop out of the communication loop? I only want MY computers to
> share data with each other.
>
> If that is possible, how do I configure the network? I'll be darned
> if I can find the user's manuals for the base station and card.
> (Sorry.)
>
> (Both of my computers have Windows XP Pro SP -2.)
>
> One other question: Is there any loss of speed, regarding data
> transfer, between computers on a network? I want to burn backups
> using a DVD burner and am concerned about buffer underrun.
>
> If you need more information in order to assist, please let me know.
> Thank you!
>

The easiest thing in this case is to make sure your roomie's computer is
set to *not* allow file and printer sharing. If he doesn't want to do
this for some reason, then it is easy for you to exclude him since you
have XP Pro. Disable Simple Sharing on your machines (from the Folder
Options>View tab). Make sure you've made yourself a user account that
isn't the default "Owner". Then he won't be authorized to access your
machine.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

On Wed, 25 May 2005 11:26:43 -0400, Jack Danniel <jd5backup@prodigy.net> wrote:

>Hi everyone.
>
>My roommate and I have a home network setup, using the Microsoft Base
>Station.
>(This is not a wireless setup.)
>
>He runs a laptop. I run two computers: A new Dell Dimension 8400
>with an Ethernet jack, and an older, custom-built computer with a PCI
>Microsoft Network card.
>
>The older computer is not currently hooked up to the network. I want
>to hook it up to the network, so it can share data with the new Dell.
>
>Here's my question: Is it possible to set up the network so that only
>MY two computers communicate with each other, and leave my roommate's
>laptop out of the communication loop? I only want MY computers to
>share data with each other.
>
>If that is possible, how do I configure the network? I'll be darned
>if I can find the user's manuals for the base station and card.
>(Sorry.)
>
>(Both of my computers have Windows XP Pro SP -2.)
>
>One other question: Is there any loss of speed, regarding data
>transfer, between computers on a network? I want to burn backups
>using a DVD burner and am concerned about buffer underrun.
>
>If you need more information in order to assist, please let me know.
>Thank you!

Jack,

There are a couple possible solutions to your dilemma, and you might do well to
use both.
1) Use fixed IP addresses on your 2 computers. Install a personal firewall
(such as Zone Alarm free), and setup the Trusted Zone on the two with only the
other computer and the Base Station as trusted.
2) Since you have XP Pro, disable Simple File Sharing, disable Guest, and setup
a common account with non-blank password on both computers.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/windows-xp-file-sharing-not-so-simple.html>

Regards your second question, depending upon the bandwidth you're getting
between your computers, you could get undesirable results from applications
requiring high bandwidth. Wireless LANs are great for sharing Internet service,
and for occasional file sharing. Making servers (anything providing a shared
resource such as DVD) routinely wireless can cause all sorts of interesting side
effects. For any bandwidth intensive, or latency sensitive, activities, like
sharing DVD's or playing games, a wired LAN is the best solution.

--
Cheers,
Chuck
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not necessarily a bad thing - it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.