Networking different versions of Vista

[Valerie]

I need to create a network (wired) between two computers. One uses Vista
Business. The other I plan to upgrade from XP Home to Vista Home Premium. It
was my understanding this upgrade was necessary to create a network where
both computers could see one another. Now I'm told that both computers must
be using the same version of Vista. Will these two versions of Vista be able
to recognize one another?


-- Valerie

 

[Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)]

That is not true. You can network between Vista and XP with any versions if
you have correct configuration. This how to may help.

Vista How toHow to: disable Vista password protected sharing ... Post
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 3:23 am Post subject: How to: disable Vista
password protected sharing . ...
www.howtonetworking.com/vista/vista.htm


--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com

 

[Mick Murphy]

XP and Vista Network together.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

Have a read of the above link re Vista File and Printer Sharing.
How to give Permissions are there, too.
If you are running Norton, etc’s Firewall, check its settings.

1st thing to do is make sure that the Workgroup Name of ALL the computers is
the SAME.

In Vista Network and Sharing:

Network Discovery: ON (So it can see the other computers)

Network set to Private (Public is for hotspots, airports, etc)

File Sharing: ON

Public Folder Sharing: ON (Vista’s Public Folder is the same as XP’s Shared
Docs)

Password Protected: OFF (unless you want to set up identical usernames and
passwords on ALL computers in your Network) If you have it ON, you will be
asked for a username and password when you try to access a Vista computer
from an XP computer.

Also, run the XP’s Home Network File and Printer sharing Wizard.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I need to create a network (wired) between two computers. One uses Vista
Business. The other I plan to upgrade from XP Home to Vista Home Premium.

If done for the reason given in the next sentence, such an upgrade is a
wholly unnecessary expense and effort.

It
was my understanding this upgrade was necessary to create a network where
both computers could see one another.

This is not true.

Now I'm told that both computers must
be using the same version of Vista.

And that's just not true either.

There is a circumstance where the version of Vista or XP *does* matter, and
that is when the network uses a server set up as a domain controller, and
the user systems must join the domain.

This domain membership can't be achieved with any version of XP or Vista
that has "Home" in the name. Past Win9x, it can only be done with Windows
2000, XP Pro, or Vista Business or Ultimate.

But, given that you are connecting *two* systems, haven't mentioned a
server, and are considering a Home version of Vista, it seems unlikely that
this circumstance applies to you.

Will these two versions of Vista be able
to recognize one another?

If the network is set up properly, yes - and "properly" is very a simple set
of conditions.

And they would also be able to see each other if you used pretty much *any*
Windows version with network support, properly configured. You can use
the XP Home system with only a few easy adjustments.

Fortunately, there aren't a lot of things to do to make sure that things are
properly configured, especially if you use a router. You do *not* need to
upgrade the XP Home system to allow proper configuration. Routers can be
inexpensive (often around $50, plus standard ethernet cables) and are easy
to set up.

There are lots of Internet resources on Windows networking, but if things go
as they're supposed to, you should be sharing files and printers in a matter
of minutes after connecting to the router.

Pretty much all you should need to do is plug the systems into the router,
set the network cards to get IP addresses automatically (this is the default
setting, so you probably don't have to do anything but check), set the
workgroup names the same, and share whatever folders or printers you need.
After a restart they should both be able to see each other, though you may
also need to make adjustments to any firewall software in use. Note also
that Vista can take a little while, meaning perhaps 15 minutes, to detect
and display other systems on the network. You may also need to create an
account on one system that matches an account on the other - the same
username and password.


HTH
-pk