A SImple How-To Question for Setting Up File/Printer Sharing on 2

[Guest]

I am very new to networking. May I indulge some quick help. I have set up
my primary PC via Ethernet to an Actiontec DSL modem, and then turned on the
wireless capability. All works well here. I then added my second PC to the
network via a USB wireless Linksys adapter and it has internet connectivity
just fine off of the Actiontec modem. The computers are in the same room and
I will probably end up with connecting both via Ethernet (I need a hub,
correct?). In any event, now I want to be able to access folders and files
(and maybe share some printing) between the two computers. I have Windows XP
home edition on both PCs, and I have dabbled around in trying to set up
sharing and drive mapping, etc, but I am still missing something. Can anyone
give me some quick guidance on how to do this so I can start enjoying the
benefit? Thanks so much for your patience. Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I am very new to networking. May I indulge some quick help. I have set up
my primary PC via Ethernet to an Actiontec DSL modem, and then turned on the
wireless capability. All works well here. I then added my second PC to the
network via a USB wireless Linksys adapter and it has internet connectivity
just fine off of the Actiontec modem. The computers are in the same room and
I will probably end up with connecting both via Ethernet (I need a hub,
correct?). In any event, now I want to be able to access folders and files
(and maybe share some printing) between the two computers. I have Windows XP
home edition on both PCs, and I have dabbled around in trying to set up
sharing and drive mapping, etc, but I am still missing something. Can anyone
give me some quick guidance on how to do this so I can start enjoying the
benefit? Thanks so much for your patience. Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

Hubs are pretty much obsolete. Connect a network switch to the
Actiontec modem to get more than one Ethernet connection.

Run XP's Network Setup Wizard on each computer. If the Wizard detects
the Actiontec's shared Internet connection, tell it to use that.
Otherwise, tell the Wizard that the computer connects to the Internet
through a residential gateway.

The Wizard will enable file and printer sharing, share all printers,
and create a Shared Documents folder. You can right-click and share
other desired disks and folders in My Computer.

Click Tools | "Map a Network Drive" to assign a local drive letter to
a shared folder on the other computer. Browse to the folder, or
specify its path as:

\\computer\folder

Most people don't map network drives. They access shared folders
through My Network Places.

To access the other computer directly, type its name in the Start |
Run box in this format:

\\computer
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the info. I thought I did do what you indicate. I got on the
primary PC, did the wizard, and when I tell it that this is the main computer
to access th internet and that other computers will work through it, when it
gets to the end of the wizard, it asks for the workgroup name (defaults to
MSHOME) and then upon setting up the final configuration, it tells me that
there was an error in setting up the network (and to either change the
configuration data, or set it up manually). It then asks me to do a restart
like it has worked ok. The shared turn-on feature is working ok, as well.

I do this on the other computer, and I tell it that it is slave to the
primary computer as far as internet is accessed through it. Everything seems
to work ok. The MSHOME is the same group name. Then when I go to my network
places, it does show the MSHOME group with a plus sign, but when I open it,
there are never any computer names listed to try an get to a shared documents
folder.

What am I missing here? Sorry if I am not very clear on all this.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Thanks for the info. I thought I did do what you indicate. I got on the
primary PC, did the wizard, and when I tell it that this is the main computer
to access th internet and that other computers will work through it, when it
gets to the end of the wizard, it asks for the workgroup name (defaults to
MSHOME) and then upon setting up the final configuration, it tells me that
there was an error in setting up the network (and to either change the
configuration data, or set it up manually). It then asks me to do a restart
like it has worked ok. The shared turn-on feature is working ok, as well.

I do this on the other computer, and I tell it that it is slave to the
primary computer as far as internet is accessed through it. Everything seems
to work ok. The MSHOME is the same group name. Then when I go to my network
places, it does show the MSHOME group with a plus sign, but when I open it,
there are never any computer names listed to try an get to a shared documents
folder.

What am I missing here? Sorry if I am not very clear on all this.

You don't have a primary PC and a slave PC. Both computers connect to
the Internet through the Actiontec router. One uses a wired
connection, and one uses a wireless connection. Neither computer
connects to the Internet through the other computer.

Run the Network Setup Wizard again on each computer. If the Wizard
detects the Actiontec's shared Internet connection, tell it to use
that. Otherwise, tell the Wizard that the computer connects to the
Internet through a residential gateway. DON'T specify the option that
says that other computers connect to the Internet through this
computer.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

Ok Steve,
I finally got some time to get back and experiment again. On both PCs, I
ran the regular Network Wizard (not the Wireless Network Wizard, right?). I
selected that the machine connects through a residential gateway as you
stated (BTW, it does not come up with any detect of the Actionteck Internet
network). Then it came up with the computer name (which I left as is for
each PC), then it came up with the Workgroup Name (MSHOME< which I changed to
DREANNETWORK on each PC). All was accepted and restarts required. Now when
I come up, what the heck to I do to see each others files? I went to My
Network Places, and I ask to see the workgroups. It brings up DREANNETWORK,
but then it says can't open that there is not permission to do so, etc. Am I
still supposed to map a drive? I am just still lost as to what to do to fire
up the two machines seeing the shared files. Please help further. Thanks a
bunch.