Best config for home network?

[David J. Braden]

Hi
I have 1 desktop running XP Pro, another with XP Home, and (soon) a couple
of laptops running XP that will connect through Wi-Fi. I would like the two
desktops to be able to share files, but don't want file sharing between the
XP Pro machine and the Wi-Fi machines. I would like all to be able to share
two printers. The print server is wireless.

Should I be using peer-to peer off of the gateway? If so, can I have the 2
desktops sharing files, but deny sharing between the XP Pro machine and
wireless machines? How secure is this setup?

Or should I connect the XP Pro machine to the gateway, and connect a switch
being that machine (it has two Ethernet boards), to which the other desktop
and the WiFi access point are connected? What are its relative advantages?
Or is there a configuration that is better than either of these?

I've tried sharing a printer attached directly to one of the desktops with
the other, as well as files, when the computers were set up peer-to-peer,
with absolutely no luck. Would you recommend that I connect the computers
with a crossover initially to get some settings figured out?

Many, many thanks in advance-
Dave Braden
(former Excel MVP)

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

Assuming that the 'gateway' is a wireless router, all machines should be
connected by ethernet cable or wireless to this device. Your router is
capable of providing connectivity to all machines both for purposes of file
and printer sharing and for Internet access.

The easiest way limit/restrict file and printer sharing between certain
machines is to use static IP addresses; then configure the SP2 firewall with
a custom list to allow only certain IPs to access the machine:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;843090

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP