Home Network

[Guest]

I'm trying to set up a home network between my wife's laptop (Me) and my PC
(XP home), but the laptop has no floppy disk or CD writer and the PC informs
me "There is no floppy disk(true) or other removable memory (not true I have
a DVD/CD writer). Any ideas what's going on?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I'm trying to set up a home network between my wife's laptop (Me) and my PC
(XP home), but the laptop has no floppy disk or CD writer and the PC informs
me "There is no floppy disk(true) or other removable memory (not true I have
a DVD/CD writer). Any ideas what's going on?

Why are you looking for a floppy disk or CD writer? Is it because
XP's Network Setup Wizard tells you that you have to run the Wizard on
the other computer?

You don't need to do that. You can make the network settings on your
wife's laptop manually. Go to Control Panel > Network and:

1. Add these network components if they aren't already present:

TCP/IP protocol
Client for Microsoft Networks
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks

2. Remove these network components if they're present:

IPX/SPX protocol
NetBEUI protocol
Client for NetWare networks

3. Set the workgroup name to the same name as the Windows XP computer
uses (default for XP is MSHOME).
--
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]

I will try the procedure you recommend - but my wife is playing bridge with
someone in Canada at the moment!!!
I have the PC and Laptop through a router. Would that cause any trouble?

 

[Guest]

I followed your suggestion, Steve, but it doesn't work for me! Probably the
router?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I will try the procedure you recommend - but my wife is playing bridge with
someone in Canada at the moment!!!
I have the PC and Laptop through a router. Would that cause any trouble?

You're welcome.

Networking the computers through a home broadband router should work
fine. That's a very common setup.
--
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

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I followed your suggestion, Steve, but it doesn't work for me! Probably the
router?

Probably not the router. It's much more likely that a firewall
program on one or both computers is blocking communications between
them.
--
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

 

[Mark]

Isn't the default workgroup name in XP: "WORKGROUP" ?
And the default workgroup name in Vista is: "MSHOME" ?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Isn't the default workgroup name in XP: "WORKGROUP" ?
And the default workgroup name in Vista is: "MSHOME" ?

XP's default workgroup name is "MSHOME".
Vista's default workgroup name is "WORKGROUP".

Using the same workgroup name on all computers makes network browsing
a little simpler, but it isn't necessary.

To access another computer, regardless of which workgroup either
computer is in:

XP:

1. Click Start > Run.

2. Type the other computer's name in the Open box in this format:

\\computer

Vista:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Type the other computer's name in the Start Search 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