How do I set up home Network?? HELP!!!

[Jeff W]

Hi,
I currently have a desktop and just purchased a laptop. I want to set up a
home network to share a printer and files. This is what I have set up so far.

Internet connection:
Desktop - I have a DSL modem, connected to a Wireless router. Router is
hard wired to my desktop.
Laptop - I use a WiFi connection, connecting wirelessly through my
router........obviously! This works fine.

Printer is hard wired to my desktop.

Goal: To be able to print to my printer from my laptop without hard wiring.
Use my laptop to access files on my desktop without hard wiring.

Do I have a network set up already with my internet connection?
Do I run a Network setup, a wireless network setup? I have tried both
options but was unsuccessful in my attempts.

I would appreciate any help.

Thanks,

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
You already have a Network, you need to set the File and Printer Sharing.
Successful Sharing involves some general consideration in Network settings,
http://www.ezlan.net/sharing.html
As well as specific adjustment of each computer according to what it is
allowed to be shared.
Vista File and Printer Sharing-
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/evaluate/vista_fp.mspx
Basic XP -
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/filesharing.mspx
Advanced XP - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040
Printer Sharing XP -
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/honeycutt_july2.mspx
Windows Native Firewall setting for Sharing XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357
Windows XP patch for Sharing with Vista -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922120
Jack (MVP-Networking).

 

[John B]

This an extremely routine process.
No need to "panic."
I presume that all your operating systems are Microsoft Windows varieties,
by your presence in this forum.
Just "share" the printer, and any folders of interest, in your desktop. You
should see them as accessible on your laptop.
Be sure to establish a common workgroup, under "system" under "Control
Panel." This is a Windows nuance. Use EXACTLY the same name in both
computers, for your workgroup name. You might give each computer a short,
unique name (less than 9 characters); e.g. "Barnyard" and "fowl." ("Fowl"
being the laptop, of course.)
You might run into an NTFS permissions obstacle, if the desktop is running
under XP Pro or Win2K Pro. XP Home is easier, as it has very little
protection. It DOES have share permissions architecture, though.
It helps to employ a common username and password for both computers.

So why don't you "share" a little more information about your system(s), if
you can't make it work now? (Pun intended.)

 

[Jim]

Hi,
I currently have a desktop and just purchased a laptop. I want to set up
a
home network to share a printer and files. This is what I have set up so
far. My network is like that

Internet connection:
Desktop - I have a DSL modem, connected to a Wireless router. Router is
hard wired to my desktop.
Laptop - I use a WiFi connection, connecting wirelessly through my
router........obviously! This works fine. My network works fine as well

Printer is hard wired to my desktop.

My printer is also connected to my desktop

Goal: To be able to print to my printer from my laptop without hard
wiring.

I used this configuration for some time, but going upstairs to get the
output was rather inconvenient.

Use my laptop to access files on my desktop without hard wiring. I do this all the time

Do I have a network set up already with my internet connection? Yes.
Do I run a Network setup, a wireless network setup? I have tried both
options but was unsuccessful in my attempts.

I ran the Network Setup Wizard on the desktop. I used the direct connection
from the desktop to the router to setup the router.
I made a setup disk with the wizard.
I inserted this disk into the laptop and followed the instructions to enable
networkin.
I used WZC to setup the wireless networking on the laptop.
Total time was about an hour (of which more than half was spent getting the
encryption keys to match).

I would appreciate any help.

Thanks,

To get a remote printer to work from your laptop requires installation of
the printer software on the laptop. When it is working
right, the laptop's printer software will send a message to the printer port
on the desktop which contains the data to be
printed. I have removed this facility because it is too inconvenient. The
desktop is upstairs while the laptop is downstairs.

The websites of both MVP Jack and MVP Chuck conver this subject in great
detail.

Jim

 

[Jeff W]

Hi John,

Thanks for the response. My desktop runs XP Media Center edition Version
2002 service pk 2. Laptop runs XP Home edition version 2002. service pack 2.