How to network PCs

[Ged Short]

I have several PCs, one running Wxp (laptop) and two
running w2k pro and one running w98 (which is almost
redundant). I also have a wireless lan. I would like to
share resources, printers, folders ... etc between the
computers. I had a workgroup for the w2k pcs so this was
easy and it all worked. Now the Wxp user wishes to log in
to a university domain based network.

Is it possible to set up shared resources the wxp computer
can see - The wxp computer now has doman based network
settings instead of workgroup based setting.

Alternatives include switching between domain and
workgroup settings on the WXP laptop but an article at
www.microsoft.com/hardware/broadbandnetworking/10_concept_s
witch_workgroups_domains.mspx makes this sound like it
would generate more problems.

Another alternative is to create a home domain network and
relicate the university settings. To do this could I use a
w2k pro pc as the server or would I need to buy a server
operating system.

Are there any other alternatives or fixes?

Ged

 

[Phillip Windell]

Alternatives include switching between domain and
workgroup settings on the WXP laptop but an article at
www.microsoft.com/hardware/broadbandnetworking/10_concept_switch_workgroups_
domains.mspx
makes this sound like it
would generate more problems.

It is just like what you read.

Another alternative is to create a home domain network and
relicate the university settings. To do this could I use a
w2k pro pc as the server or would I need to buy a server
operating system.

It would require a Server OS to have a Domain. No, it still would not work
anyway. Domains, Computers, User Accounts all use a SID to identify the
item. Creating something with the same name will not "fool" anything into
working the same way because the SID is randomly generated and will always
be different.

Are there any other alternatives or fixes?

You could look into Netswitcher at www.netswitcher.com . I don't know of
anything else.

 

[Linda]

The fastest way is to rename your home network to match the widows domain -
if the laptop wants to logon to 'university' just rename your local
workgroup to university and restart all machines. You may have a problem
with DHCP settings if they are different - post back with the settings from
the LAN and the laptop if that is the case and someone can help you.
Then be sure sharing is on - there is also an issue with having a common
user name and password for sharing resources on 2000 and XP.
Be careful not to remove your XP computer from the domain or you will have
to ask a network admin at the university to join it back.
Create accounts on the win2000 and win98 that match your XP account for user
name and password.
Linda