Network laptop and home PC

[Alan T]

I got XP SP2 installed on my laptop and my home PC, how do I make them to
see each other?
Any settings about domain or group?

 

[Gordon]

I got XP SP2 installed on my laptop and my home PC, how do I make them to
see each other?
Any settings about domain or group?

Well a good start would be to tell us how they are connected...

 

[Malke]

I got XP SP2 installed on my laptop and my home PC, how do I make them to
see each other?
Any settings about domain or group?

You haven't provided enough information to get focused help. This link
will show you what details are required:

http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

In the meantime, go through these general network troubleshooting steps.
Not everything may be applicable to you so just take the bits that are.

Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally
caused by 1) a misconfigured firewall; or 2) inadvertently running two
firewalls such as the built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party
firewall; and/or 3) not having identical user accounts and passwords on
all Workgroup machines; 4) trying to create shares where the operating
system does not permit it.

Here are some general networking tips for home/small networks:

1. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network
(LAN) traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing
File/Printer Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network
Setup Wizard on XP will take care of this for those machines.The only
"gotcha" is that this will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you
aren't running a third-party firewall or have an antivirus with
"Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2006/07) which acts as a
firewall, then you're fine. With third-party firewalls, I usually
configure the LAN allowance with an IP range. Ex. would be
192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you would substitute your correct
subnet. Do not run more than one firewall.

2. With earlier Microsoft operating systems, the name of the Workgroup
didn't matter. Apparently it does with Vista, so put all computers in
the same Workgroup. This is done from the System applet in Control
Panel, Computer Name tab.

3. Create identical user accounts and passwords on all machines. If you
wish a machine to boot directly to the Desktop (into one particular
user's account) for convenience, you can do this. The instructions at
this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

4. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center:

a. If you need Pro's ability to set fine-grained permissions, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab) and create identical user
accounts/passwords on all computers.

b. If you don't care about using Pro's advanced features, leave the
Simple File Sharing enabled.

Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. This means
that anyone without a user account on the target system can use its
resources. This is a security hole but only you can decide if it matters
in your situation.

I think it is a good idea to create the identical user
accounts/passwords in any case when Vista machines are involved and it
isn't an onerous task with home/small networks.

5. Create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users'
home directories (My Documents) or Program Files, but you can share
folders inside those directories. A better choice is to simply use the
Shared Documents folder.


Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I got XP SP2 installed on my laptop and my home PC, how do I make them to
see each other?
Any settings about domain or group?

You've provided very little information about what you want to do, and
what your question is, but if you are asking whether to create a
domain or workgroup, almost certainly the right answer for you is a
workgroup. That's the right answer for the enormous majority of home
users. Domains are typically used in large corporations, Universities,
etc.

For more information, provide more details about what you want to
accomplish, whether the computers are running XP Professional or Home,
whether they have wireless capability, whether they have ethernet
connectors, etc.

You also might want to read here:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/networking/

 

[Alan T]

Hi,

What I want to do is transfer files from my laptop, which I am using at
work, to my home PC when I back home.
Both machines are XP Pro with SP2. My home PC has Kaspersky installed.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi,

What I want to do is transfer files from my laptop, which I am using at
work, to my home PC when I back home.
Both machines are XP Pro with SP2. My home PC has Kaspersky installed.

Then what you should do is establish a home workgroup. Forget about
using a domain.

An alternative approach is to E-mail files from work to your home
E-mail address. For many people, that can be simpler than setting up a
network.

 

[Gordon]

An alternative approach is to E-mail files from work to your home
E-mail address. For many people, that can be simpler than setting up a
network.

Or use a thumb drive - they are now very cheap. I saw a 4GB thumbdrive in
Amazon for £14.....

 

[Alan T]

Hi,
I would like to just use network cable to connect to my ADSL router and then
transfer my files from laptop to home PC. My files total in size may up to 3
GB.
Would like to not using USB flash key cos I don't have one.

 

[Gordon]

Hi,
I would like to just use network cable to connect to my ADSL router and
then
transfer my files from laptop to home PC. My files total in size may up to
3
GB.
Would like to not using USB flash key cos I don't have one.

Might be a silly question, but if you take your laptop home, why not work on
the files on that? Why transfer them at all?

 

[Gordon]

Hi,
I would like to just use network cable to connect to my ADSL router and
then
transfer my files from laptop to home PC. My files total in size may up to
3
GB.
Would like to not using USB flash key cos I don't have one.

Another point that's just struck me - does your Company ALLOW you to
transfer what could be business-confidential documents to a (presumably) non
Company-owned machine?

 

[Bob I]

This is a domain attached laptop?

Hi,
I would like to just use network cable to connect to my ADSL router and then
transfer my files from laptop to home PC. My files total in size may up to 3
GB.
Would like to not using USB flash key cos I don't have one.

 

[Alan T]

Hi,

I just connect my laptop to the router, found the workgroup they are the
same by default.
Then make my home 'Temp' directory as shared and my laptop can see it and
then copy and paste to my home 'Temp' directory.