Network Vista and XP Pro

[mrhotdog]

hey
i have recently purchased a wireless modem/router etc. i can get the
internet fine on both my pc and laptop. but how do i configure it so i can
access files from one computer if im on the other.

thanks in advance

 

[Malke]

hey
i have recently purchased a wireless modem/router etc. i can get the
internet fine on both my pc and laptop. but how do i configure it so i can
access files from one computer if im on the other.

Here are general network troubleshooting steps. Not everything may be
applicable to your situation, so just take the bits that are. It may look
daunting, but if you follow the steps at the links and suggestions below
systematically and calmly, you will have no difficulty in setting up your
sharing.

Excellent, thorough, yet easy to understand article about File/Printer
Sharing in Vista. Includes details about sharing printers as well as files
and folders:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

For XP, start by running the Network Setup Wizard on all machines (see
caveat in Item A below).

Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally caused
by 1) a misconfigured firewall or overlooked firewall (including a stateful
firewall in a VPN); 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.

A. 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/security program with its own
firewall component, 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. Refer to any third party security program's Help or user forums for
how to properly configure its firewall. Do not run more than one firewall.
DO NOT TURN OFF FIREWALLS; CONFIGURE THEM CORRECTLY.

B. For ease of organization, put all computers in the same Workgroup. This
is done from the System applet in Control Panel, Computer Name tab.

C. Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do not
need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the passwords
assigned to each user account can be different; the accounts/passwords just
need to exist and match on all machines. DO NOT NEGLECT TO CREATE
PASSWORDS, EVEN IF ONLY SIMPLE ONES. 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

D. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab).

E. Create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users' home
directories or Program Files, but you can share folders inside those
directories. A better choice is to simply use the Shared Documents folder.
See the first link above for details about Vista sharing.

Malke

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
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://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx
Windows XP File Sharing -
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).

 

[Timothy Daniels]

This partch to install LLTD (Link Layer Topology Discovery)
in XP is not ncecessary to put the XP machine into the Vista
networking folder named "Network". That is, LLTD is not
necessary for Vista to see the XP machine. LLTD is only
necessary to put the XP machine into Vista's graphic represent-
ation of the network. In other words, LLTD is just for the
pretty picture, not for networking. If you don't need the pretty
picture, you don't the LLTD patch. The heading for the link
should therefore be something like "Windows XP patch to
include XP in Vista's graphic map of the network".

For reference, see Jane C's (Microsoft MVP) reply to me in
microsoft.public.windows.64bit.general of October 23, 2008,
in the thread titled "Help! N/working XP64 & Vista 32bit":

"Tim,

Yes, the "network map" referred to in Vista that requires the LLTD
responder for the XP machines is that graphical map that you get
when you click on the "View full map" in Network and Sharing Centre.
It does not refer to what you see if you open plain old "Network"
(old My Network Places as it used to be in XP).

FWIW, I never bother with the responder in XP - all my XP installs
show up in Network and can be browsed quite happily
--
Jane, not plain 64 bit enabled
Batteries not included. Braincell on vacation ;-)
MVP - Windows Desktop Experience"


*TimDaniels*