Very basic Query

KiwiBrian · Mar 6, 2004

I want to network just two PCs together, both running XP Pro, and share a
common external modem and printer.
In an article I came across the following:-

"For all the helpful information Microsoft's networking wizard provided ( it
included lots of definitions and visual scenarios), it never explicitly told
me that although a switch would suffice for networking my two PCs, it would
not, on its own, let them share an Internet connection."

Does this mean that I need more than my 2 PCs, printer, modem, and CAT5
crossover cable?
Can anyone recommend a superb article online for me at this stage?

Thanks
Brian Tozer

Guest · Mar 6, 2004

The only other thing you could need is network adaptors for both computers, however they are likely to be already installed

Here's what to do..
Connect your crossover cable
Right click on your dialup connection and select 'properties' and then 'advanced
Enable the Internet Connection Sharing stuff.
Leave the other computer's network settings at their default
Restart the computer with the modem and then the other one
And that's it - all done. Now when you connect to the internet, the connection is shared with the other machine

To access the Shared Documents of each other's computers you must enable file sharing
Right click on Shared Documents folder in My Computer and select Sharing and Security
Enable 'Share this folder over the network' and (if you want) 'Allow Network users to change my files
Do this on both computers. Then you just have to drag a copy of the files you want shared into this folder

To share a printer, right click on the printer icon within 'Printers & Faxes' (in Control Panel) and select 'Sharing...
Enable 'Share this printer
On the other computer, run through the Add New Printer wizard

That's all you really need to know for a basic network setup between two computers. Just be aware that with this setup, the computer with the modem on it must be up and running before the other one as this is running as a 'server' for the network connection

Enjoy

KiwiBrian · Mar 6, 2004

Thanks very much Mark.
Exactly what I wanted to know.
Brian.

Mark Evans said:
The only other thing you could need is network adaptors for both

computers, however they are likely to be already installed.

Here's what to do...
Connect your crossover cable,
Right click on your dialup connection and select 'properties' and then 'advanced'
Enable the Internet Connection Sharing stuff.
Leave the other computer's network settings at their default.
Restart the computer with the modem and then the other one.
And that's it - all done. Now when you connect to the internet, the

connection is shared with the other machine.

To access the Shared Documents of each other's computers you must enable file sharing.
Right click on Shared Documents folder in My Computer and select Sharing and Security.
Enable 'Share this folder over the network' and (if you want) 'Allow

Network users to change my files'

Do this on both computers. Then you just have to drag a copy of the files

you want shared into this folder.

To share a printer, right click on the printer icon within 'Printers &

Faxes' (in Control Panel) and select 'Sharing...'

Enable 'Share this printer'
On the other computer, run through the Add New Printer wizard.

That's all you really need to know for a basic network setup between two

computers. Just be aware that with this setup, the computer with the modem
on it must be up and running before the other one as this is running as a
'server' for the network connection.

Nick Burns · Mar 6, 2004

When you turn on ICS, don't it have you make a client disk, don't know if
you have to do this with xp. But if it does make sure when you run the
client disk on the second computer the first computer is on the net and you
can see each other on your LAN.