XP Home as a file and internet server

[Guest]

I have a customer who is using an XP Home machine as a file and ICS server.
His broadband connection goes from his cable modem to his ICS machine then a
switch then the workstations. Yeah, I know that's stupid and I aim to remedy
that.
He is an accountant and has a piece of Tax software installed on all his
workstations but the data is stored on his "file server". It worked fine
until he added a sixth machine. It can't connect unless someone logs off. I'm
assuming that it's because of the five machine limitation. I have urged him
to invest in Windows 2000 or 2003 server. He's dragging his feet and I told
him I'd do a little research to try to find a temporary fix. Will XP Pro do
more than five machines?

 

[Chuck]

I have a customer who is using an XP Home machine as a file and ICS server.
His broadband connection goes from his cable modem to his ICS machine then a
switch then the workstations. Yeah, I know that's stupid and I aim to remedy
that.
He is an accountant and has a piece of Tax software installed on all his
workstations but the data is stored on his "file server". It worked fine
until he added a sixth machine. It can't connect unless someone logs off. I'm
assuming that it's because of the five machine limitation. I have urged him
to invest in Windows 2000 or 2003 server. He's dragging his feet and I told
him I'd do a little research to try to find a temporary fix. Will XP Pro do
more than five machines?

XP Pro will provide 10 simultaneous connections, as XP Home will provide 5. The
keyword is simultaneous connections, not computers. It is possible for 1
computer to use more than one connection.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/server-availability-affected-by.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/server-availability-affected-by.html