set up a network-wired pc with wireless laptop

Hi all. Hope Im posting in the right bit.

Here goes........

By some miracle I have managed to connect my laptop to a wireless router (Linskys wireless G broadband router WRT54GL) and can access the internet. I would love to be able to set up a network with my wired PC ( connected to the router through my cable modem and an ethernet cable - I think). The thing is my pc is running XP home and my laptop Vista and I am now so confused I think my head may actually implode. I have no idea what I am doing or indeed if the the thing I have no idea about is even possible.

Pleeeeeeeeeease help.:cry

 

Not quite sure what you exactly mean, so I hope this helps...

The differing OS's shouldn't make any difference, as long as you haven't messed with any network settings on the XP Home PC you should just be able to connect it to the router with an ethernet cable and, providing the ethernet port is enabled, you should now have the internet on that machine too.

To access any shared folders on either PC, ideally both PC's should have a unique name and be in the same Workgroup (or domain). To check this:

On both PC's [Right Click] My Computer > Properties > Computer Name [tab]

There you will see three things:

• Computer Description
• Computer Name
• Workgroup

If both computers have unique names and have the same Workgroup (defaut is usually "mshome") you can leave them as they are and you should be able to access any shared folders on either PC from the other.

If, in the unlikely event, both PCs have the same name, or have different Workgroups, you can change them by clicking on the "Change" button and make any necessary adjustments there (you may be prompted to restart your computer after making any changes).

Hopefully now you will have internet on both machines and access to shared folders on each.

Hope that helps

Shades

 

Hi, thanks for helping me out.

I have an internet connection on the PC, the problem, as you correctly surmised from my rubbish description, is that I can't share folders. I had already tried your suggestion, the laptop could see the PC but not the other way round and I didn't seem to be able to access any folders, unless of course I was doing it wrong, which is likely. I shall check the settings and try again.

Thanks again.

 

Well, I tried it all again and I can't get it to work. The wireless vista keeps telling me "mainpc" (which is what I have named the wired xp) is not a valid host name, whatever that means. The xp pc keeps telling me "the work group is not accessible, I may not have permission to use this network resource, blah, blah, the list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available", whatever that means and it's fairly likely I soon will be launching them both out of the nearest window.

Is there something glaringly obvious that I have stupidly missed?

Phew, I think I'll go have a nice cup of tea and calm down and yes that is a euphemism.

I'd be really grateful for some help.

Please.

 

Work your way through this guide then come back if you still have problems.

 

So the laptop can see the PC (shared files) but not the other way round.

Have you tried typing "\\<Your Laptops Name>" into any Windows Explorer address bar on the laptop and the PC? What happens?

On both computers we need to check you have a few things running.
Go to The Network Connections folder, right click on the icon for your network connection and select Properties.

At a minumum to use file sharing you should have in the "This connection uses the following items:" box...

• Client for Microsoft Networks
• File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks

If you have just one or neither of these you need to install them. Now, I've never had the need to do this myself so you will just have to click on the install button and see what happens. In the "Select Network Componant" window Client for Microsoft Networks should available after clicking on "Clients" and File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks should come under "Services". Windows may complain (well, it does on my machine, but they are already installed anyway) that it can't find drivers for the machine so I'm going to guess you may need the Windows install disc. Perhaps someone else can clear this up?

Anyways, presuming you have both of the above listed items (and they are ticked!) we can move on to checking something else...

[Click] Start > Run > [then type] services.msc

Now check the following items have been "started":

• Computer Browser
• Network Location Awareness
• Server
• Clients

Ensure they are all started and then go back to an Explorer Window. Once again type "\\<your laptops name>" into the address bar and tell me what happens.

Hope this helps!

Shades

 

Right then............
Thank you satrow, I went through the guide but I think everything is ok there.

Shades, I did everything you said and a couple of things were't quite right.

First of all I turned off Comodo firewall and used Windows firewall instead and suddenly my PC could see my laptop. So my firewall settings are wrong and I don't know how to fix that.

Secondly, when I looked at windows services on my PC the computer browser was disabled. when I tried to start it I got a message saying "the computer browser service started and then stopped - some services stop automatically if the have no work to do". I tried both automatic and manual, rebooted, no joy. Checked both components that service depends on and they are both started/enabled.

As for "client", I have DHCP client and DNS client (no idea what they are) both started. No problems with any of this on the laptop.

When I type the PC name into the laptop It still says "cannot find........check the spelling" which I have several times.

When I type the Laptop name into the PC it finds it and then when I try to open it I get a username and password box. I set an administrator password on the laptop but it didn't work. I found a youtube video explaining how to get around this but I can't find "Local user and groups" in Computer Management to change the settings.

So there you are, getting somewhere at least! Just not all the way,

 

Hi murphatoid,

Unfortunately I've got to go to work now but I'll have a little think about this and get back to you later.

Shades

 

Okay thanks Shades.