Wireless Home network help needed

i have a Dv4000 laptop and a hp pavilion pc they both running xp home.

both are connected wirelessly to a wireless belkin router.

is there a way i can connect the two pc's to each other so i can share files/printer. i tried running the network wizard but i didnt get anywhere.

1st of all is it possible to do so?

2nd can i use the printer which is connected to the downstairs pc through the wireless network.

any help/guide would be much appritiated.

thanx in advanced.

 

Yes...the easiest way is going to be to shut off windows firewall. Then go to Control panel and setup the home network...name it whatever.

Do the same thing on all the other computers. You should then be able to go to the my network places and connect to the other computers.

To share files and printers all you have to do is right-click on them and click on the sharing tab and enable the sharing. Then you should be able to find it through the network on the other computers and map to it.

 

thanx for your help but now all i can see in my network places is my own pc not the other...any ideas?

 

While you are in My Network Places...go to View on the top of the window and click folders. In there should be my network places...click the plus sign.

You should get an option for Entire Network. Click that...it should say Microsoft Network...click that. You should be able to see the other computers. Remember if Windows firewall is active you might have problems clicking into the other computers.

Let me know if this works...I am not at home so I am trying to explain from memory.

 

no i tried that there are no other comps i cannot see anything,
also now when im trying to "View workgroup comps" i get a error saying "mshome is not accessible...you might not have permissions!............"

any idea how to resolve that

is it possible that because both of the comps are wireless theres no wires connected that it might not work as a normal network would? or is that ok?

 

I have found a guide on how to share the files found here:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/filesharing.htm

This website has alot of helpful links:

http://groups.google.com/group/micr...Windows+Xp+Home&rnum=1&hl=en#5b70520a1b96226c

When Nick gets on he will be able to help you more.

 

As my guide states - have you done the following?

Let me know if you have done all this

 

yup i read your guide and pretty much tried the basics
could it be because im on xp home? and also its totally wireless without any wires attached? could that be a prob?

i cannot seem to click on "view workgroup computers" it doesnt respond says its not accessible

 

any ideas?

does it make a difference because both pc's are connected wirelessly to a wireless router?? or do i need to delete the internet sharing which is on currently through the router?

 

Bizare

So lets see if it we can narrow down to a browser issue (not internet browser but a LAN/WAN network browser ) or a Networking issue

You have done all the suggestions above ? (exspecially any Firewalls running)

Both machines are patched up with the latest Micorsoft Patch sets ?

Both machines can access the internet no problem ? (confirm TCP/IP is ok)

I am unfamilair with Berklin Routers but just to make sure go to the administration page and see if there is anything that would prevent sharing files or home network

When you set up a workgroup - you used the same workgroup name for both machines ?

What are the ip addresses of both machines ?

Can you ping the other machine ? From a commnad prompt from machine one type in ping ip_address of machine 2

Are the accounts you are using (the machine logon accounts the same ?)

If you can ping the machines is the Guest account inactive ? Might try enabling just to see if you see the machine names

Wireless will work fine with home networking - I have 5 computers - 3 of which are wireless and am able to see all machines and share files/ printers

 

from all of the above ive not tried pinging how do i find the ip address of both.

and also the pc has a logon password etc (user account) but my laptop dont have one and they both under the same workgroup but different name of pc? would that be a prob? do i need to create a user account too? if so then same passwords too?

 

Double Click your wireless icon in the systray (lower right hand corner of your machine)
Go to the Support Tab
Here you will see the IP Address

If you can't see that - go to a command prompt and type in :
ipconfig /all | more (you wil be looking for the Wireless Netwrok Ad ) example below for me my IP Address is 192.168.1.205

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR5006XS Wireless Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.205
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2

Do this for both machines that will give you the IP address. Then from computer 1 , go to a command prompt and type in ping ip_address_of_computer2 eg: For me I know one of my computers is 192.168.1.200 so

C:\ ping 192.168.1.200

Pinging 192.168.1.200 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.200: bytes=32 time=102ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.200: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.200: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.200: bytes=32 time=116ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.200:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 116ms, Average = 55ms

If yours looks like mine then at least each computer can see each other and half the battle is won !

Having different computer names is ok actually a good thing
The computer that does not require a logon likely has an autologon - so if the accounts are different then yes , you either need to enable the guest account or create the same logon on both machines - they can be different passwords if you like (I think this is true I am not a network expert - others may chime in here)

Kudos for trying - networking can be frustrating -if you have a techy friend / relative it may be easier for them to trouble shoot - otherwise keep posting

Good Luck

 

just a point, if you don't know how to open a command prompt. Press the windows and R keys at the same time, and then in the run dialog box type "cmd" then hit ok.

just to clear things up. there should be absolutely no problem with both computers being connected wirelessly. there should be none of the "windows internet connection sharing" enabled on either computer. if that sounds confusing, it's probably a good thing, because you probably don't have it on in that case.

one thing that is probably giving you a problem is that the one computer does not have a passworded login. probably the easiest way to get things fixed is simply put a password on the one computer.

 

thanx for the replies guys its much appritiated,

first of all i tried the ping thing and i didnt respond with the pc downstairs.

and 2nd the downstairs pc has a passworded logon but my laptop doesnt have it its just auto login.

how do i sort out the ping thing with downstairs pc now?

and my ip addresses are like these...

192.168.2.1 - router

xxx.xxx.x.2 - laptop

xxx.xxx.x.3 - pc

is that corect?

 

hey guys just want to say thank you all loads for all the help and tips/suggestions i finally managed to get it working after fiddling with all the settings over and over again

now one more questions is it possible to view the 2nd pc's desktop or take control of it through the laptop? if so then how?

if it helps then both the comps are running win xp home

thanx all of you again!

 

Good job - Windows XP has a built in Remote Control software http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/remoteintro.mspx or you can try TightVNC (it is free as well) http://www.tightvnc.com/

Have Fun

 

thanx once again your a life saver.

finally got it working now and also worked out how to use remote assistant ..is there anything else that i need to know? i.e about network security. ive switched my firewall back on and also router has built in firewall and both pc are running anti virus softwares!

anything else i can do with networked pcs? like the remote assistant

thanx

 

What security do you have set for your network currently?

 

do you mean for the wireless router? i think its 64bit WEP?

 

How many people are around/near your house?

(As in Homes)

Nick

 

errrm on the road that my house is on has approx 50 or so houses in one line?
it only detects one other connection besides mines which is insecure...

 

Alright, security might not be a isssue but it would be good to have.

Look into trying to disable SSID Broadcast, so people that don't know the name of your network, can't connect.

Try also to Enable MAC filtering. Go into your router settings by typing 192.168.1.100 as you would type in a website address. (In IE, FF, etc.)

Enter your routers password, if you don't have one then just hit enter. These options should be in there somewhere, just look around. (Can't help you much with that, since all routers are different).

Ask anything you are unsure about in the settings, or if you just want to know what it means!

Nick

 

yup ive already got mac filtering and disabled SSID Broadcast

thanx nick