Domain / Workgroup problems - I need YOUR advice

[toddmanqa]

Hi,

I have a home network with a desktop PC and a Macintosh and am trying to access the Desktop PC's files from a wireless laptop (setup: internet to cable modem to wireless router, hardwire CAT5 from router to Macintosh, wireless to desktop pc, wireless to laptop)

I can't see the desktop PC or Macintosh from the wireless laptop because my laptop is a work machine and it's on a domain. I can't switch to the home workgroup either (I tried and my companies tech support had to use the Administrator account to re-add me to the domain).

I really just want to move files from the desktop PC to the wireless laptop and vice versa.

Some options I know about:

1. Direct connection via crossover cable (but defeats wireless concept)

Some options I don't know enough about:

2. Installing a DNS or WINS server to handle addressing.

If I do #2, will this solve my workgroup/domain issue and allow me access the desktop PC from the wireless router?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

Todd

 

[JohnWill]

If you want to do it the easy way, connect a wire. You REALLY don't want to install a WINS server.

You might try something like NetSwitcher to have multiple configurations.

 

[skinnywhiteboy]

Well if you're already on a domain using Active Directory, DNS should have installed and configured itself for you. The only time you really need a WINS server in an Active Directory environment is if you're going to be using any kind of remote access services on your network, such as a VPN. The reason why WINS is useful in this case is because you won't have to alter the host file on every client machine that connects to the remote network. You just make the appropriate entries in your LMHOST file and import it into the WINS database. By doing this, you should have full name resolution over the VPN.