HELP on setting up an XP network for wireless and non-wireless computers together...

[blackavant]

Hey everyone,

Does anyone happen to know how to successfully create a network in Windows XP Pro for a wireless laptop and for an Ethernet-hooked-up (non-wireless) computer. I'm trying to printer and file share the two together BUT I've exhausted myself in trying to make it happen. Has anyone successfully done this? Am I missing something? Perhaps hardware?

I would truly appreciate any help or advice.

Thanks all!

 

[Old Rich]

I do this all the time . . be sure you have file and printer shareing turned on and if you have a firewall, that it is set to allow sharing within the local network. Have you run the "Set up a Home or Small Office Network" wizard within My Network Places?

This is a good troubleshooting guide . . as is this http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_21014637.html

9 times out of 10, this problem is related to a firewall on one or both pc's

wrs

edit: . . actually the second link may be more helpfull than the first.

 

[blackavant]

Are you referring to the Windows XP firewall or the Linksys firewall? Or both?

Thanks for the help again.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

The basics for troubleshooting are:

1. Make sure you have the same IP scheme (e.g. 192.168.0.x).

2. Make sure you have the same Subnet Mask, Gateway, and DNS IP addresses.

3. Make sure you can ping the other computer's IP address. If this fails, just for testing, make sure you turn off XP's as well as any other firewall.

4. Make sure you can ping the other computers by name.

5. Make sure you have the same workgroup name (watch for trailing spaces)

6. For troubleshooting purposes, turn off XP's and completely uninstall any other firewall software. You can always add more complexity after you get it working.

7. With XP, make sure you have the same username and password as the person logging onto the other computers. The default setting for XP Pro is to require a password for network access.

8. More details about how to network XP can be found at:
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_network.htm

9. More details about how to troubleshoot TCP/IP networks can be found at:
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/trouble.htm

10. Apply the registry edit to fix the browsing delay from XP to Win9x computers
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/windowsxp_tips.htm#browsing_delay.

There continues to be a lot of misinformation about needing NetBEUI or to changing the NetBIOS setting. You can ignore both. Installing NetBEUI to solve a networking problem will just mask a some underlying and potentially important misconfiguration with TCP/IP. The default NetBIOS setting works fine so there is no need to change that either.

 

[iOXeR]

I think you mean this, right? Desktop><Laptop (Connecting the Laptop and . the Desktop)

If you want to do this, you're going to have to either hook the two up by ethernet or wirelessly. If you go wirelessly, you'll need a wireless network card for your desktop. If you want to go by ethernet, you'll need to make sure the laptop has an ethernet port.(Which I believe you said it didn't) If this is what you mean, I think I can help you.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

blackavant,

With a simple wireless router, you can easily have both your wireless and wired computers connecting to each other. In addition to supporting wireless cards, most if these have 4 Ethernet ports as well.

So if each has some sort of network card, all you need to do is purchase the router. The cost isn't the much these days.

In addition, in case you get high-speed Internet access at some point, you can then share this as well.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

blackavant,

The router solution was offered as an alternative to iOXeR's previous solution of getting either a wireless card for the desktop or a Ethernet card for the laptop (this last one would require a crossover cable).

It just depends on what your current or future requirements might be.

 

[blackavant]

I was able to get my pc to access the files on my laptop (wirelessly), however, I'm not able to get my laptop to access my pc. Obviously the firewall on the pc is the problem. My concern is, if I turn off the firewall on my PC, will my Linksys router's firewall be enough?

 

[Old Rich]

yes . . at least long enough to work out the issues . . have you run the "set up a Home Network" on the laptop?

wrs

 

[Bob Cerelli]

blackavant

That is why I suggest turning off or removing any firewall software until you get it working. Give it a try and see what happens. If it starts working, then you know the exact source of the problem.

What service pack do you have installed on the XP computer. Typically it is a bit more difficult to get a LAN working with SP1 without opening up certain ports on the firewall.

If one computer can access the other, then you already have a lot going for you and likely most of the networking is configured correctly.

 

[blackavant]

Hey guys,

I do have the wizard setup done for both (I couldn't tell yah how many times too). My Lan PC has SP2 installed and I'm not having the easiest time turning off the firewall on it. It sais its turned off through the Local Areas connection, but it doesn't show it on when I access it through Security Centre (through Control Panel).

I'm a little worried about the security issue. If I keep both Windows firewalls off, will the Linksys firewall be enough?

 

[Bob Cerelli]

What makes you think the problem was with the firewall?

Did you successfully do all the troubleshooting steps on both computers (especially 1-7)

What error messages do you get when you try to get your laptop to access the pc

 

[blackavant]

Hi Bob,

I've let both obtain an IP address automatically. Should I assign an IP address, subnet mask and a default gateway?

7. With XP, make sure you have the same username and password as the person logging onto the other computers. The default setting for XP Pro is to require a password for network access.

*are you referring to OS password? Both computers should have the same passwords?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

If you are getting correct IP information and can do steps 1-4 then I would just stick with DHCP.

But again, what error messages do you get when you try to get your laptop to access the pc?

 

[blackavant]

Hi Bob,

Steps 1-4 is good. I can ping each other. The error message is:

jcomputer is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. Access is denied.