Wireless Access Ethernet W2K Server

I have been searching and not found how to do this. We have a small ethernet LAN in our office with the dedicated server running Windows 2000 Server with a 16 port hub. We have a Linksys Router that our DSL modem plugs into and the Linksys plugs into our HUB. All the hardwired PC's lines run to this HUB. All hardwired computers run Win XP Pro.

We have one laptop that we want to be able to connect wirelessly to the server. We have a D-Link Wireless Router plugged into an unused port on the HUB (the DSL Modem and Linksys do not have any available ports). The Laptop connects to the wireless connection perfectly and can access the internet with no problem. We set up all the security correctly as well.

What we CANNOT do, is get access to the server hard drive. How do we get the Laptop to LOGIN or even just see the server hard drive? When the hardwired workstations start up, they get the LOGIN in prompt for user ID and password. The Laptop is just booting up normal and sees the wireless connection. It never gets a prompt to login to the server and we cannot see it in Network places.

We do not want to hardwire the laptop as we use this in our conference room to access client files and it is moved around alot.

Thanks and sorry if this has been addressed, I am still searching but had not found the answer.

David

 

Do you have DHCP enabled on the router? If IP addresses are issued from your server, then disable DHCP on the router. Chances are it's picking up the IP info from the router and not the server, and not getting all the relevant information it needs to access your files across the LAN.

 

I am somewhat familiar with the IP address, but not sure which router you are referring to...the D-Link Wireless Router (currently plugged into the 16 port hub) or the Linksys hardwired router where my DSL modem plugs into and then out of the Linksys the ethernet cable plugs into my 16 port hub?

I know that each work station has a specific IP address. The desktop I am on is 192.168.1.10. Each hardwired workstation has the same with the last two digits different. I set the laptop up the same way with its last two digits to 15.

However, I think that IP address is part of the properties of the Ethernet card that is in the Laptop itself. Is there something in the Laptop that functions like the Ethernet card hardware that I put the IP address in?

Going to see if I can figure it out with the information you gave me so far. Pardon my inexperience with this, first time with wireless experience.

David

 

I just checked the hardwire linksys router and unchecked the dchp but it did not change anything.

I looked at the wireless router (D-Link) and there are settings for LAN and WAN. Not sure if somewhere in there I could make a change.

 

If you connect the router this way, you'll be able to connect.

Configure the IP address of the wireless router to be in the same subnet as the server but out of the range of the DHCP server in the server. For instance DHCP server addresses 192.168.0.2 through 192.168.0.100, I'd assign the router 192.168.0.254 as it's IP address.

Disable the DHCP server in the secondary router.

Setup the wireless section just the way you are currently.

Connect the router's LAN port to one of the ports on your hub, use a crossover cable or the uplink port on one end.

IMPORTANT: Leave the WAN port unconnected!

 

John I had the Wireless router ethernet cable plugged into the WAN on the wireless router and going to an open slot on the hub.

Are you saying take it out of the WAN and put it in one of the other 4 available?

I am checking the other things you advised now.

Thanks.
David

 

Should I have the LAPTOP in the Wireless Network Connection set with defined IP Addresses like the wired workstations? Currently it is not defined.

 

I think I got it guys. I set up my IP Address, gateway, dns etc on the wireless adapter. I had it set on the built in hardwire ethernet card. Once I did that I see my server hard drive. Should I go re-enable the DHCP on the Linksys hardwired router? It was enabled before I started all this.

thanks

 

Congrats. You should think about setting up DHCP on your Win2K Server. The DHCP options on a server are much more extensive. If you do it that way, any computer that plugs into your network (wireless or not) will get all the correct IP info. And you won't have to configure every single machine statically.

 

Yes, if you just configure the router the way I described, you should be able to connect. You're really not using the routing capability, just the switch and the wireless function of the router. The WAN port is where the problems connecting between the network segments is created.