Wireless/networking question...

RicardoSmith

I've my desktop with a wired connection to my wireless router and my laptop connects via wireless. The router is connected to the NTL modem. Neither machine has a problem connecting to the web, but they can't see each other. What do I need to do. If I share a folder on either machine they can't see the share on the other one. They can't even see the other machine.

PhoenixRising

Just go to 'My Network Places', and follow the wizard to set up a home network. What you have to do is create a 'workgroup' and add both computers to it. Then you should be able to see any shared folders on both computers provided they're powered on.

Edit: Assuming you're using XP that is. I presume it's similar for other MS OS's.

RicardoSmith

Sorry yes its XP Pro on one machine and XP home on the other. Would that be the problem?

PhoenixRising

No there should be no problem setting it up on 2 XP machines. Try using the home network wizard to set up a simple home network. Do that on each machine and give them the same 'Workgroup' name as you work through the wizard on each machine. Then go to 'My Network Places' and click on 'View workgroup computers' and both computers should be listed. Basically you need to get the two computers in the same workgroup for them to be able to share files with each other. By the way I know very little about networking, it's just that I have an identical setup to you and this is how I did it.

pclancy

make sure the network connection has the firewall disabled as well tho i think the wizard does that for u.

PhoenixRising

pclancy wrote:

make sure the network connection has the firewall disabled as well tho i think the wizard does that for u.

Yeah that's another thing which could be the problem. You can have the Windows firewall on, just make sure 'Don't allow exceptions' is NOT ticked in the firewall settings.

SouperComputer

TBH, computers not appearing is very common on home networks with few clients. The follwing steps will help make things more reliable.


If you have run the "network setup wizard" on both machines, there is no need to touch the firewall. For the laugh, run this again on both machies if unsure.

Use the master browser toolkit (attached), follow the insturctions inside & elect the "server" machine as the master browser. An ideal addtion to this would be to set the "server" machine with a static IP address

you dont really need the computers on the same workgroup, but somtimes it helps.

type ipconfig at the command prompt on the "server" machine, this will give you the ipaddress for this machine.

on the Client, open internet explorer, type: \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where x is the ipaddress of the "server" machine.

this will list the shares available on the machine, even if the workgroups are different.

You can right click the shared drive and select "map network drive" the rest is self-explantory. This means that you can acces the drive regardless of workgroup and have it set as a drive letter on the client machine


if you cant get a list of resources, then the problem is possibly DHCP or suchlike.

anyho, post back with your progress

Funkygreendogs

Do you know your wireless ip address? if not, click on start>run> type in cmd, press ok, now type ipconfig /all now look for 'Wireless Network Connection' or anything that says wireless, it will give you your wireless ip address, then, ensuring you have shared a folder on then machine you want to connect you (right-click, sharing...) then in explorer type \\ip_address\share_name and you should be able to connect

RicardoSmith

Ok once I used internet explorer, typed: \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx I got a prompt from Zone Alarm on the other machine. So I've added each respective IP to the other computer trusted domain. They can see each other now. Thanks guys.

What Authentication settings in the local area connection properties should I be using? Do I need file and printer sharing turned on or off?

Aswell as Zone Alarm, theres also a firewall on the router I'm using a Netgear WRT614 and I am using WPA on the wireless side.

SouperComputer

i was wondering if you had another firewall!


the router firewall is fine, it stands between your internet connection and your lan: wireless and wired, both sit behind it.

WEP will slow the network down a little as it consumes bandwidth, but it will only be noticable when transferring big files between machines. it wot affect your internet connection..

you can turn off file & PS on the machine that does not need to share any. IE it does not need to be switched on to access these resources on another machine.

you will need client for MS networks though