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LAN knowledge help

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by windranger

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Hello good people

Yeah, me too I've got a tiny home LAN, consisting of 2 computers (one Win2000 and one WinXP) and a router between them, which connects to the Internet.
Neither of the PCs have installed a Microsoft Server software or anything.
I configured the LAN manually - I think correctly, because any of the PCs can ping the router or the other PC and get a correct response.
So both PCs have static IPs, respectively 192.168.1.50 and 192.168.1.51
Now I'm confused about the practical, efective use of the LAN and the configuration from this point forward!
What I want is that I can transfer files from any PC to the other PC through the network (namely filesharing) easily (drag and drop if possible), and maybe control running progams on a PC from the other PC.

So I here are my questions.

1). In case of using just Windows' tools, what are the steps to follow next in ordrer to accomplish the goal?
And what is the application that allows me use to really see the other computer and transfer files between computers?
(What I did so far is enablig file sharing in My Computer->Properties->View, but I don't know what's next)
It seems both PCs must be servers and hosts in the same time, so a server must be installed, right...?

2). I understood that Remote Admin works only for hosts on same physical segment, so in this case it's no good because there are two segments. Is this correct?

3). Is there any advantage if these Windows built-in tools are used, instead of applications like LAN Find, RealVNC or others? (I'd prefer to try both and then choose)

4). In case of using non-Windows tools, do I need to follow the same steps? If not, what are the minimum general necessary settings? And do such tools have any advantage?
(Like, such applications say there is no need of acting as server, so one naturally thinsk they are simpler and better.)

Thanks a lot!

4 replies

by hal 9000

How to perform the LAN Setup.

Start the XP machine and open the Control Panel Click on Show Classic View and then click on the Network Setup Icon and follow the prompts. Tell the computer that it connects directly to the Internet and that other machines connect through it and then enable File & Printer Sharing and when you get to the Workgroup create a unique Workgroup Name so it's harder to crack the system if someone breaks in. When this is finished you'll be prompted to make a floppy and I suggest that you make this and then feed it to the other computer running Y2k and run the exe on the floppy and do as you are told. This generally involves a restart and then it will run the XP Network Setup Wizard and do exactly the same on this machine as you did on the other as they are both connected directly to the router they both need to think that they connect directly to the Internet and that other networked machines connect through them. Then enable File & Printer sharing and when you get to the workgroup name use the same name here that you used on the first machine and follow the prompts which generally means clicking on next till it's finished.

When this is finished you may be told to reboot again so do so and when this computer is running open the My Computer and then whatever drive you wish to share and then right click on the folder/s that you wish to share and on the drop down menu select Share, then on the next screen select yes I know about security issues involved in sharing and then select what you wish to happen weather it be read only, complete access with overwriting privileges and here you can add a password if you like. Then click on finish wait for the system to do it's thing and then go to the other computer and do exactly the same thing.

I advise you not to share the entire Boot Drive as that gives someone the ability to destroy a Windows Install so it's better to share folders on the Boot Drive and not the entire Drive. If you have more than 1 HDD in these computers you can share the entire non boot drive without a problem. You can at this stage also open the printer Panel and share the printer/s in the same way though you'll need to install the software on the machine that the printer isn't connected to and tell the unit that you are connecting a Network Printer and then click on Browse to find the correct path to the printer and click on the printer to add it to the box then continue till that printer is installed. If you have more than one printer connected you can do this for each printer if you wish to share them all.

As for Drag & Drop yes this is possible but not desirable as if something goes wrong you'll loose the data so if you need to move data from one computer to another it's better to copy it across and then when you are sure that nothing has gone wrong then delete it from the original computer.

I think that about covers all your questions as you don't need a server and a client in a workgroup you can have all clients which have the ability to share data between the two systems.

Col

by windranger

Using Network Setup Wizard and making a setup floppy was my first option.
However, for reasons I don't understand, Windows 2000 does NOT want to run the executable setup file on the floppy, made in XP. So that's why I prefer a more "manual" method if there exists one.

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