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Wired+Wireless Home Network

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by vlambo2003

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I have a Windows XP SP-2 PC connected to a Westell 327W "Gateway" for Verizon DSL ISP. The connection is wired Ethernet. Recently I added a Windows Vista Home Premium SP-1 laptop and a printer, connecting them to the (updated firmware) 327W via wireless network. WEP encryption and key are employed.

Both PC's function very well for web browsing, etc. Now I'd like to share files between the two PC's. Also, I'd like to share the wireless printer. I'm not sure how to approach this phase of network growth. What is the step-by-step to achieve those objectives? Thanks in advance, everyone.

7 replies

by vlambo2003

I followed the paths thru the MS Help texts and I found it to be very helpful, and for me, quite illuminating. Thanks very much for your time and helpfulness.

by vlambo2003

The URL's are very helpful. But I need to grasp some basics.
In the XP I thought the Wired link to the Gateway made a home network. Yet I felt a need to do a Network Setup Wizard exercise to name my Work Group, etc. and provide a peer-to-peer path for the home network. Did it.
Then I set up a couple of shared folders. They appear as shared on the My Computer display, so I feel confident that once the Vista Laptop is properly set up it will "see" the shared folders defined on the XP PC.
If I don't need the results of the Network Setup Wizard exercise, how do I remove it?
Next I need to do something on the Vista Laptop (wireless) to enable file sharing in both directions.
Do I need to run the Network Setup Wizard on the Vista Laptop? Or, do I simply proceed to carry out the file and printer sharing steps?
As you can see, I don't understand everything I know about home networking!!

by skdtech

Go into the router configuration and ensure that the wireless and wired sides of the network are allowed to communicate.

One of the easiest ways to enable sharing is to ensure that your user account is present on both computers under the same user name and password.

Strongly advise you switch your network to WPA or stronger encryption if supported by your equipment.

Edit: Also go into the Network and Sharing Center on your Vista machine and make sure the network is designated as a private network.

by vlambo2003

On the XP PC it appears that sharing files across a home network which is connected to the internet is unadvisable. I infer that the necessity of disabling the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) (to support the home network sharing) weakens the internet security safeguards and opens the home network to attack. I suppose that means files must be hand-carried between PC's. Oh darn!

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