Setting up a home network

[thakoolaidkid]

I'm pretty tech savvy but I am having trouble setting up a home network in my house.

I have a total of three computers and one printer. Two are desktops that are connected by ethernet cable to the router and the laptop is running off wifi. When I go to do the Windows Network setup it seems to make me want to choose either hard wired or wireless and not a combination.

Does anyone know an easy way to network all these computers together so I can grab files off each machine and allow them all to use the printer? I can't figure it out and it's bugging the crap outta me.

 

[STAD]

What operating system are you using for each computer?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Can't help much except for this little gem that I experienced.

1.) For my wireless Laptop to print I had to have a router with a print server.

2.) Even with the print server I could not print wirelessly because the router was not bi-directional so, the laptop never registered that the printer was on-line.

Sucked. I had/have the US Robotics.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

All the computers are Windows XP SP 2. I am using a Netgear Wireless/Wired combination router and I have a 5 port switch available also.

 

[Blender]

For starters all computers need to be on the same network or workgroup. Go to system properties and ensure they all are the same for each computer. You will then need to select the folders or drives to share between the machines.

You can print from all the machines if you network the printer or through a print server. I don't have experience with a laptop printing through a print server though.

 

[scottthorn]

I set up static IP addresses for each device behind my router. Then on each computer I shared any folders I might want to access from another machine. On the other PCs I'd just map a drive to:
\\192.168.1.x\sharedfoldername
Voila!

I hook my printer up locally to one of the desktops, then share it out. To add the printer on another machine, just click Start> Run and type the IP address of the computer sharing the printer preceded by two back slashes: \\192.168.1.x
When you click OK, it will then show you everything that machine is sharing. Simply double-click on the printer and it will add it for you.

Works for me. No need to mess with Microsoft's "Wizards"... HTH

 

[thakoolaidkid]

I set up static IP addresses for each device behind my router. Then on each computer I shared any folders I might want to access from another machine. On the other PCs I'd just map a drive to:
\\192.168.1.x\sharedfoldername
Voila!

I hook my printer up locally to one of the desktops, then share it out. To add the printer on another machine, just click Start> Run and type the IP address of the computer sharing the printer preceded by two back slashes: \\192.168.1.x
When you click OK, it will then show you everything that machine is sharing. Simply double-click on the printer and it will add it for you.

Works for me. No need to mess with Microsoft's "Wizards"... HTH

I like avoiding Microsofts Wizards, but I completely forgot the password to my router. I need to find a way to recover that so I can move forward.

 

[jcdillin]

Personally I wouldn't use the wizard I would do it manually, here is how if you want to attempt it.

It's very easy to get what you want.

i'm assumg that you are able to access the internet on all the machines.

First off you'll need to do this on both computers involved.

Right Click on my computer and then go to properties

Click on the Computer Name Tab

Then click on the change button

You are going to want to name each computer a name that means something and is easy to remember, like LivingRoom, Den, Kitchen it's important that it's easy to remember because sometimes that's how you will be accessing them. They have to all have different names or otherwise they will conflict!

After you give it a name then you want to type Home into the Workgroup box. You want to make sure the workgroup name is exactly the same on each computer, that's how it knows they are related and can see each other easier.

Once you have done this and they have all restarted then go to the computer that has the printer and right click on it then go to properties.

Click on the Sharing tab and then click on the button that says Share this printer
Click apply and then ok

after you do that go to one of the other machines

go to start then run and type in \\TheNameOftheComputerWithThePrinter
just type in whatever name you gave the computer in the first set of steps

You should have a window that will pop up and say the name of the computer and you should see a printer listed there. Just right click on the printer and click connect. A little flashlight will search for a few seconds and then the printer will be connected.

Just repeat that for the other machines and your set.

We can attack file sharing after you complete that. Which actually is pretty much the same method.

 

[jcdillin]

I like avoiding Microsofts Wizards, but I completely forgot the password to my router. I need to find a way to recover that so I can move forward.

You don't need the router password to do file or printer sharing. Only if you need to change internet or wireless settings.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

You don't need the router password to do file or printer sharing. Only if you need to change internet or wireless settings.

I appreciate the advice. I'll give the above a shot when I get home from work and let you know how it turns out. I'll definitely be interested to know how to file share amongst the computers. But starting with the printer would be a big step. How do I make the laptop, which is on wifi, recognize the homegroup though?

 

[jcdillin]

As long as you change the workgroup name to be the same on all 3 it doesnt matter if they are wired or wireless they will all show up on the network. Think of the Wifi as a cordless phone, it's just extending the phone line, it still goes to the same place in the end.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

After you give it a name then you want to type Home into the Workgroup box. You want to make sure the workgroup name is exactly the same on each computer, that's how it knows they are related and can see each other easier.

Just to be sure before I start the process, where would I find the workgroup section? Is it in the same location as renaming the computers?

 

[scottthorn]

Just to be sure before I start the process, where would I find the workgroup section? Is it in the same location as renaming the computers?

Correct:

Right-click My Computer
Select Properties
Go to the Computer Name tab
Click Change
The Workgroup field will be on the bottom of the 'Computer Name Changes' window that opens.
You'll need to reboot after joining.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

Correct:

Right-click My Computer
Select Properties
Go to the Computer Name tab
Click Change
The Workgroup field will be on the bottom of the 'Computer Name Changes' window that opens.
You'll need to reboot after joining.

Awesome, I appreciate it. Any idea how I would go about file sharing? Or is it pretty much just \\Kitchen and then you choose folders from there?

 

[thakoolaidkid]

Getting the same problem as always: "\\FAMILYROOM The network path was not found." Any ideas? These are all XP Home SP2 machines, one wifi, two wired.

 

[scottthorn]

Getting the same problem as always: "\\FAMILYROOM The network path was not found." Any ideas? These are all XP Home SP2 machines, one wifi, two wired.

Assuming you have a PC named "Familyroom", and it's on the same network, and everyone's part of the same group and sharing, that shouldn't be an issue.

The problem could be that your one PC isn't recognizing the other by name. What I did at home, as mentioned above, is to connect them to each other by IP address instead of computer name. IP is easier for the machine (but harder for humans) than going by name.

You can find out your IP address like this:
Click Start, then Run.
In the window type: cmd and click OK.
The black 'DOS' window will open up. Type: ipconfig and hit Enter.
It will then display your current IP address.

Now go back to the Run window (or drive mapping screen - wherever you're typing in \\Familyroom) and try typing the IP address of Familyroom after the two backslashes, example: \\192.168.1.x

I'm guessing that will connect successfully.


Probably more info than you need to know:
It's rare that I have to re-do any drive mappings so I just leave them by IP and don't mess with the names. Note that I use static IP addresses that I have manually entered into each computer. If you use DHCP (where the router dynamically assigns addresses for you), there is a chance the IP address of one or more of your computers could change and break your mappings. This is easily avoided by using static addresses, however DHCP is easy and static requires a tiny bit of work. Just mentioning it...

 

[Blender]

If you can see the computers in your network now that they are all the same workgroup then it is easy to share the files.

Right click on any drive or folder and select Sharing and Security. Select share this folder on the network and supply a name in the box below.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

Now go back to the Run window (or drive mapping screen - wherever you're typing in \\Familyroom) and try typing the IP address of Familyroom after the two backslashes, example: \\192.168.1.x

I tried that too. Did the ipconfig last night and got each machine and tried a diff one on each. Got the same thing "\\19.xxx.xxx.x Path not found." The weird thing is I went to Manage Networks under McAfee thinking the firewall was blocking it but it was allowing it. It showed all three computers, with their new names and said they were active. But I still can't connect, I can't figure it out.

And the Sharing tabs are hard as hell to find. These are all Windows XP Home Edition machines, they don't advertise the Sharing ability as easily as XP Pro.

Any ideas? I appreciate the help.

 

[jcdillin]

if you can't connect to each machine even by IP address then that means that the firewall is still somehow active. I've had that problem many times.

Best thing I can tell you is to see if there is any way you can completely disable the mcafee firewall and then from that point make sure the windows firewall doesnt come on after the mcafee is disabled.

the other test you can do is from each machine go to start and then run then type cmd and press enter.

then type ping 192.168.1.1 or whatever the IP is of one of other computers and see if you get any responses, if you don't then the firewall is still blocking, if you do get them then we need to explore different options.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

if you can't connect to each machine even by IP address then that means that the firewall is still somehow active. I've had that problem many times.

Best thing I can tell you is to see if there is any way you can completely disable the mcafee firewall and then from that point make sure the windows firewall doesnt come on after the mcafee is disabled.

the other test you can do is from each machine go to start and then run then type cmd and press enter.

then type ping 192.168.1.1 or whatever the IP is of one of other computers and see if you get any responses, if you don't then the firewall is still blocking, if you do get them then we need to explore different options.

Thanks a lot for the help. I'll give pinging a shot when I get home and let you know how it works out.

 

[jcdillin]

Oh yeah and one other thing, unless you have each machine with a static IP don't use the ip address to share things because what'll happen is in a weeks time the computers will get new addresses and all of a sudden the printers will stop printing and the file sharing will stop working. That's why I always try to use the name when setting up a home network.

 

[Chriso]

I didn't see this mentioned, so I'll throw it in:

Certain brand Wireless Routers try too hard to segregate the traffic, and in doing so, they tend to make Wireless one network, and Wired another network. Even though they usually share the same IP range and use the same subnet, certain devices implement a weird kind of pseudo-firewall between the two zones, rendering some file sharing impossible.

We had problems with this on my old Linksys - I could play local network games (Warcraft) exclusively over Wireless (all clients connected via WiFi, nothing else), and I could play them exclusively over Wired, but I couldn't play someone who was connected Wired when I was on Wireless.

We wound up using a 4 port router in the middle of the living room with some 50ft cables to hook up all the computers for gaming. No web access while gaming, but hey, that just means your friends will actually play the game, and not just surf porn when you're in the other room.


Sorry I can't help much with the rest of the issues - I don't believe in printer sharing, I just use IP printing instead.

Also: You're going to be somewhat limited in how much you can do, by the fact all the machines are XP Home. It's a piece of crap, I won't touch it, they took too many of my power tools out. It's like trying to run in the Olympics while training for a Cake Eating Competition at the same time.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

Chriso - thanks for the advice. I have a 5 port switch that I think I am going to try adding to the router and running the wired devices off that, but again that wont help the wifi laptop. I am only trying to share a printer and maybe gain access to My Documents to move things from computer to computer.

This has always been an issue for me with these machines but I am determined to network them.