Networking Fundamentals, Part 3

[homecomputeraid]

Finally, Part 3!

In this tutorial, I'll cover sharing resources between a Windows 98 Computer, and a Windows XP Computer. I chose these Operating Systems, because if you have to network two or more Windows XP machines, you can just repeat the XP portion twice, and the same idea if you have two 98 machines.

So, you've read Networking Fundamentals Part 1

and Part 2, and you have your computers networked. Now what?

Well, in addition to your computers being able to get to the Internet, you can share resources like Printer's and Files between computers. How do you do that? So glad you asked! :)

Sharing Network Resources

To share windows resources, your computers must have network access to each other (this includes being in the same workgroup or domain), have a resource shared, and access must be granted to the shared resource.

Network Connectivity (Domain/Workgroup)

Your computers must be on the same LAN, or be connected by a Router that knows both networks, or be connected by a Virtual Private Network (VPN). I'll cover a LAN connection, since it's the most common configuration for home users. LAN Connectivity is covered in Part 1 and Part 2.

Once you have network connectivity, you'll have to make sure the computers are in the same Workgroup or Domain.

In a Microsoft environment, a Domain is used to connect computers that authenticate to a common Windows Server. Workgroups are used for home or peer-to-peer networking, so that will be my focus here.

Setting the Workgroup in Windows 98

Right click on network Neighborhood and click on Properties in the menu that comes up. In the Network window, click on the Identification tab.

In the Workgroup dialogue box, enter a name, and remember it, because you will have to make it the same on all PC's you want to be able to talk to each other. Click Ok, and the computer will reboot. That's it!

Setting the Workgroup in Windows XP

Right click My Computer and select Properties from the menu that opens. In the System Properties window, click the Computer Name tab.

In the Networking Computer Name tab click the Change button. In the Computer Name Change window click Workgroup, and change it to match the name on the Windows 98 machine.

Click Ok, then Ok again.

Good, now XP and 98 are in the same Workgoup.

Sharing Resources/Granting Access

Your computers are in the same Workgroup, now what? If you only have one printer, but you have multiple computers, or if you want to be able to share files between computers, do the following:

Windows 98 File and Printer Sharing

Right click on Network Neighborhood and select Properties.

In the Network window, click on the File and Print Sharing button. A File and Print Sharing window what opens, click to check the box next to I want to be able to give others access to my files, I want to allow others to access my printer(s), or both, depending on what you want to share.

Click Ok, and Ok. Your computer will reboot. If you chose to share files, you'll still to right click a file, and share it as follows. You can share your entire Hard Drive if you wish, but I recommend against it. In either case, I recommend adding a password, and I'll show you how:

Sharing files or printers

Double click My Computer, then double click on your C: Drive to see all of your folders. Right click on a folder you want to share, for example My Documents. Select Sharing... from the menu that comes up.

From the Sharing tab, select Shared As, and you can type a file name in the Share Name dialogue box.

Select an Access Type. Your choices are Read Only, Full, and Depends on Password. Read Only means people on other computers will only be able to read files in the shared directory. They cannot edit them or save to the folder. Full means they can open, and change files in the folder, or create and save them there. Depends on Password allows you to specify a password that allows users Read Only Access, and a different password for Full Access. Your choice depends on how much security you want on your files.

I strongly recommend setting some password protection even if you feel you don't need it. Some viruses attack network shares that aren't password protected.

Once you select a password, you'll be asked to confirm it:

After confirming it, click Ok, and that's it!

Printer sharing is similar, except that you right click the Printer you want to share instead of the folder. You can get to your printers by going to Start, Settings, and clicking on Printers.

Windows XP File and Printer Sharing

**Please note, I made this tutorial on an XP Professional system. If your screens are different, or if my procedures are innacurate for XP Home (they're slightly different), please reply to this post, or start a new post.

I believe File and Printer Sharing are on by default wit XP Home, so you can go straight to sharing a folder.

Double click My Computer (you may have to go to Start, then click on My Computer (if you want, you can right click on My Computer in the menu and select Show on Desktop)), then double click on your C: Drive to see all of your folders. Right click on a folder you want to share. Select Sharing and Security from the menu that comes up.

To check or change permissions, click the Permissions button on the Sharing tab of the folder Properties that opens up.

You'll see that the default is for all users to have Read Only permissions. This may be acceptable, but if you want to change the rights, you may do so. Click Ok and you're set.

For Windows XP, you may also have to permit traffic through your firewall (assuming you have XP Service Pack 2 installed, or have enabled the XP firewall).

Go to Start, Control Panel, and in Control Panel, double click Add or Remove Programs.

Click Add/Remove Windows Components on the left of the Add or Remove a Program window.

In the Windows Components Wizard, scroll down to Networking Services, high light it by clicking on it, then click the Details button.

In the Networking Services window that opens, click the box next to Peer-to-Peer, then click Ok, and Ok again. This should set your firewall to allow Peer-to-Peer networking. That's it! You're a Networking Guru now! :)

There may be a Part 4 on Wireless Networking, if it seems like there is enough interest. Please post your feedback!

Sincerely,

[homecomputeraid]

Attachments will be updated soon! :)

[homecomputeraid]

Graphics updated! Thanks for the help Powerless! :)

[scuzzman]

Bravo HCA - mind if I link these 3 tutorials?

[trackrat]

Great tutorial homecomputeraid :thumbup:

[homecomputeraid]

Scuzzman, please do, thanks! :)

Thanks for checking it out Trackrat!

Sincerely,

[glenglenn]

Great tutorial!

Question relating to the tutorial: What is the difference between the firewall being set to allow peer-to-peer networking and being set to allow the exception of file and printer sharing? These two seem to be by and large the same thing, and I never knew about this Windows Component that could be added. I have always just selected file and printer sharing on SP2 as an exception so that the firewall would not block network traffic. What am I adding with peer-to-peer networking, if you don't mind my asking?

Thanks,

Glen

[homecomputeraid]

Glenglenn,

I'm not sure what the difference is between the two settings. I would think peer-to-peer would let a few more things through than file and printer sharing, but I don't know what they'd be off hand. This would be better handled in a new post though.

Sincerely,

[sapins]

I have 2 computers, 1. has XP Home and 2. has 98SE.

I have set up a Netgear DG834GFS router connected by an Ethernet cable to the XP machine and a Netgear WG111FS adapter on the 98SE computer, I am now sharing a 2mb broadband connection. This alone has taken 3 weeks.

I have just worked my way through this tutorial and I have the following problems.

1. XP computer has nothing in My Network Places

2. There is no "permissions" button on sharing tab on folders

3. 98SE in Network Neighborhood has :- Entire Network/MSHOME/computer name with a capital letter then all small letters, the name on the actual computer is all capital letters, does this matter? plus an entry for the 98SE computer.

I have turned off the Windows firewall on XP and I am using Norton on both computers.

I have so far spent nearly a month trying to sort this out and this is my absolutely final attempt.

Forgot to mention. the Networking Wizard will not run on 98SE, either with the XP CD or the floppy I made with XP.

[D4\/!d]

Hello sapins, it looks like you and I are going through the same rigmarole. I know next to nothing about all this not working - I mean networking - lark.

However, I think the answer to number 2 is:

Go to Folder Options>View tab> scroll down to the last item, Use simple file sharing, and uncheck it.

Other than that - the best o' luck :rolleyes:

[sapins]

Hello sapins, it looks like you and I are going through the same rigmarole. I know next to nothing about all this not working - I mean networking - lark.

However, I think the answer to number 2 is:

Go to Folder Options>View tab> scroll down to the last item, Use simple file sharing, and uncheck it.

Other than that - the best o' luck :rolleyes:

Hi D4\/!d, there is no "Use simple file sharing :(

[D4\/!d]

Sorry ol' chap, I got the info from here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb

However, I now see you're on XP Home (I'm using Pro) :rolleyes:

[LATE EDIT]

If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, you must start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account that has Administrative rights to have access to the Security tab.

This might suit you more:

http://support.microsoft.com/default

[BikerDoug]

I have gone through all the set up and I can see the desk top computer on the remote wireless machine. When I brouse for a printer the computer and the network show up but no usb printers. Do I have to do something more.

[homecomputeraid]

Doug,

It's best of you post your question as a new topic. Make sure the printer is shared.

Right click on the Printer and select sharing. Make sure it's shared, and make sure you know the share name.

Sincerely,

[Alexis Blaze]

Since i'm a computer science student, my brother ask me to setup a computer network in his office... (i have very limited knowledge about networking though... :( )

so, there is 4 computer going to be connected using a switch... the hardware and driver installation has been done by someone else... my brother said that it works just fine untiil a few days ago they move all the computer into a new position and the network just won't work

I have been trying to set it up for a few hours now based on my knowledge..... i set the ip address to static 192.168.0.1 / 192.168.0.2 / 192.168.0.4 / 192.168.0.5 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0 with default gateway 192.168.0.1... all the computer have the same spesific workgroup.... at first i think this should work, but it just won't work...

i ask a friends of mine who is an administrator on my campus and he told me to try erase the default gateway on all computer and turn off the firewall.... well, still not working....

i ask another friends of mine and he told me to try using dynamic ip address and it should work... well, i haven't try this but this one make me confuse... will this work?how do the computer get ip?because there is no DHCP server....

to homecomputerraid : on another part, you said that the default gateway ip is the router(switch) ip... but on my case, the default gateway ip is the ip of one of the computer... how do we know what is the ip address of the switch?

thank a lot for your help...

[Zep]

Attachments will be updated soon! :)

I am new to the forum and I wasn't able to find your name. Sorry.

I am trying to set up a network using W98 and XP HOME EDITION (adsl modem conected here). I did everything you mention and the XP PC has no problems in connecting tp the other one. I can see amd manage files and folders. In the other one (W98) I can access the INTERNET (via XP PC) but I can't access the sahred resources of the XP PC. I get a request for password for IPC$. MY doubt is if this normal (your description is only for XP PROFESSIONAL) or if there is any undesired configuration in the XP PC.

Many thanks,

Zep