Wireless home network

[KoolNeil]

Hi all. Hope your all good :)

Okay, basically.. i want to set up printer and file sharing between two pc's and a laptop.

Currently, i have a wireless router plugged into a cable modem, this transmits data wirelessly to two pc's and a laptop fitted with wireless cards and a wireless usb stick. The router is not connected to another pc, only to the cable modem.

I have a photo printer upstairs and would like all of the devices on the network to be able to use this printer wirelessly. Is this possible?

Also, i would like these devices to be able to share files, is this possible?

Thanks in advance :D

[mcb2001]

my guess is that you use XP.

First i wanna say, if the menu's/buttons aint called exactly what i call em, take a guess at which one it is, cause i cant curently check it, since i am on a danish version of XP.

The problem about the printer, is that if it aint a network printer, you'll have to have the computer, where the printer is connected to, turned on, whenever you want to print something from another computer.

Its easy to setup, but ill come back to that.

Cause, if you wanna share files between computers, all you gotta do, is right-click "this computer", which is located either in the start menu or on the desktop.

There you select "settings" (in the right-click menu), and go to the tap called "computer name" (second tap) there should be either one or two buttons there, one called "network-id" and one called "change" - if the button "change" is there, all you gotta do is click it, and change the workgroup to ATHOME or something other, the important thing is that the workgroup is set to the same thing at all your computers.

If the "change" button aint there, run the "network-id" guide, and then set the workgroup.

When the workgroup is set for all computers, reboot em all, and then go select the folders on each computer, that you wanna share, then right click em, go to settings, then the sharing tap, and select "share this folder on the network".

When all the folders you want share on all computers, is shared, reboot all computers.

Now if you go into "network places" place around the same place as "this computer". You should see all the share folders on the network, if that aint the case, just click on the left side menu of the window, at "show workgroup computers", and they should be there.

Now back to the printer:

Install the printer at the computer you wanna have turned on indefinetly, and then go to the other computers, select "add printer" from the control panel, then select search for printer, then select the workgroup and the printer should be shown there.

If its there, just select it, and select the option to take the drivers through the network, which should install it at once, and your done.

If it doesn't show up on the search printer, you might have to go to the computer where its installed, and then go to control panel, printers, and then right click the printer icon, select sharing and share it. - then redo previus step (might have to reboot both computers)

[KoolNeil]

Hi. thanks for your reply :)

I just CANNOT get it to work. I folloxed exactly what you said, and the printer cannot be found and neither can the shared folders.

Is there a step by step or something anywhere as i feel i need to follow one from the beginning lol.

I dont really know where to start to be honest, i looked on google but couldnt find instructions to set up a network with the setup i have.

Ive attached a..badly drawn... diagram to show how my wireless is set up.

thanks in advance.

[mcb2001]

well, i got a couple of questions before i can reply anything usefull.

1. Do you have the same workgroup on all computers?

2. Can you share select "share printer" in the printer control panel, by right-clicking the printer´s icon?

3. After you shared the folders, have you tried opening the "other computers" on the computer you shared, and see if they pop up there?

if 1. is a no, please be sure they are!

if 3. is a no, please goto the firewall settings of windows (find it by right-clicking "other computers", then select settings, then select the "lan-connection", select settings, and go to the firewall tap, and fully disable it, cause it usually only mess´s up sharing, and then get a real firewall, like symantec or other)

Then reboot and try 3. again.