Network

[Sean]

      I have a desktop running WinXP and a laptop running 2000 in my house. The laptop is wirelessly connected to a router which is connected to the broadband modem. The desktop is on the top floor (the router on the bottom), and is connected to the router through a linksys network adapter, it is not directly connected to the router. Since the computers aren't directly connected to each other is is possible to set-up a network between them, all I really want to do though is to let the laptop print off of the desktops printer. Will I also need to install additional drivers onto the desktop for this to work (the laptop using the desktop printer). The printer is an hpdeskjet 5550

[johnwill]

Sure, it's very similar to a wired network.

All machines are must be in the same subnet, i.e. 192.168.0.x where x is any number.  The subnet mask should be 255.255.255.0 for most small networks.

Turn off any firewalls for debugging.  If the firewall is the problem, you'll have to configure it to allow access to "trusted zone" addresses.

PING each computer by IP address, and if successful, PING by name.  You can obtain the IP address of a computer by opening a command prompt (DOS window) and typing IPCONFIG.  This should work for any Windows version.

All computers should be in the same workgroup for computer browsing to function properly.  File & Print Sharing has to be enabled on any computer you wish to share files or printers from.  You also need to actually share the resource in question from My Computer, right click on the drive/printer/folder, and select sharing.

If you encounter difficulties accessing computers that are visible in Network Neighborhood, make sure the computer being accessed has an account with the same name/password as the system connecting to it uses to login.

There continues to be a lot of misinformation about changing the NetBIOS over TCP/IP setting. While the default NetBIOS setting is correct for normal network configurations, it's possible for it to be altered, and it costs nothing to make sure it's correct.  NETBIOS over TCP/IP must be on for normal network browsing.

[Sean]

How do I add computers to the workgroup or check for ones that are already there?


Also the printer is already shared, but since I am running XP, won't I need the right drivers for it to work with a system running 2000?

What do you mean by this.... "If you encounter difficulties accessing computers that are visible in Network Neighborhood, make sure the computer being accessed has an account with the same name/password as the system connecting to it uses to login. "........?


Thanks

[johnwill]

My Computer, Properties, Network Identification, and you can check/set the workgroup from there.  All of the computers should be in the same workgroup.

Yes, you will need to install 2K drivers on the 2K machine for the printer that's attached to the XP machine.

2K/XP uses authentication by default, which means that the login name/password of the client machine is used to authenticate your connection to any shared resources.  If you have an account in Users/Passwords with the same name/password that has permission to access the shared resources, the connection is automatic with no password prompts.