Linking two computers

[road_rascal]

I have an XP SP2 laptop and a Win98 SE desktop I would like to link together in order to share files, mainly digital photos. Is there a fairly easy way to do this?

[nwg]

Ok, putting is simple as possible. You have two options.

Hard wired Ethernet connection. This requires each computer to have a ethernet LAN connection and a crossover cable between them. Then run the network and sharing wizard. This is the cheapest way and shouldn't cost much.

A wireless connection. This involves getting a wireless router which attaches to a computer by the same ethernet LAN connection. Then get a wireless adapter or a internal PCI card to make the other computer wireless and it will connect to the other computer through the router wirelessly.

You can also get a combined wireless router and ADSL modem if you have broadband. This makes it possible to have the two computers on the net at the same time.

I have a wireless network (Belkin Wireless ADSL router). It is attached to my main PC by ethernet. I also have a laptop with built in wireless and another computer with a Wireless USB adapter. All three can be on the Net at the same time. I have also setup file sharing between the main PC and the laptop. I also share the printer on the second PC so I can print on all three computer to the same printer.

If your laptop is fairly recent then it might have wireless built in. If it has Centrino then it definitely will.

[nwg]

Some more info I have just thought off in no particular order.

A ethernet connection is usually faster than wireless but loses on the freedom that wireless brings. Each computer has to be connected to a wire.

A decent wireless/ADSL router will cost about £50. A Wireless adapter is around £12-20. I suggest to keep to the same manufacturer to avoid any compatibilty problems.

If you have friends wiith wireless in laptops. They can also connect to the Net once in range. I recently had all my three computers on the Net and a relatives laptop on as well. All four had Net Access and was quite amazing seeing it.

It is possible to turn the computer off which has the router. The router will still work its Net access function but file sharing will be unavailable until the computer is switched on again.

Both the Ethernet and Wireless connection needs the Microsoft Network wizard to make file sharing to work. It has to be done on each computer.

If you don't want to spend days trying to realise why a network isn't working. The first time you try the network, make sure any firewalls are disabled. Once, it works you can configure any software firewalls to allow computers to connect to each other (called trusted zone - trusted computers).

[road_rascal]

The laptop has wireless built-in. I don't have any extra PCI slots for the desktop though, so I may be out of luck for wireless. I think it has a connection for a CAT5 cable (lan?) so that may work.

[nwg]

It is also possible to get wireless USB adapters. To get the full 54mbits/second speed a USB 2.0 socket is needed for sharing files. Otherwise, a USB 1.0 socket will do.

I only have USB 1.0 on my old computer and use it just for wireless broadband. It is 1mbit/sec speed and is just a tenth of the available USB 1.0 speed.

The LAN is the CAT5 ethernet cable.

This is the Belkin hardware I have. It is the router and adapter in one package.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007DGWZC/qid=1129327474/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_3_2/202-7578809-1362258

[blutach]

Wireless is how we do it at home - very simple, you just need to make sure the Workgroup name is the same. Took about 1 minute to set up with the desktop connected to the modem by ethernet and the laptop by USB wireless card.

Regards

[nwg]

Wireless is how we do it at home - very simple, you just need to make sure the Workgroup name is the same. Took about 1 minute to set up with the desktop connected to the modem by ethernet and the laptop by USB wireless card.

Regards

It took me four days at first to get wireless working. It was only then I realised that I had LAN disabled in the BIOS of the computer with the router.

I forgot about the workgroup name. It does have to be the same and change is from the default MSHOME one.

[blutach]

Of course, afterwards, you need to setup User Permissions for Shared folders, but that's a breeze.

It's soooo much easier than emailing files back and forth.

Regards

[road_rascal]

So if I get a USB wireless adapter for the desktop I'm pretty much good to go, right? The local electronics store has a few on sale for $40, one with a $20 rebate (Netgear). The desktop is USB 1.1 though, but I really don't care about blazing speed, just want access to it's 80GB harddrive for backing up files from the laptop.

[DAFT]

I just fragged a machine that was running win 98 but I just took my Ipod and downloaded all the stuff I wanted off it first. then bye bye win 98. I hate win xp but until i'm proficiant in linux i'm a slave to billy boy. 80 gig hd is a terrible thing to waste, why not hard line it in as a f drive lets say and just float the info over?

[nwg]

So if I get a USB wireless adapter for the desktop I'm pretty much good to go, right? The local electronics store has a few on sale for $40, one with a $20 rebate (Netgear). The desktop is USB 1.1 though, but I really don't care about blazing speed, just want access to it's 80GB harddrive for backing up files from the laptop.

That should be fine. It will probabluy be slow to transfer files but it will work.

Netgear are one of the best manufacturers for wireless equipement.

[road_rascal]

I just fragged a machine that was running win 98 but I just took my Ipod and downloaded all the stuff I wanted off it first. then bye bye win 98. I hate win xp but until i'm proficiant in linux i'm a slave to billy boy. 80 gig hd is a terrible thing to waste, why not hard line it in as a f drive lets say and just float the info over?

How would I go about doing that (making it an "F" drive as you say)?

[PowerDude]

i had serveral problems getting that sorted but got wirteless installed n0w

[nwg]

i had serveral problems getting that sorted but got wirteless installed n0w

It won't be long before your realise you can't live without it. It has totally changed how I use the Internet and share files.

[bugmenot1]

just use w-ifi