how do i network a xp desktop and vista laptop

punto123

hi all, here is my setup

My xp desktop machine is connected to my d-link router via Ethernet and my vista laptop is connected wireless to the router.

How can i network the two together so i can share and see all the files/folders on either machine.

Thank you for your time

GunJack

you need torun the network setup wizard on both comps...found in Control Panel...can take a bit of fiddling to get it to go, but I've got a similar setup networked okay

punto123

which comp should i start with first, or doesn't it matter?

punto123

i have run both wizards but know if it has worked, and i am unsure where i need to go in order to view the files from either computer

espresso

punto123 wrote: »

i have run both wizards but know if it has worked, and i am unsure where i need to go in order to view the files from either computer

Open File Explore (Flying Windows + e) and expand My Network Places.

punto123

espresso wrote: »

Open File Explore (Flying Windows + e) and expand My Network Places.

on which machine so i do this and how do i Open File Explore

espresso

punto123 wrote: »

on which machine so i do this and how do i Open File Explore

Either machine! I explained how to open File Explore in post #5!

punto123 wrote: »

How can i network the two together so i can share and see all the files/folders on either machine.

How exactly do you expect to "see all the files/folders" if you don't know how to open windows File Explore!

:rolleyes:

sievm

On XP you can just go to "Start" then "My Network Places", but you can get to it through "Start" then "My Computer" as well (there is a link to "My Network Places"). Not sure if this is the same in Vista.

The Flying window is a keyboard key that has a symbol that looks like a Microsoft Windows logo with airplane vapour trails coming from it (you should hold this and press the e key to get File Explorer to open).

Open it from either PC or laptop - the window that pops up lists all the drives that can be viewed by the computers on your network. If you can see shared directories in the box on your XP machine which are on the laptop and vice versa then it has worked.

For instance, say you call your XP machine MyPC and the laptop MyLaptop and you have allowed sharing on the Shared Documents folder on both machines then in the "My Network Places" window you should see the two folders which have, in the comments column, \\MyPC\SharedDocs and \\MyLaptop\SharedDocs.

From your PC you should then be able to go into the shared docs directory on the laptop by double clicking on the line with \\MyLaptop\SharedDocs in the comment column.

Hope that makes sense but let me know if it does not.