Wireless network, file sharing help please.

meerustar

I have read the sticky at the top of this forum, but I can't find an answer so thought I could ask and then maybe you could add this answer to your sticky later. Sorry to be a pain, but I know all you kind souls just love to help out;)

Ok, so now I am wireless, Laptop and PC both running off same router (BT Voyager 2091 if that helps). I want to know if I can now somehow access my files from my PC to view on Laptop and visa versa, and also share a printer, so I can do my coursework on Laptop, press print and it prints out on my printer upstairs (god, don't you just love technology?)

Do I need any other hard/software to do this or am I ready and just don't know what to press. I'm am a complete numpty where technology is concerned, so if it is possible for me to do it with the equipment I already have, would some kind heart please tell me what to do ...step by step...

I have all this technology at my finger tips and it's all going to waste. (plus I don't want to keep emailing myself my coursework from downstairs just to read upstairs just to print off .... stop, I know you're all laughing:p )

Thankyou all in advance:D

Toxteth_OGrady

On the PC that the printer is connected to, go to the Printer and Faxes folder and right click on the printer's icon and select 'Sharing......' Select 'Share this printer' and give it a name (recommend 8 letters of fewer).

Next go to your laptop and run the 'Add Printer Wizard' from the Printers and Faxes folder, then select Network Printer and Browse to find the printer you just set up as a share at the PC. Follow the wizard through to completion; you will need your printer's drivers/installation CD to run on the laptop when asked for in the wizard.

For file sharing you will need to set up 'shares' on the drives/folders you want to share between the 2 computers. Go into My Computer on either machine, right click on a drive or folder you want to share and select 'Saring and security......' That should allow those folders and drives to be accessible via My Network Places on the respective machines.

:cool:

TOG

meerustar

Ok, not tried the file sharing yet, just on for the printer still.

I have clicked on the pc to share printer and then add a printer on laptop. It searches but doesnt find it and comes back with 'Microsoft Windows Network'????

Have I done something wrong????? Thx

Toxteth_OGrady

Edit to correct: After selecting browse and MS Windows Network comes up, you should be able to double-click on that and that should then show the name of the pc in the next line. Double click on that and it should show the name you gaave to the shared printer. Double click on that to select.

If that doesn't work you'll need to check that file and Printer Sharing is enabled and that your firewall is not blocking the share.

:cool:

TOG

meerustar

Thankyou so much for taking the time to help me. I double click on the MSW thing and it looks like its doing something (eggtimer) but then goes back to the start ... think I'll check firewall setting ...

Toxteth_OGrady

Go to My Network Places on both machines and in the Task Pane on the left select 'View Network Computers' and the MSHome folder should open. In this folder can you see both computers (when viewed from each computer)?

:cool:

TOG

meerustar

Ok, I'm at the pulling my hair out stage.

When I open the view workgroup computers on both pc & laptop, the pc shows both computers but I keep getting an error message from laptop, something about cannot get/view MSHOME contact administrator ...

Laptop is about 12inches from window right now getting closer to be throw outside by the minute.

thor

Maybe it is a firewall problem. If you have one then you might need to get it to allow your network computers access to your sharing PC. For example, I have a laptop with ip address 192.168.2.3 which I want to give access to my main desktop. After enabling file&printer sharing(which it looks like you have already done) I had to include 192.168.2.3 in my trusted address list of my firewall(Zonealarm).
A quick way to check if the FW is the problem is to turn it off temporarily and see if you can get hold of any networked resources such as printers and files.

albertross_2

Don't forget to setup wpa encryption on your router, otherwise you'll be sharing your files with your neighbours as well..

search the techie forum for print sharing and you will find some other avenues to explore

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.html?searchid=3287873

tomstickland

When I open the view workgroup computers on both pc & laptop, the pc shows both computers but I keep getting an error message from laptop, something about cannot get/view MSHOME contact administrator ...

This is what happened to me when I tried enabling file sharing. I gave up in the end; it should be easy to make work but obviously isn't.

Fran

I was hoping you'd get this sorted meerustar as I've got the same problem, I tried last week and managed to get the printer to share but laptop couldn't access the pc I wanted it to. I'd given up for a while cos it always seems to take so long to sort out what should be a simple problem!

I hope you get it sorted, I'll put all the similar threads together.