[ChunkyD]

Hi Guys,

I am new here and new to networking so please be kind :-)

I have just purchased a laptop and would like to use my old desktop as a server to back up all my files and to add some extra storage space, i also have an external HDD i would like to access on the network.

Can I ......

A - Plug my desktop into my wireless router (no wirless card on desktop) and access the HDD on the desktop with my laptop?

and....

B - Plug my external HDD into my desktop and access it over a network with my laptop?

Any help or advise would be appreciated.

Thanks
S

[LA1]

yes you can , assume you have xp professional on both, xp home you can not network, except for a public folder. You really can not make the desktop a "server" in the sence of a domain server. All you can do is create a "peer to peer" peer meaning an equal...so all your workstations will be equal. You need to have a log on acoount on each workstation that has a password that is different than any of the other peers. right click my computer\properties\computer name\change. click the radio button next to workgroup and enter in a work group name ...must be the same on all machines....turn off all firewalls ...atleast till you get the network going. Since you do not have a domain controller to authenticate, you must log onto each computer with all the password accounts...or when you try to access an a resource across the network you will get the prompt to "enter the credentials of a user that has permission to use this resource" or something close to that. Then you need to share something....never share the root or whole "C" drive...just folders. In windows explorer turn off simple file sharing in xp prof.
tools\folder options\view.... scroll all the way down..turn off simple file sharing. You might want to use a cat5 cabble for the laptop till you get the network going then go wireless again.