[dragontamer9]

Hello, my name's Mike, and I've been trying to set up a wireless network for my mom because we just got a laptop.

I have a Actiontec DSL Modem with wireless gateway, and finally got my internet to work on the laptop yesterday, so today my task is to get File and Printer sharing to work. Only thing is, I have no clue where to start. Can anyone help me here? Both the desktop and laptop have windows XP.

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Hi dragontamer9, and welcome to Geeks To Go!

Here is a cut and paste from a post I made to another member that may help you out:

Let's start from scratch and see how we make out. Here is your checklist:

1) File and Print sharing turned on (both machines for your setup): In Control Panel, Network Connections, right click on your NIC card and select Properties. In the resulting window, you should see File and Print Sharing and there should be a check in the box.

2) Both PC's have the same workgroup name (not 100% necessary, but makes things easier): Right click on My Computer -> Properties -> Computer Name. Ensure that the Workgroup name is the same. If not, pick a machine to change and click Change.

3) You can ping between the machines: From a command prompt, type (without the quotes or brackets) "ping <insert_machine_ip_here>". If you do not know the IP's of the machines, on each one, one of two easy ways:
a) right click on the two computers by your clock. select Status, then Support. The IP will be listed at the top.
b) Open a command prompt and type (again, no quotes) "ipconfig" and hit enter. This will also show you your IP at the top of the list.
Succesful pings will show a reply. Timed out means they cannot hit each other which is prolly a firewall issue, but we'll cross that bridge as need be.

4) The printer is installed and working on the "Master" machine: fairly self explanatory.

5) The printer is shared on the "Master" machine: Printers and Faxes, look for a little hand under the icon of the printer you want to share. If it's not there, right click on the icon and select "Sharing". Take the second option in both dialogs you will see (no wizard, I just want to set it up)

Once completed, it should now be a matter of simply going thru the motions of installing a printer on the slave machine. When the dialog starts, and it asks you where the printer is installed, select network, then select browse in the next dialog. You should see the shared printer there and can select it. You may or may not require the driver disk supplied with the printer, but Windows will let you know.

Best of luck and lemme know how you make out, or if there are any further questions.

Be well, SD

[SoccerDad]

Hi dragontamer9, and welcome to Geeks To Go!

Here is a cut and paste from a post I made to another member that may help you out:

Let's start from scratch and see how we make out. Here is your checklist:

1) File and Print sharing turned on (both machines for your setup): In Control Panel, Network Connections, right click on your NIC card and select Properties. In the resulting window, you should see File and Print Sharing and there should be a check in the box.

2) Both PC's have the same workgroup name (not 100% necessary, but makes things easier): Right click on My Computer -> Properties -> Computer Name. Ensure that the Workgroup name is the same. If not, pick a machine to change and click Change.

3) You can ping between the machines: From a command prompt, type (without the quotes or brackets) "ping <insert_machine_ip_here>". If you do not know the IP's of the machines, on each one, one of two easy ways:
a) right click on the two computers by your clock. select Status, then Support. The IP will be listed at the top.
b) Open a command prompt and type (again, no quotes) "ipconfig" and hit enter. This will also show you your IP at the top of the list.
Succesful pings will show a reply. Timed out means they cannot hit each other which is prolly a firewall issue, but we'll cross that bridge as need be.

4) The printer is installed and working on the "Master" machine: fairly self explanatory.

5) The printer is shared on the "Master" machine: Printers and Faxes, look for a little hand under the icon of the printer you want to share. If it's not there, right click on the icon and select "Sharing". Take the second option in both dialogs you will see (no wizard, I just want to set it up)

Once completed, it should now be a matter of simply going thru the motions of installing a printer on the slave machine. When the dialog starts, and it asks you where the printer is installed, select network, then select browse in the next dialog. You should see the shared printer there and can select it. You may or may not require the driver disk supplied with the printer, but Windows will let you know.

Best of luck and lemme know how you make out, or if there are any further questions.

Be well, SD

[dragontamer9]

for both computers, the PING didn't come back. It timed out. And on the laptop, I tried to PING to itself, and it couldn't do it. On the desktop I tried to PING to itself, and it DID work. What do I have to do to the laptop? It's brand-spankn new. Just came in the mail yesterday lol. And I've never done this before either.. so, what should I do?

[dsenette]

on the laptop ping 127.0.0.1

[dragontamer9]

got them all, now what?

[dsenette]

well that means the interface is working.....you say that if you do ipconfig on the laptop then ping that ip address you don't get a response?

[dragontamer9]

correct, it times out on all of them

[dsenette]

ok....then do ipconfig /all and keep it up on the screen once you do that let me know and we will go over a checklist

[dragontamer9]

alright, it's all up there. do you want me to type it all down?

[dsenette]

yes but omit the last set of any address like: 192.168.122.1 you should post 192.168.122.# that way your ip is safe...if you are worried leave out the last two...just testing connectivity right now

[dragontamer9]

Windows IP configuration

host name.... : Robovsky
Primary DNS...... :
Node type.......:Hybrid
IP Routing enabled..: no
WINS Proxy enables...: no
DNS Suffix search list...:domain.actdsltmp

Ethernet adapter WIreless network connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : domain.actdsltmp
Description : dell wireless 1370 WLAN Mini-PCI card
Physical address : 00-14-A5-0A-97-D5
Dhcp enabled : yes
Autoconfiguration enabled : yes
IP address : 192.168.0.#
Subnet mask : 255.255.255.#
default gateway : 192.168.0.#
DHCP server : 192.168.0.#
DNS Servers : 192.168.0.#
205.171.3.#
Lease obtained : wednesday august 10, 2005 3:20:18 PM
Lease expires : Thursday august 11, 2005 3:20:18 PM

[dsenette]

are the first three sets of numbers under ip address the same as the ones on the other machine?

[dragontamer9]

yes

[dsenette]

is the last number different?

[dragontamer9]

yeah, the last set of number on the IP address on the two computers are different. but on that list I gave you, the default gateway, down through the first DNS servers, they're all the exact same. is that supposed to be like that?