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home networking advice

edited October 2007 in Troubleshooting
I've got the laptop (VISTA) sharing the internet connection with our main PC (XP) .... any pointers for what I need to do to share files and the printer? Workgroup on both is MSHOME and I've turned off password protected sharing.

Thanks!!

Comments

  • Yeah - get a real router! If you're sharing files using ICS (or whatever M$ calls it these days) you will always end up with problems. You'll need both powered up at the same time, for instance, if you need to browse the net from the machine that isn't 'directly' connected to the net.

    The main problem you'll have with Vista is that M$ has (finally, after about ten years) changed the native authentication method in Vista (from NTLM to Kerberos). That may go right over the top of your head, but all you really need to know is that you may have to enable simple file & printer sharing, or that you might have to piss about with the windows firewall to get it to play nicely with XP. Also, the default workgroup name in XP is 'MSHOME', but in Vista it's 'WORKGROUP'. Make sure you have accounts set up on both machines and that you enable access to resources (such as a drive or file share) on an account-by-account basis

    This link might help you out
  • Thanks Leroy - going through a LINKSYS Wireless-G router
  • LOL - me too. best thing since sliced bread for a home network. I've got a WRT54G with some third party firmware on it that, basically, turns a 30 quid router into one with features you'd usually pay 600 notes for :)

    So long as you;re not using ICS, that link should explain pretty much all you need to know. You might have to delve into the registry on the Vista box to set the authentication level lower than the default - if you're still getting grief after doing anything that tutorial points out, lemme know.
  • Both are set to MSHOME (update the Vista laptop).

    No link yet!

    How do I know if ICS is in use?

    Thanks again.
  • Oh I've got ZoneALarm on the main PC - I bet that has something to do with my difficulty!
  • Zone Alarm seems to cause more problems than it's worth. I'd try disabling it and try networking again.
  • I got as far as the word "laptop" and the shutters came down. Have absolutely no idea what you fellas are on about here, and I totally comfortable with that fact!
    ;o)
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