Netwoking using Wireless router

[runner_boy]

Hello,

I have recently bought a Linksys wireless router, intending to network my 2 home computers. I have successfully managed to connect to the internet, however, i do not know how to create a network allowing me to share files and printers.

Both computers are running Windows XP. The router is situated beside one of the computers and is WIRED to the computer. The other computer is in the next room and is using a PCI WIRELESS network card. When I attempt to use the Windows Wizard I cannot make much progress. The description of the router is a ADSL Gateway with 4 port switches.

I read on another site something about tying command in the run box. When i did tho, and tried the ping test to the other IP address the result was 100 percent loss.

Could someone please advise me on how to deal with the situation, therefore, allowing me to create the network.

Thanks

 

[TRDCorolla1]

I just got my new Linksys wireless router all hooked up with 2 computers, like your setup. Do you have the WRT54G? It's a much nicer router compared to the D-Link one that I had (broke it). The security features are much more enhanced with the Linksys compared to the previous router, so my thumbs are way up. My network consists also of two PCs of which one of them is a wireless laptop, and one is a wired desktop PC. So I have the exact same setup as you so far.

Here's what I did in the exact order:

On the desktop PC, go into the "My Network Places" and start the wizard for the "Setup Home or Small OFfice Network". GO through the wizard and you should have your desktop setup.

Do the same thing on the laptop. After home network is setup, your PCs should recognize each other. If you want to share your printer, you will need to enable printer share on your desktop PC if it has not already been enabled to share. Go to the laptop and go into the control panel to add a new printer. You want to find the printer on the local network. When you browse for it, you should see the printer that is connected to the networked desktop PC. Then add it and the config files will copy over to the laptop.

Then, go back into the Printer folder and make that new network printer your default printer. Your new network is now ready. Only thing is, in order for you to print from wireless laptop to printer, your desktop PC need to be turned on because the printer is connected to it right? You can get a print server so you don't have to rely on the desktop PC.

If you are still having problems connecting to the LAN, disable firewall and try running the home networking wizard again. If you can connect, go into the firewall network configuration and add the IP address of the PC you want to connect to into the Allow list so the firewall can forward the packets through.

Oh, the Linksys has integrated ping and traceroute system (their web utility) so you don't have to use the cmd, maybe just to do a 'ipconfig /all' to check on your IP setup, Gateway, physical address (MAC), DNS, SUbnet, and all that good network stuff.
Hope this helps.

 

[runner_boy]

Hello,

Thanks very much for the advice. I configured the network as you told me too and I also changed the settings on my ZoneAlarm firewall so I was able to share my computers resourses. After that out I connected to the other computer successfully and located the printer i wanted to connect to. It prompted me for a driver so after a bit of fiddling with the disk it worked. I am now able to print from both computers successfull while also shring the internet connection and files.

The Linksys router I am using is the WAG54G. I;m I now able to connect any additional computers to the network by inserting a PCI Wireless network card and following the same procedures?

Thanks Again!

 

[TRDCorolla1]

Yes that's pretty much it. Just add in another wireless network card into additional computer you wish to add on to your network and go through the file and print sharing wizard again. Make sure they're all under the same workgroup and have a good naming convention (wizard will walk you through that). I use L100, L101, L102, L103, etc. to name my PCs. Don't know why I use that combination. I guess it's similar to my work so I got use to it.

Then go into firewall and ALLOW that IP address or any other IP address on your network. YOu can also allow ranges of IP address, but since we're probably dealing with low number of PCs, we can add them individually. You can enable tighter security from other people accessing the router too. MAC and IP filtering prevents any other PC from accessing your router and onto your WAN or LAN because all the traffic goes through the wireless router. It's good to have that setup too.

You can connect three more wired PCs and I'm not sure the limit for wireless networks are since wireless devices don't use any ports. I'm thinking as many as you can add to it since you're sharing bandwidth to all connections. My configuration through Linksys allows me to add 50 PCs to my network. I doubt I'll have that much. Probably 4 at the most being in a house.

Looks like your router is slightly different than mine, but all use the same concept through Linksys.

 

[DJ Stephen]

I just got a new router, replaced for one that didnt work, so, glad you got it sorted, and welcome to the forums, please stay here.