Setup a wireless network: the sequel
Finding a twenty in your pocket is fun. Setting up networking in Windows: not so much. It’s usually a pain to get everything working and theoretically you can network between XP and Vista machines. Still interested? Well, good luck with the following:
- Complete the original ‘Setup a wireless network’.
- Be sure your Windows User Account is password protected. If it is not, password protect it by going to Start and clicking on Control Panel. Click User Accounts. Click on your user account. Click on Create a password if you aren’t password protected. Accept the settings and move on. Do this for all computers on the network. Having your user account name on all computers sometimes makes the process easier.
- In Windows XP, hit Start and click Control Panel. Click on System. Click on the Computer Name tab. Here you rename the name of the network (Workgroup) to something other than WORKGROUP (all computers on your network should be named the same). When you are finished click Apply, then OK. In Microsoft Vista, hit Start and click Control Panel. Click on System and Maintenance. Click System. Click See the name of this computer to see your computer’s name and domain. Click Change Settings: A new window will be displayed. Here you rename the name of the network (Workgroup) to something other than WORKGROUP (all computers on your network should be named the same). When you are finished click Apply, then OK.
- To share a folder, right-click on a folder and click Properties. Click on the Sharing tab. Enable Sharing by accepting any warnings Windows gives you. Type in a name for the shared folder (Videos, Pictures, Music, etc.). Set a password if you wish (I would wish that). Accept your changes and move on.
- To share a printer, hit Start and click Control Panel. Click Printers and Faxes. Right-click on the printer you wish to share and click Properties. Click Sharing. Type in the share information as needed and hit OK, Apply, Yes, Sure, Affirmative, or whatever it takes to get out of there. Remember exactly what you name this share because when you want to print over a network, you have to type the printer name in exactly.
- To add a network printer, go back to the Printers and Faxes box you visited earlier from the Control Panel. Click on Add a printer. Select Network Printer and click Next. Type in the name of the printer from step 5. Click Next, OK, etc. and… hopefully it worked. If not, restart the computers and try step 6 again.
- Hit Start and click Network. Your shares should pop up. If they don’t restart all computers, enter your passwords to log in to Windows and try again.
Once again, I wish you luck. If you need further assistance, Google it.