Re: Need help setting up my business network
- From: "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" <lanwench@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2006 10:05:09 -0500
In news:66517813-1EF5-4252-A85F-8194489C0A2E@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
m@ <m@@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
Let me first say that I have a new respect for the IT department. I
recently got promoted to a management position in a small business,
and part of my job is being the "IT Guy." I never knew how
frustrating it could be to work with people who have a VERY basic
understanding of computers.
Anyway, my problem is in setting up our network. We have 3 PC's and
a DSL connection we want to link together. Two computers are 2 year
old Dells. Both are very basic on hardware, one runs XPPro and the
other has XPHome. My computer is a little junker built by a local
computer shop, it runs Pro. I have updated the Boss' computers with
SP2, but it turns out that my computer is running an illegal copy of
XP which will have to be purchased before we can upgrade it(one of
the many joys of buying a computer you didn't build yourself). We
have a Netgear wired router and an Altel DSL connection. We have the
internet set up properly, each computer can access the web, but I am
having trouble setting up the file sharing network.
I did the setup wizard, chose the 5th (i think) option, "my computer
connects to the network through a gateway or hub, as do the other
computers on the netowrk." We are unable to access each others
shared documents using this setting. What is the best setting to
choose, or how can we set them up?
Yes, each computer was configured using option 5 and the name "OFFICE"
Yes, all computers are connected properly, they worked using a hub
before we got the router.
Yes, this is driving me crazy;)
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
You don't need a wizard.
1. All computers need TCP/IP addresses in the same subnet (likely dished out
via DHCP on your Netgear)
2. All computers should connect to the switch inside the Netgear, or a
switch *connected* to the LAN port of the Netgear
3. All computers should be in the same workgroup, and have
obvious/identifiable names
4. If the Windows Firewall or another software firewall is enabled, it needs
to allow file/print sharing connections
5. All computers should have matching accounts/passwords *or* at least
contain the identical user accounts/passwords used by other computers
6. Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP in each computer's network properties
If all this is true, you should be able to ping each computer from the
other - first by IP address, then by its name
Then - you ought to be able to access shares on each computer from the
other.
I recommend that for each user account on each computer, you re-point "My
Documents" at another folder, such as c:\data\usernname ....and move all the
documents therein. You can then share your files without sharing everything
else on the hard drive. I don't like using the default profile path for user
data storage, for myriad reasons.
Note also - since you don't have a server, you have no way to do centralized
backups (or centralized anything). Some workgroup configs use a single
computer as an ersatz file server and back up *that* computer to a usb hard
drive, etc....so you don't have to do backups from each computer. Or look
into a NAS box of some sort - SnapServer, Buffalo, etc. -
.
- Prev by Date: Re: Cannot connect to 2.nd computer in WORKGROUP .....
- Next by Date: Re: voice mail transfer tocomputer
- Previous by thread: Windows xpe dial up networking problems
- Next by thread: Re: Need help setting up my business network
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
