Re: How do I wirelessly network my laptop if my router does not have u
- From: Lem <lemp40@unknownhost>
- Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:31:07 -0500
Matta2 wrote:
I just bought a second laptop and I am trying to wirelessly network it with the first one. My network setup wizard is telling me that there are four steps involved.
1. Insert usb flash into first computer.
2. Insert usb flash in to router.
3. Insert usb flash in to laptop.
4. Insert usb flash back in to original computer.
The problem I am having is that my router (Linksy's WRT54G) does not have a usb drive... How can I resolve this? My cable modem has a usb, but it is the pentagonal shaped receptacle, not the flat usb receptacle that matches the usb flash drive. This is not my first time networking computers together, I am assuming my downloading of service pack 2 for XP added the usb netwrok settings transfer in the wizard??? Before I would just run the wizard and make sure they were all on the same workgroup. Please help!!!!
The *only* reason that the Wireless Networking Wizard asks for a USB flash drive is so that you won't have to strain your brain (or use something primitive like a pencil and a piece of paper) to remember the SSID and password that you configured when you first set up your wireless network. Because you've *already* configured your router, you don't need to do it again when you add the next computer.
In fact, you really don't need to run this "Wizard" on the new laptop at all. Just ensure that the wireless adapter in the new laptop is turned on, go to Start > Connect to and you should see the list of available wireless networks. Select yours, enter your password when asked, and click OK. You're connected and should be able to get to the Internet.
Now, if you want to share files and printers *in addition* to being connected to your wireless network for purposes of Internet access, then run the "Network Setup Wizard." This is *not* the same as the "Wireless Networking Wizard." Also see this standard advice from MS-MVP Malke:
<Malke>
File/printer sharing
Excellent, thorough, yet easy to understand article about File/Printer
Sharing in Vista. Includes details about sharing printers as well as files and folders:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx
For XP, start by running the Network Setup Wizard on all machines (see
caveat in Item A below).
Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally caused by 1) a misconfigured firewall or overlooked firewall (including a stateful firewall in a VPN); or 2) inadvertently running two firewalls such as the built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party firewall; and/or 3) not having identical user accounts and passwords on all Workgroup machines; 4) trying to create shares where the operating system does not permit it.
A. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network (LAN) traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing File/Printer Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network Setup Wizard on XP will take care of this for those machines.The only "gotcha" is that this will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you aren't running a third-party firewall or have an antivirus with "Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2006/07) which acts as a firewall, then you're fine. With third-party firewalls, I usually configure the LAN allowance with an IP range. Ex. would be 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you would substitute your correct subnet. Do not run more than one firewall. DO NOT TURN OFF FIREWALLS; CONFIGURE THEM CORRECTLY.
B. For ease of organization, put all computers in the same Workgroup. This is done from the System applet in Control Panel, Computer Name tab.
C. Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do not need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the passwords assigned to each user account can be different; the accounts/passwords just need to exist and match on all machines. DO NOT NEGLECT TO CREATE PASSWORDS, EVEN IF ONLY SIMPLE ONES. If you wish a machine to boot directly to the Desktop (into one particular user's account) for convenience, you can do this. The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:
Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm
D. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab).
E. Create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users' home directories or Program Files, but you can share folders inside those directories. A better choice is to simply use the Shared Documents folder. See the first link above for details about Vista sharing.
F. After you have file sharing working (and have tested this by exchanging a file between all machines), if you want to share a printer connected locally to one of your computers, share it out from that machine. Then go to the printer mftr.'s website and download the latest drivers for the correct operating system(s). Install them on the target machine(s). The printer should be seen during the installation routine. If it is not, install the drivers and then use the Add Printer Wizard. In some instances, certain printers need to be installed as Local printers but that is outside of this response.
<\Malke>
--
Lem -- MS-MVP
To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm
.
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