Please help! I've got a desktop running XP and a laptop running ME. They are both connected to a Router via cables and are working perfectly to connect to the internet, so I know the network side of things is working on both.

I would like to transfer files between the 2 and also share the desktop's printer.

How do I go about this, I need real dummy steps as the only network experience I have is of Windows 3.11 using BNC style cabling.

Thanks

There's a network setup wizard on XP that will configure that machine and generate a floppy disk that will configure the ME machine for you as well.

Easiest way for a newbie to do it

I've thrown all my floppy disks away about a week ago. I don't have any left at all. I take it that its a non-starter then?

I once made the mistake of trying to use the setup wizard on XP, and that completely buggered up my home network

Your XP, is it home or pro?

If both are connected to the internet, then you will have the TCP/IP protocol loaded and running.

Did you specify IP addresses for each of your PCs or did you leave the router to do that? (if you enabled DHCP, you'll have the router give out IP addresses to each of your PCs).

Your network ip addresses will be something like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x

Go to your XP machine, bring up My Computer or Windows Explorer. Right click on a drive or directory you want to share and go to the Sharing and Security option. Enable sharing and give a name for the share (I think it has to be 8 characters or less for 9x/ME machines)

Then, go to the other PC. Bring up my computer, and in the address bar at the top (if now visible, click View / Toolbars / Address bar), type "\\ip address\share name" without the quotes. So if your XP machine has an IP address of 192.168.0.2 and you had a share called C-drive, you'd type \\192.168.0.2\C-drive

If it's working, you should see the listing of the other PC.

Same principle applies for printers - go to the PC with the printer connected, go to the printers menu, right click, and go through the same sharing screens.

You may have to tweak your firewall if installed to allow network file sharing from within your home network.

If you're on MSN, I can help

Good luck, Rich

I once made the mistake of trying to use the setup wizard on XP' date=' and that completely buggered up my home network

Your XP, is it home or pro? PRO

If both are connected to the internet, then you will have the TCP/IP protocol loaded and running.

Did you specify IP addresses for each of your PCs or did you leave the router to do that? (if you enabled DHCP, you'll have the router give out IP addresses to each of your PCs).the router sorted that for me

Your network ip addresses will be something like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.xhow can i find out?

Go to your XP machine, bring up My Computer or Windows Explorer. Right click on a drive or directory you want to share and go to the Sharing and Security option. Enable sharing and give a name for the share (I think it has to be 8 characters or less for 9x/ME machines)

Then, go to the other PC. Bring up my computer, and in the address bar at the top (if now visible, click View / Toolbars / Address bar), type "\\ip address\share name" without the quotes. So if your XP machine has an IP address of 192.168.0.2 and you had a share called C-drive, you'd type \\192.168.0.2\C-drive

If it's working, you should see the listing of the other PC.

Same principle applies for printers - go to the PC with the printer connected, go to the printers menu, right click, and go through the same sharing screens.

You may have to tweak your firewall if installed to allow network file sharing from within your home network.

If you're on MSN, I can help im at richardeames at hotmail dot com

Good luck, Rich

Just answered a few things to start with

Got it! Thankyou Xav!