How can i share folders & printers in my home network??

Question

i bought a Linksys 10/100 Broadband Router to hook up my two computer one in my Living Room and One in my bedroom. They both currently have windows XP Pro SP2. They both connect to the internet perfectly but i cannot share any file amongs the two computer or even share the one printer i have in the living room. I have tried just about everything i can think of. The wizard that comes on the Xp itself doesnt seem to work either (Set Up a home or small office network). I am currently using comcast cable internet as my internet provider just incase this information is useful.

Answer 1

If you right-click on the printer (or folder) that you wish to share, the pop-out menu should list a "Sharing" option. This is where you can enable Printer (or File) Sharing. Do you not see this option?

Answer 2

Both of the answers provided earlier are correct; however, there is a security concern with enabling "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks". In order to share files within your Internal network (Local Area Network [LAN]), you will need to assign a name for the Workgroup, which is located under the Control Panel when you double-click the SYSTEM icon followed by clicking on the Computer Name tab. By default, the Workgroup/Domain Name is "Workgroup", which is not recommended. Both computers must be within the same LAN on the same subnet with the same Workgroup name. Next, you will need to provide a new password for the Local Guest account. I would take it one step further and rename the Guest account to something unique.

Creating the File Shares: Create a new folder in the directory underneath c:\ or whatever your default root directory (top directory) is. For example, you would create a folder under "C:\TestShare". You can also share out your "My Documents" folder if you wish. Once the folder is created, you need to "right-click" on it, then select "Sharing and Security". Select "Share this folder", provide a maximum number of users for access, and then click the "Apply" button.

If you're still experiencing problems accessing the file shares from each PC, you may want to check your "Windows Firewall" settings to make sure that "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" is permitted as an exception; otherwise, you will continue to experience issues if the Windows Firewall is enabled without file and printer sharing access permitted. There are several other settings for security that you should look into; however, this is a good start.

Answer 3

You are on the right track. You have to run the network wizard and set it up for printer and file sharing. At the end of the wizard it asks you if you need to run this setup file on another computer. You will need to save it to disk and run that setup file on your other computer. The first answer is right, you must setup the printer to be shared as well. Next, go to the computer that the printer is not physically connected to. Go to printers, add printers, select a network printer, find printer in directory, browse entire directory. You should now see both computers listed by the names you gave them. Select the printer under the correct computer.

Answer 4

I just had this problem myself. I was sitting in front of two laptops for five hours just to get them set up on the wireless network. If you have internet and enough hard drive space you can use an internet service that does this. Either foldershare.com or beinsync.com and they show all files among both computers. Matterfact, beinsync.com has been bought by microsoft and they are testing the network for searching all drives on network from windows explorer. The bad part is it take times to load all files onto network space and that they effect firewall security somehow. Download.com has networking solutions that will give you programs or sites for this also. Try microsoft live support and chat wit someone. If not just try fitting files equally on both computers and transferring manually by removable hard drives or burnt data disc. good luck!

Answer 5

On your desktop open My Network Places . Go to Network Connections. Right click on your adapter whether it be wired or wireless and select Properties. Halfway down the dialog box there is an Install button, select that. On the next dialog select Services. After that, in the left pane of the window select Microsoft, and in the right pane select File and Printer Sharing. Then select Ok as many times as need be to close all the windows. You will probably need to restart your computer. After rebooting run the Home Networking Wizard on both computers, make sure to choose that you want to Give Access to My Files And Printers for both of them and be sure they are both in the same Workgroup. You may or may not have to restart again. After that any folders you want to share, right click on them, select Sharing.. from the context menu and then allow whichever access you want. As for printers if you go to Control Panel, Printers and Scanners>Add New Printer>Network Printer then Browse you should see your printer connected to whichever computer it is attached to.

Answer 6

You have a number of things that might be happening. If the printer is hooked up directly to one of the computers on the network it needs to be set up as a network printer and enable sharing under properties. A firewall progam could be stopping access as well. If there is a folder on your hard drive you want to share right click on it and slect sharing.

Answer 7

if u want to share a file u gt to connect it to the same network. like both in wireless or both in cable modem. or register in foldershare.com or you can share folders thro MSN mssgr.

Answer 8

Its very easy you just have to right click at the folder that you want to share it and chose sharing and security.

after that chose share this folder.