Creating a server?

Question

Hi there,

In my Bromley office we have five computers that seem to connect to what we call the Z: drive where we save most documents to for all the other computers to share.

What I want to do is set this same connection up in my other office. In my other office there are three computers I want to use one as a server like my Bromley office and have the other two connect to it.

Please could anyone give me some advice on what to do or step by step instructions on how to set this up would be fantastic.

Answer 1

What OS are you using Server 2003/Server 2000 or just XP Pro Workstation. Do you want the users to logon to the server?? or just access a share.

Answer 2

Sounds like you just want to store files in a central place where it can be accessed by more than one PC. You can do it as in the first office, but may I suggest a better solution. Buy a Network Storage Unit which is a dedicated hard drive that has all the hardware that allows it to be shared without a PC. E.g a Netgear SC101 Network Storage Unit, with Dual IDE, Single RJ45 can be plugged into a hub and you can fit 2 hard drives in it which can be up to 1,000 GB in total. It also means that you do not tie up one PC (intensive disk access will tend to slow it down), and you can lock up the unit in a safe for extra security. Think about it.

Answer 3

Choose one of the computers to act as the file server (no need for a dedicated server for such a small office), preferably the one with the most free filespace. Create a directory, name it "share". Right click the share directory, select "Properties" from the menu. Click the "Share" tab then select the "Share this folder as" option and give it a name. On the other 2 computers, open my network places, browse to the computer with the shared folder, find the folder, right click and "map network drive".

Answer 4

all you need is a router. once you have this you can start using any computer as a server.

there a copule of options here
1 you can go with a wireless rounter and install wireless cards into you three computers

2 go with a standard rounter but you have to get what is called 'a network patch cable', don't get the crossover network cables as these are only used to link 2 computers directly to one another.

3 you can get them with built in modems for internet access and you can link your two offices. there are two ways of doing this, the fisrt is to create a 'wide area network' and two, you can create something called a intranet (works the same way as the internet but can only be viewed by anyone on the network)

once you have your network you only need 1 printer connected to your network. you can have it connetced to your server or you can get something thats called a 'print server'.

my advice would be to go with the print server. these just plug in to the printer and connects to your router wirelessly or directly and you don't need to have a serve running constantly when it ain't actually need.