Shared computers?

Question

How can i share my two computers that share one wired internet/ Ethernet router?
My laptop is on the internet and my Computer is on Ethernet.
How can i share them as my laptop keeps getting viruses on it and i wanna back everything up.

Answer 1

As I understand it you have

1. A modem that feeds the Internet to you
2. A router that has 1 WAN and 1 LAN port.
3. You want to connect 2 or more pcs via wired connection to make a LAN, back up files, etc.

Purchase a network switch and 2 CAT5 straight patch cables. Plug the router LAN port into one port of the switch using 1 CAT5 cable (some have specific uplink ports so check this carefully). Plug each of the pcs into other ports of the network switch using other cat 5 cables.

You may need to reboot the modem, router, and pcs; not a bad idea to do so.

You should now be networked.

To share files the folders need to be classified as network share drives - which is done in Windows Explorer.

Answer 2

ONCE YOU HAVE INTERNET ACCESS ON ALL OF YOUR SYSTEMS


1. Create a new user on both systems, that has Admin rights.
Use the same account name and password on both systems.

2. Create a folder C:\Temp on both systems.

3. Right click on the folder C:\Temp and click on properties then click on share.

4. Make sure that the folder is shared correctly. If it is it will have what appears to be a "hand" holding the folder.

5. Make sure all systems are using the same work group name. Right click on my computer, click on properties, click on the computer name tab. Call the work group Planets. Apply that to all computers. Make sure they are NOT listed as belonging to a domain. They should be in the same work group only. Call one Machine Earth, another Venus, and the other one Mars, etc.
(note that the names I give are merely suggestions, you can call it all whatever you like but try to use something logical)

6. Check the Windows firewall on all systems to make sure that there IS an exception for File and Printer sharing.

7. Reboot all systems.

8. Log into all systems.

9. In Network neighborhood, if you have followed the preceding correctly, you will see computer icons; Mars, Venus, and Earth, in the work group Planets. If you do, proceed. If you do not, go back and start the steps over again.

10. While logged in to the computer Earth, open the computer Mars by double clicking on the work group Planet, then double clicking on Mars.

11. You should see a shared object of C:\Temp on Mars now.