Setting up a home LAN

[RedMage]

Now that I have my laptop for my college distance learning, I'd like to create a Local-Area Network for the house so the laptop and our desktop down stairs can share files and our printer. I have virtually no idea how to do this, however. I've tried the LAN setup wizards in Windows XP, but these "wizards" seem to be nothing more than guys behind curtains. All I accomplished was creating useless "shared documents" folders on both PCs.

Advice would be appreciated.

[Sync]

First you need the hardware, a hub or router, ethernet cables, and wired or wireless network cards. any electronics store (Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Max, etc.) will have them to some extent, if you're going to use ethernet you may need to buy a custom length cable online (the markup on them is horrendous in stores).
After getting the hardware it's just plug everything in/install drivers for any new network cards you bought, and run the XP network wizard.

[RedMage]

Already have a wireless hub/router which both computers are getting their internet access through.

[Mithrandir]

I recommend buying a linksys firewall/router. You can get one with a built-in hub, and I've never had a problem with one. You can setup your desktop to "share" the printer, then you can setup your laptop to print to that.

[RedMage]

I recommend buying a linksys firewall/router. You can get one with a built-in hub, and I've never had a problem with one.

That's what I've got. What I need is for someone to help me figure out how to make it do dat LAN thang.

[Mithrandir]

Most of those devices have a built in DHCP server as well.

1. If you set all your computers up to get the IP address over DHCP, you should be able to get the computers to talk to each other.
2. Make sure the downstairs box can print.
3. On that machine, go to your control panel and click on "printers and faxes."
4. Right click on the printer and select "Sharing" from the pop-up window.
5. Select "Share this printer" and name it, then press OK.
6. On the laptop, enable DHCP and open the printer list.
7. From the left panel, select "Add a printer"
8. When you launch the print wizard, select "A Network Printer or a printer attached to another computer.
9. Select "use the following port: LPT1"
10. Find the network printer and select it.


Does that help?

[RedMage]

Except for the part about DHCP. I don't know how to do that.

[Mithrandir]

If you haven't set up your machine differently, it's probably already set for DHCP. Have you changed it?

[RedMage]

If you haven't set up your machine differently, it's probably already set for DHCP. Have you changed it?

Not that I'm aware of.

[Mithrandir]

In that case, you should be OK. Have you setup the computer downstairs to share its printer? If you follow the rest of those steps, it *should* work.


Of course, this implies that the laptop and desktop are both plugged into the router (or are connected wirelessly).