Basic skills needed for wireless network set-up?

Can a novice with no knowledge of DHCP's, IP addresses, etc. set-up a home
network to share files and printers? I recently purchased a wireless laptop
and a router. My original desktop computer is wired to the router and the
laptop is functioning properly by wireless. Both computers are using XP and
can access the internet with no problem. I have gone thru all the network
connections wizards on both computers and I have given permissions to share
on both computers. Yet the laptop does not find any network printers or
computers when I try to add printers. It is unclear to me if I may have
skipped a step when setting up the router of indentifying IP addresses or
some other needed identification. On the surface, simply following the set-up
wizards seems easy. It just doesn't work.The deeper I research the problem,
the more technical the information becomes. So what am i missing, should it
be possible for a novice to successful share files and printers?
--
Mark

"Mark" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:71052574-2C7B-46A3-9A9D-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can a novice with no knowledge of DHCP's, IP addresses, etc. set-up a home
> network to share files and printers? I recently purchased a wireless
> laptop
> and a router. My original desktop computer is wired to the router and the
> laptop is functioning properly by wireless. Both computers are using XP
> and
> can access the internet with no problem. I have gone thru all the network
> connections wizards on both computers and I have given permissions to
> share
> on both computers. Yet the laptop does not find any network printers or
> computers when I try to add printers. It is unclear to me if I may have
> skipped a step when setting up the router of indentifying IP addresses or
> some other needed identification. On the surface, simply following the
> set-up
> wizards seems easy. It just doesn't work.The deeper I research the
> problem,
> the more technical the information becomes. So what am i missing, should
> it
> be possible for a novice to successful share files and printers?
> --
> Mark

The short answer is 'Yes'. Have you tried searching Google for advice on
network configuration?
There is a considerable volume of advice there.

But you've already answered your own question.
You tried the wizards, they failed, you are at your wits end.
Now it's time to stop self-cure and call for a doctor.
--PA

"Mark" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:71052574-2C7B-46A3-9A9D-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can a novice with no knowledge of DHCP's, IP addresses, etc. set-up a home
> network to share files and printers? I recently purchased a wireless laptop
> and a router. My original desktop computer is wired to the router and the
> laptop is functioning properly by wireless. Both computers are using XP and
> can access the internet with no problem. I have gone thru all the network
> connections wizards on both computers and I have given permissions to share
> on both computers. Yet the laptop does not find any network printers or
> computers when I try to add printers. It is unclear to me if I may have
> skipped a step when setting up the router of indentifying IP addresses or
> some other needed identification. On the surface, simply following the set-up
> wizards seems easy. It just doesn't work.The deeper I research the problem,
> the more technical the information becomes. So what am i missing, should it
> be possible for a novice to successful share files and printers?
> --
> Mark