Help w Wireless Network Pretty Please??

Hi,

I've decided to join the world of the wireless (since I have a grandbaby
coming in November and the office is about to become babies room). I
purchased a laptop and have set up my desktop computer in the basement. I
hope to be drawing from it (and a smaller computer on my network) using my
new wireless laptop (hopefully). I set up a wireless router to replace my
regular router, but that didn't work, as the laptop wouldn't read the net.
So I put the old router back and connected the internet to it, then used the
wireless router as a hub. So they are piggy back. The old router is
connected to the cable modem, the new wireless router is connected to the
old router and the networking lines are connected to the new router.

Now my laptop access's the internet without a hitch, and can also read the
shared files of my larger computer. However, it will not "see" any other
files of the larger computer. Is there anything anyone can think of off
hand that I can do that will allow the wireless laptop to access all the
files of the larger computer?

As for the smaller networked computer, I goofed and named the laptop the
same as that computer on the network and now it can't be seen by either the
large computer or the laptop. It's not nearly as important as being able to
see and read all the files on the large computer though. I was just hoping
to be able to use the 2nd smaller computer as a backup for certain files.

Thanks for any help!!

If you wish to email me, please remove the M from the end of dustie.

Dustie

Babybird wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've decided to join the world of the wireless (since I have a grandbaby
> coming in November and the office is about to become babies room). I
> purchased a laptop and have set up my desktop computer in the basement. I
> hope to be drawing from it (and a smaller computer on my network) using my
> new wireless laptop (hopefully). I set up a wireless router to replace my
> regular router, but that didn't work, as the laptop wouldn't read the net.
> So I put the old router back and connected the internet to it, then used the
> wireless router as a hub. So they are piggy back. The old router is
> connected to the cable modem, the new wireless router is connected to the
> old router and the networking lines are connected to the new router.
>
> Now my laptop access's the internet without a hitch, and can also read the
> shared files of my larger computer. However, it will not "see" any other
> files of the larger computer. Is there anything anyone can think of off
> hand that I can do that will allow the wireless laptop to access all the
> files of the larger computer?
>

If I understand you correctly... your laptop can see the shard files on the
larger computer but can not see the files / folders that are not shared. This is
the way it is supposed to work. This is normal. Think about the meaning of
"shared". If you want the laptop to see ALL files on the larger computer you
need to share your entire C drive. This can be VERY dangerous as someone can
park outside your home and see and read your "larger" computers entire hard
drive. And DELETE every file on that hard drive. You can select "read only"
sharing but that can still be dangerous. A safer way is to share ONLY the
folders that are important for your laptop to read. And I suggest you make the
share "read only" and don't put anything private in that folder. Personally, I
just have one shared folder and move things in and out of it as needed.
To share a folder, right click on it and choose "sharing".

> As for the smaller networked computer, I goofed and named the laptop the
> same as that computer on the network and now it can't be seen by either the
> large computer or the laptop. It's not nearly as important as being able to
> see and read all the files on the large computer though. I was just hoping
> to be able to use the 2nd smaller computer as a backup for certain files.
>
> Thanks for any help!!
>
> If you wish to email me, please remove the M from the end of dustie.
>
> Dustie

> "shared". If you want the laptop to see ALL files on the larger computer you
> need to share your entire C drive. This can be VERY dangerous as someone can
> park outside your home and see and read your "larger" computers entire hard

You do realise that every Windows NT/2000/XP box has the root of every
hard drive shared by default?

It's an admin share as C$, D$ etc and requires admin permissions to
connect to but it's no more dangerous to share the root as any other
folder as long as the user based permissions are set appropriately.

If someone happens to capture the authentication and do a dictionary
crack then you have issues but that's not related necessarily just to
shares of course.

David.

David Taylor wrote:
>> "shared". If you want the laptop to see ALL files on the larger computer you
>> need to share your entire C drive. This can be VERY dangerous as someone can
>> park outside your home and see and read your "larger" computers entire hard
>
> You do realise that every Windows NT/2000/XP box has the root of every
> hard drive shared by default?
>
> It's an admin share as C$, D$ etc and requires admin permissions to
> connect to but it's no more dangerous to share the root as any other
> folder as long as the user based permissions are set appropriately.
>
> If someone happens to capture the authentication and do a dictionary
> crack then you have issues but that's not related necessarily just to
> shares of course.
>
> David.

No, I didn't know that. When I look at 2 XP computers on my network and select
"entire network / workgroup / computer name" I see a folder names "SharedDocs"
and one user defined shared folder. (both XP machines running as administrator)
The "SharedDocs" is the win default with "my pictures" etc. But I don't see
entire drive.
Is this because I have not specifically set up any "permissions"?

> No, I didn't know that. When I look at 2 XP computers on my network and select
> "entire network / workgroup / computer name" I see a folder names "SharedDocs"
> and one user defined shared folder. (both XP machines running as administrator)
> The "SharedDocs" is the win default with "my pictures" etc. But I don't see
> entire drive.
> Is this because I have not specifically set up any "permissions"?

If you go to the box itself and go to a cmd prompt then enter NET SHARE
you will see a listing of ALL the shares including the hidden admin
ones.

Or alternatively right click "My computer" and choose Manage then view
the Shared Folders | Shares where you'll see them too.

If you want to connect to a hidden share, you have to explicitly do so
by using the full UNC path such as \\somecomputer\c$. The $ is only
used locally by explorer to not show the share. Bit daft really as if
you do a network trace and query the remote machine share table, you see
the full list returned but explorer only shows those without the $ so
hidden shares are only useful if there's nobody able to sniff the
network.

So, in answer to your question, no it's not because you haven't set up
permissions, it's because you haven't specified the share explicitly.

David.

>
> No, I didn't know that. When I look at 2 XP computers on my network
> and select "entire network / workgroup / computer name" I see a folder
> names "SharedDocs" and one user defined shared folder. (both XP
> machines running as administrator) The "SharedDocs" is the win default
> with "my pictures" etc. But I don't see entire drive.
> Is this because I have not specifically set up any "permissions"?
>
>
>

If you use an user-account on the other computer you're trying to access
from the remote machine and that account has Admin rights on the other
computer, then you can map a drive like <R> \\server name\C$ to the other
machine and see the entire drive on that machine. You can map the drive by
using Explorer drive mapping off of the Tools menu option. Or you can
select My Computer node in the Explore tree view and right-click and map
the drive there too.

Duane