HELPPP - CAN'T SETUP HOME NETWORK

Hi all. Please help, I'm being driven crazy trying to re-establish a home
wireless network.
I did have a home network working fine and dandy a couple of months ago,
however I have purchased a new laptop recently (Sony Viao) but cannot get
the thing to see my files, etc on my desktop.
I have Linksys WAP, and the laptop sees this however nothing i do lets me
'see' workgroup on my desktop pc. So, i thought I would attempt to reset up
the workgroup on my desktop......and now the network wizard doesn't complete
the setup saying that an error was encountered...and just allows me to close
the wizard without completion. What is going on =( I have disabled the
desktop Microsoft Firewall on both Desktop and Laptop, so I know that is not
the problem. Please all I want to do is for my laptop to have access to my
desktop PC files and programs.

regards

Trev