Mixing wired & wireless in a network

I've recently acquired a laptop with inbuilt wireless which I had hoped to
network with my existing PC (mainly for file sharing). I've bought and
installed a Netgear DG834G wireless router/modem and connected it to the PC
with the supplied ethernet cable. PC connects fine to internet this way and
laptop connects via the wireless link. I didn't want to spend even more
money on a wireless adaptor for the PC and was hoping to network the wired &
wireless units together via the router but the standard XP networking
wizards don't seem to support this mixed arrangement.

I'm reasonably competent with computers but know nowt about networks. Can
anybody tell me if what I want to do is possible using the existing kit, or
do I need something else? I hope this makes sense and I'd be grateful for
any advice.

John Miller

In article <enur9q$u38$(E-Mail Removed)>, John Miller
(E-Mail Removed) says...
>
> I've recently acquired a laptop with inbuilt wireless which I had hoped to
> network with my existing PC (mainly for file sharing). I've bought and
> installed a Netgear DG834G wireless router/modem and connected it to the PC
> with the supplied ethernet cable. PC connects fine to internet this way and
> laptop connects via the wireless link. I didn't want to spend even more
> money on a wireless adaptor for the PC and was hoping to network the wired &
> wireless units together via the router but the standard XP networking
> wizards don't seem to support this mixed arrangement.

If both machines can connect to the internet through the router they
should be able to see each other, and any issues you have probably
aren't related to the fact that one is ethernet and the other is wifi.
>
> I'm reasonably competent with computers but know nowt about networks. Can
> anybody tell me if what I want to do is possible using the existing kit, or
> do I need something else? I hope this makes sense and I'd be grateful for
> any advice.
>
Disable any firewall on both machines and try to ping each one from the
other. That will establish if the basic network connectivity is there
and the problem is with the Windows configuration.

(E-Mail Removed) declared for all the world to hear...
>
> I've recently acquired a laptop with inbuilt wireless which I had hoped to
> network with my existing PC (mainly for file sharing). I've bought and
> installed a Netgear DG834G wireless router/modem and connected it to the PC
> with the supplied ethernet cable. PC connects fine to internet this way and
> laptop connects via the wireless link. I didn't want to spend even more
> money on a wireless adaptor for the PC and was hoping to network the wired &
> wireless units together via the router but the standard XP networking
> wizards don't seem to support this mixed arrangement.

XP definitely does support wifi. You should not need to run any wizards,
just boot up your laptop, make sure the wireless is on and allow it to
find and connect to your wireless network.

> I'm reasonably competent with computers but know nowt about networks. Can
> anybody tell me if what I want to do is possible using the existing kit, or
> do I need something else? I hope this makes sense and I'd be grateful for
> any advice.

Start by making sure that with your wireless LAN you are broadcasting
the SSID, not hiding it. Secodnly turn off all the security on the
router (WEP, WPA, MAC filtering etc). Now allow your laptop to connect -
it will hunt for a few seconds for wireless networks, then when it
detects yours you will be asked if you want to connect.

Once it's connected go back to your router, hide your SSID, and turn the
security back on (WPA is best, WEP not too secure)
--
Regards
Jon

In article <(E-Mail Removed) >, Jon
(E-Mail Removed) says...
> (E-Mail Removed) declared for all the world to hear...
> >
> > I've recently acquired a laptop with inbuilt wireless which I had hoped to
> > network with my existing PC (mainly for file sharing). I've bought and
> > installed a Netgear DG834G wireless router/modem and connected it to the PC
> > with the supplied ethernet cable. PC connects fine to internet this way and
> > laptop connects via the wireless link. I didn't want to spend even more
> > money on a wireless adaptor for the PC and was hoping to network the wired &
> > wireless units together via the router but the standard XP networking
> > wizards don't seem to support this mixed arrangement.
>
> XP definitely does support wifi. You should not need to run any wizards,
> just boot up your laptop, make sure the wireless is on and allow it to
> find and connect to your wireless network.
>
> > I'm reasonably competent with computers but know nowt about networks. Can
> > anybody tell me if what I want to do is possible using the existing kit, or
> > do I need something else? I hope this makes sense and I'd be grateful for
> > any advice.
>
> Start by making sure that with your wireless LAN you are broadcasting
> the SSID, not hiding it. Secodnly turn off all the security on the
> router (WEP, WPA, MAC filtering etc). Now allow your laptop to connect -
> it will hunt for a few seconds for wireless networks, then when it
> detects yours you will be asked if you want to connect.
>
> Once it's connected go back to your router, hide your SSID, and turn the
> security back on (WPA is best, WEP not too secure)
>
But he already said that the wireless connection to the router is fine -
it's just that he can't see the other PC on the LAN.

"John Miller" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:enur9q$u38$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've recently acquired a laptop with inbuilt wireless which I had hoped
> to network with my existing PC (mainly for file sharing). I've bought and
> installed a Netgear DG834G wireless router/modem and connected it to the
> PC with the supplied ethernet cable. PC connects fine to internet this
> way and laptop connects via the wireless link. I didn't want to spend
> even more money on a wireless adaptor for the PC and was hoping to
> network the wired & wireless units together via the router but the
> standard XP networking wizards don't seem to support this mixed
> arrangement.

I agree with Rob Morley: any issues you have are unlikely to be due to the
fact that one computer is wired to the network and the other wireless.

If you can't see one PC from the other, I think firewalls are the most
likely reason. You should also check the two computers are set to the same
workgroup.

It might be useful to know the versions of Windows involved.

Alex

"John Miller" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:enur9q$u38$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I've recently acquired a laptop with inbuilt wireless which I had hoped to
> network with my existing PC (mainly for file sharing). I've bought and
> installed a Netgear DG834G wireless router/modem and connected it to the
PC
> with the supplied ethernet cable. PC connects fine to internet this way
and
> laptop connects via the wireless link. I didn't want to spend even more
> money on a wireless adaptor for the PC and was hoping to network the wired
&
> wireless units together via the router but the standard XP networking
> wizards don't seem to support this mixed arrangement.
>

Just tell them every thing is on a bit of wire. That is you are connected to
the internet by a cable/adsl router...

> I'm reasonably competent with computers but know nowt about networks. Can
> anybody tell me if what I want to do is possible using the existing kit,
or
> do I need something else? I hope this makes sense and I'd be grateful for
> any advice.
>

Yes, it should work fine. Its the wizards in XP that are brain dead.

> John Miller
>
>

"Rob Morley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) t...
> In article <enur9q$u38$(E-Mail Removed)>, John Miller
> (E-Mail Removed) says...
>>
>> I've recently acquired a laptop with inbuilt wireless which I had hoped
>> to
>> network with my existing PC (mainly for file sharing). I've bought and
>> installed a Netgear DG834G wireless router/modem and connected it to the
>> PC
>> with the supplied ethernet cable. PC connects fine to internet this way
>> and
>> laptop connects via the wireless link. I didn't want to spend even more
>> money on a wireless adaptor for the PC and was hoping to network the
>> wired &
>> wireless units together via the router but the standard XP networking
>> wizards don't seem to support this mixed arrangement.
>
> If both machines can connect to the internet through the router they
> should be able to see each other, and any issues you have probably
> aren't related to the fact that one is ethernet and the other is wifi.
>>
>> I'm reasonably competent with computers but know nowt about networks. Can
>> anybody tell me if what I want to do is possible using the existing kit,
>> or
>> do I need something else? I hope this makes sense and I'd be grateful for
>> any advice.
>>
> Disable any firewall on both machines and try to ping each one from the
> other. That will establish if the basic network connectivity is there
> and the problem is with the Windows configuration.

Thanks to all who replied. Following your assurance that it's possible to do
this, I've managed to progress to setting up a network where the 2 computers
can see each other, but in the limited time I had available, I couldn't get
access to the other PC. I assume that this is a permissions failure and
should be fairly easy to sort out. I should point out that I've never set up
or used a network before, so even the basic stuff is new to me. Thanks
again.

John Miller

John Miller wrote:

>I'm reasonably competent with computers but know nowt about networks. Can
>anybody tell me if what I want to do is possible using the existing kit, or
>do I need something else? I hope this makes sense and I'd be grateful for
>any advice.

I take it your are trying to see the other machine via the Windows
Explorer tree C:\ > My Network Places > Entire Network > Microsoft
Windows Network > (Network Name; 'MSHome' is the default).

What should pop up is a list of the files and folders you are allowed
to see on the other machine.

As others have said, you may need to temporarily disable any
individual firewalls (but you needn't be connected to the internet to
do the above).

If you want to see particular folders on the other machine, you will
need to enable File Sharing for those folders.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Burton
Bradstock
(E-Mail Removed)lid says...

> As others have said, you may need to temporarily disable any
> individual firewalls (but you needn't be connected to the internet to
> do the above).

Not a particular problem if you're behind a NAT router anyway, as long
as neither machine is currently infected with something nasty.

"John Miller" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:enur9q$u38$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I've recently acquired a laptop with inbuilt wireless which I had hoped to
> network with my existing PC (mainly for file sharing). I've bought and
> installed a Netgear DG834G wireless router/modem and connected it to the
PC
> with the supplied ethernet cable. PC connects fine to internet this way
and
> laptop connects via the wireless link. I didn't want to spend even more
> money on a wireless adaptor for the PC and was hoping to network the wired
&
> wireless units together via the router but the standard XP networking
> wizards don't seem to support this mixed arrangement.

i think others have already answered the plumbing aspects of this.

you need the protocol stack on the relevant interface to include "client for
microsoft network" and "file and print sharing".
These should be added by default when windows gets set up, but some Internet
sites recommend that you disable or remove them to reduce the risk of being
hacked via your Internet feed (which isnt an issue for you since the router
will block it).

for windows file sharing the PCs need to be part of the same workgroup, and
i find the easiest way to handle access is to create the same user names on
each machine, and keep the passwords in step.

>
> I'm reasonably competent with computers but know nowt about networks. Can
> anybody tell me if what I want to do is possible using the existing kit,
or
> do I need something else? I hope this makes sense and I'd be grateful for
> any advice.

windws networking can be finicky to set up on XP. About the only thing
positive to say is that it doesnt force a reboot any time you change things
as much as earlier versions.
>
> John Miller
>
--
Regards

(E-Mail Removed) - replace xyz with ntl