Wireless File Sharing?
 

Hi All,

To start off, this is my first post as a member of cable forum.

I have just networked my desktop and laptop pc's with the Linksys WRT54G and WPC54G. I got the info on wireless gear from reading through previous posts. So thanks for that.

The problem iam having, is that i cannot file share between the two pc's. i have done it before when i had them on a wired network, but i seem to be stuck now.

I have the router hard wired into my main pc and a wireless card in the laptop.

Hope someone out there can help.

Thanks.

Chris

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Firstly - welcome to the forums....
Next - a few questions:
What Operating System are you running on both machines?
Are you using DHCP for the network addressing?
Are you getting "Cannot find <machine name>" or a similar message?
Do both machines connect to the outside world without issue?
Any "software" firewalls running?
Can you ping each machine from the other?

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Hi Tricky.

Both machines are running XP, but desktop is pro and laptop is home.
Yes i think iam using DHCP for network addressing.
Getting no messages about seeing each other. when i run internet and file sharing wizard, it doesnt seem to complete?
Both machines connect to the internet without any problems what so ever.
Desktop has Norton internet security but i have tried with it off.
Dont know how to ping machines, so i cant answer that one.

Thanks again for the very fast response.

Chris

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

To ping you first need to know the ip address of each machine. To do this go to

start -> run -> type cmd press [return]
at the command prompt, type ipconfifg [return]

this will then tell you the ip address, in your case it will probably be 192.168.1.xxx

to then ping this, type at the command prompt-

ping 192.168.1.xxx and press return. you will either see:

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=64

(which is good) or...

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

which is bad....

MB

oh and ps :welcome: :D

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Hi MB And thanks.

Yes i have just pinged the two machines and they indeed do see each other.

Cheers.

Chris

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Do both PCs have the same windows workgroup name and different identifying names

e.g. Workgroup ne55ie
PC Name - Desktop
Laptop Name - Laptop

This can all be found in control panel > Network and dial up (or whatever it is called on XP now) > LAN > Properties > File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Yes, they have the same work group name and the pc names are desktop and laptop.

Do i have to run the wizard? i tried it on the laptop connecting to the internet through another computer, but it is saying that the network cable is unplugged. thats where its getting me, because it is over a wireless connection! is there a cetain wizard to enable file share over a wireless connection, or am i barking up the wrong oak?????

Cheers again for all your quick replys

Chris.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Have you set up the drives in each PC to be shared? i.e. right click on a drive letter in Explorer, select "Properties" and then look at the "Sharing" Tab.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Does your laptop have wired and wireless networking, the cable unplugged, is that an error on the wired or wireless connection.
If you can surf the net and ping then this is an error to ignore.
My laptop has Wired, Wireless and Bluetooth, on startup it complains that cables are unplugged on the wired and bluetooth!, and on the wireless until it negotiates the conection.

Have you tried searching for the other computer in windoze explorer. The search button at the top, then on the side instead of files or folders select computers, tell one to search for the other. Sometimes windows takes a while to discover other machines on the network.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Yes just done a search now, but nothing found.

When i plugged in the router to modem and then pc, plugged in the wireless card into laptop, internet works fine. What is the next stage i have to do to be able to file share? i have set up file sharing on both pc's. that seems to be ok. the only problem i have, is that they dont see each other. Am i missing a step???

Thanks again.

Chris.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Windows will not allow file and printer sharing to be used wirelessly unless you have WEP encryption turned on.

Turn it, set a key on the server (router), then set WEP on the client computer with the same key, this will allow you to see each others shared files and folders.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Have you restarted both of them? Double check the network name to ensure there is not a space at the end on one of them, or a upper/lower case mismatch.

As you can ping, there is no firewall stopping communication.

Can you wire the laptop into the router and see if it can see the desktop.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Check in control panel, network settings. In the properties for the "TCP/IP >> (your network adapter)" look in the bindings tab and see if the client for file/printer sharing and client for microsoft networks is enabled.
Also, as I said before, check to see if your drives (properties) on the required machines are set to be shared as appropriate.

Edit: If you have a firewall then the IP's of each PC much be allowed through in the trusted (local) zone. For diagnostics you might be better to disable the firewall until you can be sure you have the basic problem fixed first without adding to your problems.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Hi Nate,

That rings a bell. how do i enable the WEP??

Thanks

Chris.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

WEP is not something to be worried about until you have this sharing problem fixed.

When you are file and printer sharing, read this
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/kb/78/ho...reless-network

Can you get both laptop and desktop connected to the WRT54G by CAT5 for now? Does the laptop have an ethernet connection?

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

yes, i have just plugged laptop in to router, but i still cant see shared files.

FLUBFLOW, couldnt find bindings tab to check client for file sharing????

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

You wot- I had XP filesharing wirelessly sans WEP in the past. Although it's on now...

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Set up a new sharing on the c:\ (for now) make sure there are no access controls.

Do the search for the othe PC again

Using Windows Explorer look in My NEtwork Places, Windows Network (or whatever - I'm on a 2k machine on a corp network at present) and tell us what you can see.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

when i look in my network places, all i see is entire network, then in there is microsoft terminal sevices, microsoft windows network and web client network

when i do same on laptop, i can also see the laptops shared files. even though i have drices on desktop shared (hand under icon) i cant see them in network places on desktop

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

The OS has no clue how the other machines are connecting to it, especially as they are the other side of a router in this instance. This is not the case WXP will let you share on an insecure network, or a broadband enabled PC without AV or Firewall.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

And inside microsoft windows network?
You should see at least the machine you are using.
If this was working you shoud see both.
Do this on both and compare the results.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

ah, when i click windows network, i see my workgroup name, but when i click on it it wont open. i get a message saying it not accessible. when i do the same on the laptop, it opens and i can see the laptop.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

just configured firewall and it now opens, but on desktop there is nothing there

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Turn the firewalls off until this is working. You don't need them on anymore as the WRT54G has NAT and SPI so is a hardware firewall.

Uninstall Windows networking, restart, and reinstall, restart the desktop looks like the networking on that is a bit screwy. You should always be able to see your own PC if it has Windows networking installed.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

OH the joys of microsoft. just restarted desktop, and low and behold, everything is where it should be :Yikes:

The laptop has still got cat 5 cable in, but i think its still going through the wireless network. should i now unplug the cable????

Thanks agin chaps

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

If it works on the wired it will work on the wireless.

Now go through StuartBe's post on how to secure your wireless network.
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/kb/78/ho...reless-network

For linksys specific help
http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...dXJpdHkg&p_li=

You may want to look at these links for getting WPA-PSK functionality onto the laptop if it does not have it.
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...131#post282131
Specifically post 7
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...31&postcount=7

Think about what you are sharing on the PC make sure you are not sharing the whole of a drive, but the necessary parts like My Documents etc.

Re: Wireless File Sharing?
 

Yes it works fine now.
I will check out them posts.

And thanks again everybody. Couldnt have done it with out you.

Cheers chaps.

Chris