Infrastructure And Ad-hoc - Many Questions

[WeaponX 0]

I tried to look for solutions on how to set this up properly but can't find any more information than what I have known or tried already.Currently, I have one laptop (Windows XP Home) and a desktop (Windows 98SE) setup to use the internet. They both have wireless cards/adapters and can go online through the router without any problems. The problem is how do I share files between them? For Windows 98, I have enabled File Sharing and chose a folder for sharing. Does it matter if it's a Family Logon or do I have to set it to Microsoft...something Network logon instead? How about an IP address? Do I have to assign one manually since my router does that for me. Both machines are in the same workgroup with different computer names and IPs. I just want them both to be able to go online and share files.My other main question is in regards to the Ad-hoc mode. This is only for one on one file sharing right (where no router is needed)? How do I get this to work? Please be specific and list steps if you can. I should be able to follow what you say, just need to know what to do Not sure if it has anything to do with it, but will setting this up incorrectly disrupt your cell phone signal? Whole family was complaining the other day LOL, and I think it might have been caused by that.Last question...how do I use Windows to connect to my wireless internet connection? I tried letting Windows connect but it won't. I gave it my SSID and WEP information and it still won't connect. I'm using a Netgear 802.11g wireless PCMCIA card. This method only works in XP right and not in 98?Thanks.

[Houdini 0]

You need to use Client for Microsoft Networks not Family Logon, but just go to XP and then under Netwaork tasks then just select Setup a Home or small Office network. It will run a wizard that will set up both of your machines giving you the option to make a floppy or use your WIN XP cd to set up the other machine.

[WeaponX 0]

Thanks Houdini.How about the ad-hoc question? How would I do this? Do I assign each machine a manual IP and share a folder?Also how do I make Windows connect to my wireless router instead of the Netgear program which I'm using now?

[James_K 0]

if you want to share stuff the I recommend that you hook both computers up with a lan cable when you do this you have to go Network Connections menu right click local area connection and click properties then go all the way down click internet protocol and click properties then you will see 2 things saying obtiain automatically press both on "Use the following" when you assign the IP address just set one computer to 192.168.1.2 click subnet mask area it should automatically come up as 255.255.255.0 and just leave the DNS alone then go to your second computer and do the same thing but 192.168.1.3 make sure you disable any firewalls or adjust rules accodingly also make sure you right click and folder and go to properties and share it so you can exchange files between computers and the netgear takes over the origninally windows wireless program just uninstall it and then you can manually connect to your wireless router your self good luck

[WeaponX 0]

Thanks for the reply James_K. I do have a crossover cable that I have used previously (pain in the you know where), but I want to do this wirelessly since I'm in my room and the other computer is in the living room.Am I setting it correctly if I assign a manual IP to each computer (doing it wirelessly now)? Is there anything else I need to do? I have already shared a folder to do testing on but can't go to either computer. I assume I can access the other computer's shared folder by typing in something like \\other_comp\shared_folder right? Did that and it didn't work.Regarding the Netgear program, I didn't know that it took control. Can't I just close it and use the Windows one? Don't want to really uninstall it...at least not yet. Want to play around with the Windows wireless connection settings since I need to learn it.The problem with the file sharing might be the firewall like you said. I can't disable it though because I don't want to leave it open to any "hackers". I want to set up the filters instead, but when it comes to the firewall settings (filtering), I'm basically a newbie to it. I'm using ZoneAlarm Pro v5.5. If you don't have it can you just tell me what I need to do in terms of filtering it? What do I need to filter? I will see if I can figure it out from there.Thanks.

[James_K 0]

Great this is the second time I'm writing this don’t you just hate it when that happens? well anyway alright well I don’t know about netgear but from past experience when I installed the programs that come with certain routers they seem to take over my wireless manager from windows but that might not be the case for all unless it says that the wireless manager is being used by a different program or something like that then your fine you can just basically forget all the stuff I said up their I thought you wanted to directly connect the two computers but now I see, ok your going to firstly want to set both computers on the same workgroup to do this you must first right click your "My Computer" Not the shortcut or simply just press Windows key and Pause/break there you will find a computer name tap open that and you will see full computer name and Workgroup now both computer must be on the same workgroup for this to work the defaults are MSHOME and WORKGROUP now if both of them have already been set on the same one then happy day's (I have no idea where that came from) if not change them to the same it doesn’t matter which. After doing that share all the stuff you want to now for this to work you may be forced to edit the rules set by your firewall now I don’t know about Zone Alarm but I'm sure you'll be able to find someone who does here. After that (I'm presuming your using Windows XP) go to "My Network Places" You should see all items that are being shared on your network click workgroup computers and you should see both your computers (Sometimes just the other one) on the network now the best way to do this if you paranoid about security (that’s a good thing) is secure your wireless add an encryption password to it that way only you can access but make sure you don’t make it an easy to guess password I have had countless times when I just used the password "Password" or "hello" and gotten access to things so make it unique also if you extra paranoid then you can assign computer names to that router so it will only accept a certain computer with a certain name that way only your computer can access it even if someone else tried and knew your pass, but the painful thing about this is that every time you have a new computer over your going to have to add it, but it is better if you live in highly dense residential area like NY City or a high risk area like NY city.. Ha-ha joke but yah you want and are still stuck after this I'll write you a full feature tutorial CheersJames

[WeaponX 0]

I did all those steps already. They are in the same workgroup and I shared a folder on both computers. But neither is seeing each other (one is using Windows 98 and other is XP). But for that one, I will need to find some time and try out the suggestion made by Houdini...hopefully that will make them both share the internet and files.The other question I have remaining is how to ONLY share files between two computers if they have wireless cards. Let's say we wanted to share files using laptops somewhere and there is no router. We want to do this wirelessly (assuming that's what Ad-hoc is for). How do we do this?I will definitely need help on the filtering part for the firewall. I never used that feature in ZoneAlarm before. It might be a problem for my first question also (file share and internet share).Yeah, I added all the security features I can already for my router (changed SSID, disabled broadcast, enabled WEP since I don't have WPA and also have MAC address filtering enabled).

[James_K 0]

Well for 98 and XP I'm going to have to do some research first but as for setting up ad- hoc heres how From the Start menu, click Control Panel. In Control Panel, in Category View, click Network and Internet Connections. In the Network and Internet Connections window, click or double-click Network Connections. In the Network Connections window, right-click Wireless Network Connection, and then click View Available Wireless Networks. In the Connect to Wireless Network dialog box, click Advanced. In the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box, click the Wireless Networks tab. On the Wireless Networks tab, click Add. In the Wireless Network Properties dialog box, in the Network (SSID) box, type the name of the network. For a peer-to-peer network, this can be any network name not already in use, for example, Adhoc. Select the This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network check box. If an encryption key has been agreed to by the other members of your networkSelect the Data encryption (WEP enabled) check box. Click to clear the The key is provided for me automatically check box. In the Network key box, type the network key. In the Key format list, click the key format you have agreed to. In the Key length list, click the key length you have agreed to. In the Key index (advanced) list, click the up or down arrow button to select the key index you have agreed to. To close the Wireless Network Properties dialog box, click OK. Click the General tab. On the General tab, in the This connection uses the following items list, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) . If you do not see Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), drag the scroll bar to see more options. Click Properties. In the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box, click the General tab. On the General tab, click Use the following IP address. In the IP Address box, type an IP Address value, and then in the the Subnet Mask box, type a Subnet Mask value for each wireless computer on your peer-to-peer network. The IP Address for computer 1 should end with a 1, and the IP Address for computer 2 should end with a 2. To close the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box, click OK. To close the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box, click OK. I'll look up the 98 problem for youJames