View Full Version : Please help newbie network 3 computers
hi all it has been so long sence i networked a machine i have totally forgotten how, my question is i want to network my 3 computers, 2 have windows 2000 and one has windows ME, they are all currently plugged into a linksys router and all share the same internet connection just fine..but how do i get them networked? because as of now they cannot find eachother and dont see eachother when i go into network neighborhood/my network places..is there somehting i have to configure? any help or comments are greatly appreciated!
Do you have file and printer sharing setup under all of them? You need to do that on the network properties. There should be a button that says "File and Printer Sharing" that pulls up a dialog box that gives you options to share the files and printers. Select them, and press OK. Then share a drive on each of them. Also make sure they're all using the same workgroup, spelled exactly down to capitalization.
thank you wa11y but if i set file and print sharing on wont that pose a security risk to the internet? i kind of remember something about nebui i not sur ehow it is spelled..do i need that? and how do i set it up?
Originally posted by touser
thank you wa11y but if i set file and print sharing on wont that pose a security risk to the internet? i kind of remember something about nebui i not sur ehow it is spelled..do i need that? and how do i set it up?
NetBUI, TCP/IP, IPX/SPX...those are all protocol the computer uses to communicate. You most likely have TCP/IP, since it's the most common, and the protocol the Internet runs on.
The only security risk is how you setup sharing. After you activate file and printer sharing, you have to share a drive or folder. Go into Windows Explorer, and right click on a drive after you activate file and printer sharing. A new option "Sharing..." should appear in the menu. Select this. It'll give you some options, the first of which is "Shared" or "Not Shared." Once you activate that, under the Permissions button, you can setup permissions on who can access what. Make the changes there, and you don't have to worry as much about security.
Just to let you know, this is all for 2K. I don't know if ME is more like 98 or 2k, but I can help you out with 98 as well, if you need it.
thank you again :) ok so right now when i look at my network my networks name is NETWORK should i change that to something personal? and then change it to the same thing on the other 2k box?and after that i need to turn on file and print sharing and then go select a drive to share and set permissions..then after that i right click on network neighborhhod and search for the other computers? then put a link to them on my desktop or wherever and i done?
If you right click on "My Computer" choose "Properties" you should see a tab called "Network Identification." It's the second tab over. Click it, then click the button "Properties." The computer name doesn't really matter, just name the computers something you'll remember which one is which. What you're looking for is down on the bottom, there is a box that says "Member of." Select "Workgroup" and give the workgroup a name. Make sure the workgroup name is the same on all three computers, or they won't see eachother. Again, doesn't matter what specifically, as long as all three have the same name.
Once you have all this setup (it might have you reboot a few times) you should just be able to open up "My Network Places" and "Places Near Me" and see the other computers. You can create a shortcut if you want to, but that's not really necessary on such a small network.
There are a few other considerations. Do you have to use a password to login? That's taken care of under "Users and Passwords" in "Control Panel." If they DO have to use a password to log in, you'll need to create user accounts for them. If not, skip it. I'm not sure how it works for ME, but connecting my 98 machine to my roommates 2K machines, they had to setup a user account that was my login and password on my 98 system. Oh, and if you setup usernames for 2K, you can give them anything. It should prompt you for both a login name and password.
ok i've done everything you said and now on one machine when i open up the computers near me it sees my main machine but when i try and open up my main machine from it it cant open it, but on my main machine it doesnt even see the other machine..in fact when i try and click on computers near me it says "blaine" (the name of my workgroup) is not accesible the list of servers for the workgroup is not currently available...any ideas anyone?
Which machine is it that can't see? It sounds like there's a problem with the card. I ran into this same thing a while ago. Try to completely remove the network card info on that machine, then add it back. Go so far as to remove the network card from the Device Manager. Then add it back, and add all the information such that it looks the same as the other two.
And the other two machines can see eachother, right?
well i am taking it 1 step at a time right now it is just the 2 windows 2000 machines hooked in right now the 3rd is out of the question..the problem is the 2nd machine can see my main rig but my main rig cannot see the other machine..and neither of the 2 can open up and look ta eachother..even the machine that can see my main rig still cant see inside it only can see the folder that is being shared but not open it,so you are saying uninstall the whole NIC card and redo everything?also i do not know if this makes any difference but the 2 machines are hooked together through a linksys router..could that be causing some problems? thanks again for the help i really appreciate it.
So, as it stands, you have ONLY the two 2k machines networked, yes? 1 is your main rig, and 2 is another computer. 2 can see 1, but 1 cannot see 2. And neither can access the shared folders? Try doing a search on 1 for 2 (start-search-computers). And what message do you get when you try to open the shared folders? And when you open the network, does 1 see 1 and 2, or just 1? And if it just sees 1, can you still open it (open 1 with 1).
As for removing the network card, don't physically remove it, just remove EVERYTHING under "Network Properties" on that computer. Remove the protocols, clients, adapters, everything. WHen you reboot, you'll have to reinstall the drivers for your network card, and set everything back up. Again make sure it's EXACTLY like the other two. All three need to be EXACTLY the same. Same protocols, same clients, same workgroup.
As for the router, I don't know. I'd suggest you swap it for a hub, just for testing purposes, or get a crossover cable, so you can go directly from one PC to another without anything but cable between the two of them. Less variables to work with.
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