Hi - I'm wanting to connect my girlfriend's laptop to my home network (so we can share files and she can access my printer) but this is already configured to be on her company network. Is there an easy way for me to configure her laptop so she can access my network when at home (as well as work through VPN) and the company network when in the office.

I've created a Network Setup Disc from my home PC, but didn't want to run this before asking the question, as knowing my luck, I'd wipe out her work network configuration and be left with egg on my face!

Would it be easiest to just create a new user account on her laptop, or can I do it all from the default account (preferred)?

Many thanks

Dan

If you could gives us more information concerning your network setup we will be able to help.
Things we need to know include;

Laptop OS
Internet connection
Your networking hardware, ie router
Wired or wireless
DHCP enabled


Basically if your internet connection comes in on a router there is a good chance it will be DHCP enabled (gives out IP addresses).
If this is the case it should be as straight forward as just plugging in the laptop and booting up, as most company networks are set to automatically assign IP addresses.
The laptop will get an IP address from the router and hence will be able to see the rest of your network.
Then its just a case of mapping shared drives (\\computer_name\Drive_name) and printers (\\computer_name\Printer)

Sorry - meant to put that info in:

- OS - my home PC is XP Home SP2 and Laptop is XP Prof
- Internet Connection - through Netgear WGT624 Wireless DSL router (DHCP enabled)

I have no problem with getting the laptop onto the wireless network for internet access, just can't see the files or printer. How hard is it to map these? Have enabled File Sharing and Printer Sharing on the folders and printer that I want the laptop to see and have even added the printer driver onto the laptop, but can't see the Virtual Printer Port for USB. Printer is connected straight into home PC via USB.

OK, now we're getting somewhere.

In My Network Places you should be able to see both computers.
The home one will be in one workgroup and the laptop another.

To share resources it a case of Right click and select Sharing and Security.
Fill in the information and then it will be visible when you click on the computer in Network Places.
You'll need user information to access them, normally
User name in this format Computer_name\user_id and password.
You could set up a new user ID especially to access these resources.
The printer can be shared the same way.
Hope this helps.

Slight problem - can see the shared resources (files and folders), however can't see the laptop, my PC or printer (on this page)

The workgroups are separated into "Local Network" - which has my shared folders and "The Internet", which has an FTP site I use and My Web Sites on MSN (which I'm going to delete as I never use MSN).

My computer is visible under "View Workgroup Computers" and this is connected to the Dan Home Network. No sign of the laptop anywhere.

Does my Printer need to be plugged into the Router (in which case I've got a problem as Router doesn't have USB ports and Printer doesn't have an Ethernet port!) or should it work OK being connected to PC (via USB Port Hub)?

When I look at the printer it says it's connected to USB002 - Virtual Printer Port for USB.

Thanks

What can you see from the laptop ?
I have seen this issue before and it's normally due to the fact the other machine is on a domain, not a workgroup.
XP Pro has some slightly different options in Network Places, that aren't available in Home and so can't be used.

This is exactly the same problem I had:
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/wireless-technology/trying-share-printer-over-home-wifi-29945.html

I finally gave up. I can access the internet allright but no shared files or printer.

I think that the Laptop might be on a domain - from the laptop I can only see the Office folders under the "Local Network" - no sign of my shared folders at home. Also, the search under Network Tasks is to Search Active Directory, so I'm guessing that this part of the office domain? No option to search for my PC, as the only domain/workgroup that it gives is the office one

Also, got another problem now in that the laptop can't get an IP address from my router if connecting wirelessly. Connects fine through Ethernet, but doesn't want to connect wirelessly? I've disabled and re-enabled the driver for the wireless card and have deleted the network settings and re-input them with right password. Strange! Just hangs on "Acquiring network address"

Have a look in the Other Places and go for Entire Network selecting Microsoft Windows Service.
That's where they are normally listed.
Some times it takes a while to have this part completely populated so leave it a few minutes after connecting to the network.

For the wireless problems, turn off all security and try again.


Once this is achieved then its time to start turning on your security.

The way I attack WiFi security is threefold.

MAC address access list
WEP encryption (128 bit)
Hide SSID


I find that this works a treat.
Basically if the AP can't be seen then it presents less of a target.
The MAC and WEP adds more security without slowing access speeds.

I must admit I have only tried WPA once and I ended up locking myself out of the AP, so I stuck with the above method.

Managed to get Laptop working wirelessly again, just re-set the security - thanks ;-)

Now it's connected again, I can see the laptop from my home PC under Microsft Windows network, but can't see the home network from the laptop! Bloody computers!!

Is there an easy way just to share the printer - can live without sharing the files, but would like to share the printer as I keep getting e-mails from her, asking me to print a document!

OK as I mentioned earlier sometimes it can take a bit of time for an XP Pro machine to see the contents of a home network.

Have you tried the printer setup wizard on the laptop ?
Go for:

Add a printer
Network printer
Second option (connect to this printer use the name \\Computer_name\printer or \\IP_address\printer)

Then go from there

Make sure the printer is shared

Just read one of the posts that mentioned changing the name of my home workgroup to be the same as the office one - have done this and can now see my home PC and laptop in the same workgroup under Network Places on my home PC, but can't access the workgroiup/domain from the laptop - says I don't have permissions to access the network resource.

Have tried to add a printer as above, but just get message saying that it can't find the printer. I'm assuming that instead of printer, I input the printer name (e.g. Epson R220) - do I include the space or is there an MSDos name for the printer that I can input?

Thanks

Dan

Hmm permissions the bain of our lives.
When you where setting up the sharing, did you make sure the security wwas right.
To make things easy set it to everyone with modify.
The printers name is best without spaces, keep it nice and simple.

Where do I get the name from? Under the Printers and Faxes the printer is called Epson R220 by default - do I change this or can I find an MSDos version of its name?