Desktop connects by USB cable via wireless cable modem. Laptop connects wirelessly to internet via the same wireless cable modem. I've tried networking them using Windows network expert, but neither one will ping the other and I can's see either from the other computer. I am using the same workgroup and othewise followed the protocol but obviously I'm missing something.

I tried a secondary program in place of the windows program, and it did at least show both computers connected - but I still couldn't share printer or files even though they are set to be shared on both computers. And, the software screwed up a bunch of other stuff on both computers so I had to uninstall it

Any ideas?

Desktop connects by USB cable via wireless cable modem. Laptop connects wirelessly to internet via the same wireless cable modem. I've tried networking them using Windows network expert, but neither one will ping the other and I can's see either from the other computer. I am using the same workgroup and othewise followed the protocol but obviously I'm missing something.

I tried a secondary program in place of the windows program, and it did at least show both computers connected - but I still couldn't share printer or files even though they are set to be shared on both computers. And, the software screwed up a bunch of other stuff on both computers so I had to uninstall it

Any ideas?
MS's P2P File & Print Sharing is poor, at best. With that said, the WorkGroup name must be identical on all NW'd computers, F&PSharing (or equiv) must be enabled on all PCs, a file, folder a/o printer must be config'd to share, duplicate login names should be on both the "client" PCs and host/sharing PC. It is recommended you install MS's NetBIOS (over TCP/IP) protocol on the PCs... If all PCs are one the same subnet, the F&P share "should" work...

Of course, it works best when there is a full moon...

P2E