connecting computers

I just recently got a wireless laptop and have my two desktops and wireless
laptop connected thru a linksys router - Since I'm new to vista and have
never connected any of my computers before - can someone ell me how to
network my 2 desktops (and maybe my laptop) together? I've googled and
searched all day long and have tried a hundred different ways to do it - but
have come up empty - from my 'main' computer I can see the other desktop in
my nework sharing but when I click on the other computer - it says it can't
connect - can anyone help me or give me a a really easy place to follow
directions....

thanks! Pam

Hi Pam,

How each machine is set up depends on the installed operating system. For
Vista, it is fairly simple. In the Control Panel, locate the Network and
Sharing Center. You must enable network discovery for other machines to see
it. If you enable Public folder sharing, then files kept under
C:\Users\Public will be visible to other computers. If you enable
file/folder sharing as well, then folders that you have set to network share
will also be visible.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Pam" <> wrote in message
news38ABC70-CC86-4D7B-ABEB-...
>I just recently got a wireless laptop and have my two desktops and wireless
>laptop connected thru a linksys router - Since I'm new to vista and have
>never connected any of my computers before - can someone ell me how to
>network my 2 desktops (and maybe my laptop) together? I've googled and
>searched all day long and have tried a hundred different ways to do it -
>but have come up empty - from my 'main' computer I can see the other
>desktop in my nework sharing but when I click on the other computer - it
>says it can't connect - can anyone help me or give me a a really easy place
>to follow directions....
>
> thanks! Pam

thanks - my main computer is on Vista and the Network and Sharing Center has
enabled network discovery enabled and I've enabled public folder sharing ...

my xp pro that I'm trying to pull files from ... I've enabled sharing on
both hard drives (C and F) ..

the Vista N&S center 'see's my other computer - but says it can't access
it - can you suggest what else I can do to be able to pull files from the
xp?


"Rick Rogers" <> wrote in message
news:u%...
> Hi Pam,
>
> How each machine is set up depends on the installed operating system. For
> Vista, it is fairly simple. In the Control Panel, locate the Network and
> Sharing Center. You must enable network discovery for other machines to
> see it. If you enable Public folder sharing, then files kept under
> C:\Users\Public will be visible to other computers. If you enable
> file/folder sharing as well, then folders that you have set to network
> share will also be visible.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>
> "Pam" <> wrote in message
> news38ABC70-CC86-4D7B-ABEB-...
>>I just recently got a wireless laptop and have my two desktops and
>>wireless laptop connected thru a linksys router - Since I'm new to vista
>>and have never connected any of my computers before - can someone ell me
>>how to network my 2 desktops (and maybe my laptop) together? I've googled
>>and searched all day long and have tried a hundred different ways to do
>>it - but have come up empty - from my 'main' computer I can see the other
>>desktop in my nework sharing but when I click on the other computer - it
>>says it can't connect - can anyone help me or give me a a really easy
>>place to follow directions....
>>
>> thanks! Pam
>

Hi Pam,

It's not quite so intuitive in XP, see this for starters:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304040

The firewall is the biggest issue at times, this tutorial may help as well:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article04-109

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Pam" <> wrote in message
news:2CA87826-C95A-4965-8E98-...
> thanks - my main computer is on Vista and the Network and Sharing Center
> has enabled network discovery enabled and I've enabled public folder
> sharing ...
>
> my xp pro that I'm trying to pull files from ... I've enabled sharing on
> both hard drives (C and F) ..
>
> the Vista N&S center 'see's my other computer - but says it can't access
> it - can you suggest what else I can do to be able to pull files from the
> xp?
>
>
> "Rick Rogers" <> wrote in message
> news:u%...
>> Hi Pam,
>>
>> How each machine is set up depends on the installed operating system. For
>> Vista, it is fairly simple. In the Control Panel, locate the Network and
>> Sharing Center. You must enable network discovery for other machines to
>> see it. If you enable Public folder sharing, then files kept under
>> C:\Users\Public will be visible to other computers. If you enable
>> file/folder sharing as well, then folders that you have set to network
>> share will also be visible.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>>
>> "Pam" <> wrote in message
>> news38ABC70-CC86-4D7B-ABEB-...
>>>I just recently got a wireless laptop and have my two desktops and
>>>wireless laptop connected thru a linksys router - Since I'm new to vista
>>>and have never connected any of my computers before - can someone ell me
>>>how to network my 2 desktops (and maybe my laptop) together? I've googled
>>>and searched all day long and have tried a hundred different ways to do
>>>it - but have come up empty - from my 'main' computer I can see the other
>>>desktop in my nework sharing but when I click on the other computer - it
>>>says it can't connect - can anyone help me or give me a a really easy
>>>place to follow directions....
>>>
>>> thanks! Pam
>>
>

Get Network Magic www.networkmagic.com . I saved me all kinds of grief
when I got this Vista machine.


"Pam" <> wrote in message
news38ABC70-CC86-4D7B-ABEB-...
>I just recently got a wireless laptop and have my two desktops and wireless
>laptop connected thru a linksys router - Since I'm new to vista and have
>never connected any of my computers before - can someone ell me how to
>network my 2 desktops (and maybe my laptop) together? I've googled and
>searched all day long and have tried a hundred different ways to do it -
>but have come up empty - from my 'main' computer I can see the other
>desktop in my nework sharing but when I click on the other computer - it
>says it can't connect - can anyone help me or give me a a really easy place
>to follow directions....
>
> thanks! Pam

Sorry if you have already tried this , but if you cilck Start>Help an
Support>Troubleshooting , there is a section on finding computers on
home network

I presume they all have Vista installed

SIW

--
SIW2