Home Networking: PC with XP wired to wireless router & Win 7 PC connected v

[bjoleniacz]

I am trying to set up a home network between two computers in order to do file sharing.

The first is an ancient HP Pavilion running Windows XP, hardwired to my Belkin Wireless-N router via a long ethernet cable.

The second is a new HP flat screen PC running Windows 7, 64 bit. It is connected to the Belkin router via wireless signal.

I was only able to get the Win7 machine to find the XP machine when I created a temporary VPN, dialing into my Wireless Router- 192.168.2.1. However, instead of the computer's actual name, OLDSLOWCOMP, it displayed it as the primary user name on the PC- Owner-HP. I was unable to log in or interact with the old machine in any way, and then, when I restarted my Win 7 machine, I lost the connection.

 

[arson94]

Does your router not have an option to make wireless and wired the same network? That way all of your clients are on the same subnet. Then you would only need to allow file sharing in the firewall on each client computer.

 

[nukemaster]

As long as both systems are on the same network.

IE
192.168.2.XXX , they should be able to communicate without issues.

The most easy way to do this is to ensure that both systems are on the same Workgroup. Right click on the My Computer icon and hit properties on the XP system and under the Computer Name tab, make sure you give it a workgroup name then restart if needed.

For the Windows 7 system just hit start and type workgroup and change its name to match the other system. Restart as needed.

Now the computers should see each other. or you can type \\computernamehere to access it from windows explorer's(Start + E) address bar.

You will have to setup shares and fun stuff too.

When setting a share remember the Share permissions AND the NTFS permissions must BOTH allow the user to change files or they will be read only(if even that).

I use Win XP/Vista/7/8 systems all with workgroups(and not the new Homegroups since they do not work with XP). It is also important to know that on a Win Vista/7/8 system UAC leaves you with a different account so even systems with the same login + password have to have the login and password entered when connecting to one another(on XP systems with the same login+pass you get straight access to open shares).

 

[bjoleniacz]

Does your router not have an option to make wireless and wired the same network? That way all of your clients are on the same subnet. Then you would only need to allow file sharing in the firewall on each client computer.

Arson- I don't know. How could I tell?

 

[bjoleniacz]

Nukemaster-

I didn't know how Networking works, so I already changed the workgroup name to the same as the SSID name of my home wireless network. It is the same on both computers. That didn't help. I did that hours ago.

IE is unable to find the computer.

It appears they are not on the same network, as a result of the differing modes of connection- i.e., wired vs. wireless.

As long as both systems are on the same network.

IE
192.168.2.XXX , they should be able to communicate without issues.

The most easy way to do this is to ensure that both systems are on the same Workgroup. Right click on the My Computer icon and hit properties on the XP system and under the Computer Name tab, make sure you give it a workgroup name then restart if needed.

For the Windows 7 system just hit start and type workgroup and change its name to match the other system. Restart as needed.

Now the computers should see each other. or you can type \\computernamehere to access it from windows explorer's(Start + E) address bar.

You will have to setup shares and fun stuff too.

When setting a share remember the Share permissions AND the NTFS permissions must BOTH allow the user to change files or they will be read only(if even that).

I use Win XP/Vista/7/8 systems all with workgroups(and not the new Homegroups since they do not work with XP). It is also important to know that on a Win Vista/7/8 system UAC leaves you with a different account so even systems with the same login + password have to have the login and password entered when connecting to one another(on XP systems with the same login+pass you get straight access to open shares).

 

[bjoleniacz]

OK, it is getting more interesting. In fact, even when I have three computers connected through this router to the internet, only one of them shows up on the DHCP client list.....

 

[nukemaster]

Is the HP set to Home network or Public network? If you set a Win Vista/7/8 computer to public network, then file sharing is switched off.

Hit start then type "Network share" then select Network and Sharing Center. You should be able to see if the network is set to home,public or work.

Also, what is the IP of the 2 computers, can they ping one another.

A user above(arson94) makes a valid point. My router has the option to prevent routing between zones(wired/wireless) as a security feature(and I do use it, but it also lets me run 2 wireless networks at once ).