File Sharing on 2 computers

Could somebody point me to a place on the web that tells how to make 2
computers able to share files and copy files from one to the other.

I have the wireless network up and going and I am sure there must be a
way to make this work.

Thanks to Ben for suggesting Linksys. I here a lot of people talking
about how difficult it can be. With Linksys it was a breeze.

If you are running Windows 2000 or later, file sharing is pretty easy, but it
has some pitfalls. Do NOT share an entire drive. This opens up a security
hole you can drive a truck through. To share a folder, right click on it, then
click the word "Sharing...", and go from there. Once a folder is shared, it
appears in Windows Explorer window of the other computer. You can also restrict
sharing to specific user ids. That's the quick thumbnail sketch on file
sharing... Ben Myers

On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:39:34 -0500, swalker <> wrote:

>Could somebody point me to a place on the web that tells how to make 2
>computers able to share files and copy files from one to the other.
>
>I have the wireless network up and going and I am sure there must be a
>way to make this work.
>
>Thanks to Ben for suggesting Linksys. I here a lot of people talking
>about how difficult it can be. With Linksys it was a breeze.

On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 23:10:53 -0400, Ben Myers
<> wrote:

>If you are running Windows 2000 or later, file sharing is pretty easy, but it
>has some pitfalls. Do NOT share an entire drive. This opens up a security
>hole you can drive a truck through. To share a folder, right click on it, then
>click the word "Sharing...", and go from there. Once a folder is shared, it
>appears in Windows Explorer window of the other computer. You can also restrict
>sharing to specific user ids. That's the quick thumbnail sketch on file
>sharing... Ben Myers
>
>On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:39:34 -0500, swalker <> wrote:
>
>>Could somebody point me to a place on the web that tells how to make 2
>>computers able to share files and copy files from one to the other.
>>
>>I have the wireless network up and going and I am sure there must be a
>>way to make this work.
>>
>>Thanks to Ben for suggesting Linksys. I here a lot of people talking
>>about how difficult it can be. With Linksys it was a breeze.

Just one extra point - make sure your computers belong to the same
group name - by defualt MS does not name them consistently between its
OS's - some call it "Workgroup" and others seem to call it "MSHome" I
think.

Anyway, if my above comment makes no sense to you - if it a recent OS
(2k and later I guess) you should have a wizard for helping set it up
and get past its firewalls etc.

Cheers

Re: "With Linksys it was a breeze."

Do you have WPA encryption turned on? Unencrypted WiFi is always
relatively easy. It's also dangerous and stupid. It's when they try to
turn on encryption that most people have problems. Problems that they
usually can't solve themselves.

Yes, sharing is easily possible. I'd try www.practicallynetworked.com
for instructions.

If you are using Vista, note the following (some of it applies to XP also):

First, go here and read this article:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/net.../vista_fp.mspx

Second, you may still find that sharing still doesn't work unless you
turn off all security (passwords). In many cases, this is caused by a
"feature" that exists in both XP and Vista involving zero-length passwords.

XP Pro, Media Center and Vista will not allow network access to network
computers that have zero-length passwords. You may see the computer,
but will get a "you do not have permission ...." message if you actually
try to access it.

To fix this:

Start / run / gpedit.msc (start the group policy editor)

Open the tree:
Computer configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local
Policies / Security Options

Find the item:
Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only

If this item is enabled, you will not be able to logon to other
computers on the network that have blank (zero-length) passwords. IT IS
ENABLED BY DEFAULT.

Change it to disabled.

This will fix a lot of access problems in "home" networks that don't
have user passwords on many of the machines.

ONE OTHER IMPORTANT POINT: I have found that Vista gets DRAMATICALLY,
friendlier, a LOT friendlier, if you right click on the Vista "start"
button and select "Classic Start Menu". There are some settings there
and in other places that make it friendlier still, but "Classic Start
Menu" is the key. [I'm using the RC version of Vista, I hope and
presume that this option was still present in the production version].
In fact, this option changes a lot more than the start menu, including
the desktop. It makes a whole lot of things look, act and behave more
likel XP (or even 98). But it still leaves Aero and all of the "Wow"
intact.


swalker wrote:
> Could somebody point me to a place on the web that tells how to make 2
> computers able to share files and copy files from one to the other.
>
> I have the wireless network up and going and I am sure there must be a
> way to make this work.
>
> Thanks to Ben for suggesting Linksys. I here a lot of people talking
> about how difficult it can be. With Linksys it was a breeze.

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:20:13 -0400, Barry Watzman
<> wrote:

>Re: "With Linksys it was a breeze."
>
>Do you have WPA encryption turned on? Unencrypted WiFi is always
>relatively easy. It's also dangerous and stupid. It's when they try to
>turn on encryption that most people have problems. Problems that they
>usually can't solve themselves.

Yes, WPA is on. The only problem I had was correctly entering the 20+
character code. Kept getting the "q" mixed up with a "g". After a
couple of tries I noticed the option to be able to actually see what I
was typing. Nice feature.
>
>Yes, sharing is easily possible. I'd try www.practicallynetworked.com
>for instructions.
>
>If you are using Vista, note the following (some of it applies to XP also):
>
>First, go here and read this article:
>
>http://www.microsoft.com/technet/net.../vista_fp.mspx
>
>Second, you may still find that sharing still doesn't work unless you
>turn off all security (passwords). In many cases, this is caused by a
>"feature" that exists in both XP and Vista involving zero-length passwords.
>
>XP Pro, Media Center and Vista will not allow network access to network
>computers that have zero-length passwords. You may see the computer,
>but will get a "you do not have permission ...." message if you actually
>try to access it.
>
>To fix this:
>
>Start / run / gpedit.msc (start the group policy editor)
>
>Open the tree:
>Computer configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local
>Policies / Security Options
>
>Find the item:
>Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only
>
>If this item is enabled, you will not be able to logon to other
>computers on the network that have blank (zero-length) passwords. IT IS
>ENABLED BY DEFAULT.
>
>Change it to disabled.
>
>This will fix a lot of access problems in "home" networks that don't
>have user passwords on many of the machines.
>
>ONE OTHER IMPORTANT POINT: I have found that Vista gets DRAMATICALLY,
>friendlier, a LOT friendlier, if you right click on the Vista "start"
>button and select "Classic Start Menu". There are some settings there
>and in other places that make it friendlier still, but "Classic Start
>Menu" is the key. [I'm using the RC version of Vista, I hope and
>presume that this option was still present in the production version].
>In fact, this option changes a lot more than the start menu, including
>the desktop. It makes a whole lot of things look, act and behave more
>likel XP (or even 98). But it still leaves Aero and all of the "Wow"
>intact.
>
>
>swalker wrote:
>> Could somebody point me to a place on the web that tells how to make 2
>> computers able to share files and copy files from one to the other.
>>
>> I have the wireless network up and going and I am sure there must be a
>> way to make this work.
>>
>> Thanks to Ben for suggesting Linksys. I here a lot of people talking
>> about how difficult it can be. With Linksys it was a breeze.

The option for classic view is still there and I switched to it last
night.

Thanks for all the other info. It will take me a while to read through
it and then try sharing.

Vista is actually running pretty well. I took the option given of
downloading Norton suite and although it installed OK it was like
throwing an anchor overboard. Everything slowed way down so I have
removed it and am limiting use of the notebook until I can resolve
some other issues and then address the security issue.

My very real problem with Vista is my inability to conceptualize what
it wants me to do. I am moving from a machine with only one user to a
machine with 5 users.

Identities have sort of gone by the wayside so every email account
needs a user name on the welcome screen, at least that is how I plan
on attacking that situation.

Which led to think about IE favorites. Since everyone is a different
user, then they have their own desktop, so I need to set that up and
when they go to the web they each want their own favorites.

At least that is how I think it should work.

I am sure there are some other things I haven't even thought about
yet.

Thanks again for the info.