Hardware Need help with a wireless network

[Joey Ravn]

Hi. I just bought a new laptop and a router (a Linksys WTR54GC). I configured it perfectly through my desktop PC's connection, my laptop is currently downloading updates and all that stuff from the internet, so no problems there. But, I don't know how to create a network with this two computers. I want, basically, to be able to print files from my laptop using my printer, which is connected to the desktop PC, and be able to transfer files freely between both PCs. Is this possible? Can you help me do it?
Thanks in advance.

 

[rhyguy]

what os are they running?

also, make sure that they are the same workgroup

 

[Joey Ravn]

Forgot to say: XP on my PC, the desktop one, Vista on the laptop. How can I configure that workgroup thing?

Sorry, I'm a total newb to wireless networking. The most I've ever done is using the NWFC

Thanks for the help.

 

[rhyguy]

ok on xp, you'll need to install something called top layer link discovery protocol from the microsoft site
then right click my computer, and click properties and go to computername and click the change button
call it WORKGROUP (in capitals) to make this easy

then in vista go to system properties (i think its on the bar in my computer) and go to something similar to computer name, or computer properties, and check that the workgroup is called WORKGROUP


then, try using the network wizards built in with xp, and chose wireless network

 

[Joey Ravn]

Well, after much work I finally downloaded that file and installed it, and renamed both my PC's and my laptop's workgroup to "CASA" (because I'll be using that term, which means "home" in Spanish). However, when I try using one of Window's Connection Wizards, neither the Wireless Network Wizard nor the Network Configuration Wizard allow me to do anything. The former tells me to use an USB device to set up the configuration, but I don't have any USB device I can use. The latter gives me the option to manually configure it, then it gives me this:

Nombre de la red (SSID): Red
Clave de red (clave WEP/WPA): d65093d7edb449eb94ad37b431
Clave proporcionada automáticamente (802.1x): 0
Tipo de autenticación de red: open
Tipo de cifrado de datos: WEP
Tipo de conexión: ESS
Índice de la clave:

... and, as you can see, I don't know what the heck I'm supposed to do with this. Tampering with this option left me without Internet for about an hour, lol. I had to reconfigure my router

The other option, the Network Connection Wizard, prompts me to put the info I modified following your advice, that is the name of this PC, its description and workgroup, but still, it fails on the last step. I can change the way this PC I'm writting from connects to the Internet, but whichever option I choose, it still fails.

Can somebody give me a hand? As you can see, I do am a total newb in this world of networks, so try to be as specific and clear as humanly possible...

Oh, and, of course, I shouldn't need to say that I'm immensely grateful for any help given, fellow Tempers

 

[rhyguy]

can you set your machine to english and get the stuff in the code box again so i can understand it

 

[Joey Ravn]

The stuff on the code box is easy to translate, but I can't set my system to English... Spanish OEM version, sorry.

Network name (SSID): Red (network)
Network's key (WEP/WPA key): d65093d7edb449eb94ad37b431
Automatically given key (802.1x): 0
Type of network autentification: open
Type of data encryption: WEP
Connection type: ESS
Password key:

That would be a rough translation, but I'm not sure this code box contains something useful... Thanks for the help anyway. Isn't there any other way to do this? I have this link here, but I don't know if it hold any useful information...

 

[Joey Ravn]

Oh, great! I did it! I DID IT!!! I was finally able to transfer files from one PC to the other wirelessly! Thanks a f***ing bunch for everything!

Now, the only thing I'm missing is the printer... :S

 

[rhyguy]

right click printer (in printers) and enable network sharing (if its on vista, you might have to do something more)

also, your laptop has to have driver for the printer aswell to work properly

 

[Joey Ravn]

right click printer (in printers) and enable network sharing (if its on vista, you might have to do something more)

also, your laptop has to have driver for the printer aswell to work properly

Yeah, that was the last bit of info I needed. Now that I think about it, it's quite obvious that I need the driver installed on Vista for it to work, hehehe.

Well, thanks a bunch. You've been far more than helpful and I'm deeply grateful for it