Sharing. You haven't mentioned setting up sharing on any of your hard drives or printer. I've got a main PC, another PC and laptop, The main is cable connected to a D-Link moden/router and the other PC and laptop D-Link wireless connected via the router.

From any computer I can get into and rummage about [open, close, delete, move, etc] in any other hard drive and print from any computer to either printer (laser and inkjet).

Double click on 'My Computer'. Right click on the hard drive letter and you will find a 'Sharing' button. Same for printer [control panel - printer - right click on printer - hit the sharing button]. You have to set up each hard drive and the printer to share.

Thanks FJJP, I think this is where the problem lies, I'll do some more reading on this and see what the other two machines are set to.

I don't know if it will help, but these are my settings for the shared drives and printers [it may give you the idea]:

Main comp, 2 drives [C & E] Win 2000 Pro

You need to be logged in as administrator to do this, or have full admin rights on your profile.

C: drive - open my computer, right click, sharing, sharing tab, share this folder, new share, [give it a name eg Master], user limit max, permissions, add, select everyone, ok, ok, ok, share permissions tick allow full control change read, ok, ok, apply, ok, ok. You should now see a hand under the c: drive symbol.

E: drive - repeat of C:

Other comp, 1 drive [C] Win 98

c: drive - open my computer, right click, sharing, sharing tab, shared as [give it a name eg Slave], access type full, ok. You should now see a hand under the c: drive symbol.

Laptop, 1 drive [C] Win XP Home

C: drive - open my computer, right click, sharing and security, sharing tab, network sharing and security, tick share this folder on the network, share name [give it a name eg Laptop], tick allow network users to change my files, ok. You should now see a hand under the c: drive symbol.

Laser printer driven by Win 2000 main comp

Start, settings, printers, right click on laser printer symbol, sharing, sharing tab, shared as [give it a name, eg laser], ok. You should now see a hand under the laser printer symbol.

Inkjet printer driven by Win 2000 main comp

Start, settings, printers, right click on inkjet printer symbol, sharing, sharing tab, shared as [give it a name, eg inkjet], ok. You should now see a hand under the laser printer symbol.

BB - just curious... Did you get the problem solved?

FJJP, Not yet, thanks for asking. I'm afraid that I have been flying the last few days so havn't had time to try anything.

As far as I can see I need to start by going around all three machines assuring that all the C drives and the printer are enabled for sharing.

Then run the 'Wireless network setup wizard' calling the network same name as the Belkin signal is called (I've changed it from Belkin54G to a single word)

Run round all manchines with the same wizard and details and hope to see something of the network when I go to 'my network places'.

Is that about right?

BB

I can't remember which way round I did it [perhaps Richard can clarify], whether to set up the network first then do the sharing bit or the other way round. I suspect the former. Setup the network enables you to access the net from individual computers. Sharing allows you to access other computer members of the network [I call my network 'Home'].

It's also worthwhile searching for other topics connected with networking - there has been a lot of good, plain, simple advice on networking problems that others have experienced, particularly in relation to the use of network wizard [or not]. I seems that it can cause more problems than its worth.

Good luck! And come back to the thread to solve any problems you may have whilst you are setting up...

FJJP,

You are correct, you setup the Network first, then you setup the shares. In order to have a network setup go smoothly, you want to setup a workgroup, I personally name the the network workgroup. Then, in TCP/IP I setup the network with 192.168.1.XXX (Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0), then I go in and share the directories on each comp I want shared, and for added convenience you can use Windows Explorer to Map a Network Drive so you always have your network shares from the other computers on the network handy.

Take Care,

Richard

I did mine and Anna's the way Richard says, and once I'd changed the Belkin device for another brand, it all worked fine.

The two commands that helped me were IPCONFIG /ALL which gave the IP address of each machine on the network, and PING to check that they were seeing each other. Once that was known, the rest was easy.

I turned off the firewalls while I set it all up, and then turned them back on afterwards. One (the Windows one) caused problems and got shut down. Zone Alarm seems to be fine, although probably not needed since the modem/routers have their own hardware firewall.

File and disk sharing under XP is very easy. I had a bit more bother with a Win 2000 machine (sharing it from other PCs), but that became an advantage since that's now the backup machine, and I like the extra security.

All right I lept! (First leap into networking?)

So I created restore points on all three puters and then ran the wireless network set up wizard, entered the WEP code from the router in the wizard in the process. I called the network after my house name and ran the set up on the other two. (Used memory sticks)

Ran IP config/all and pinged the other computers and got a reply from the other two.

Ran round all three setting up file sharing on C drives and Documents folders, so far so good!

Went to network places to find the other folders...Zilch!

Viewed the other networks to find that I had three! Two I had tried to set up previously (With no success) and then found that two computers were on different named networks. Sorted that out in named computer and low and behold two of the three were visible.

Configured the third on the same network and all is well. All three are seeing each other and running well. Printer is up and running and I have achieved all I wanted..............except!

It's just that I ran the network wizard calling my network 'Woodside'? and the computer has found the computers on 'MSHOME'!....Just why is that, and did the WEP ever get configured.

When I started I found the three networks that I had run, now I only see the MSHOME one. (There are no computers now on the others so I guess I'm not seeing them)

I have also changed my BT broadband setting in the router from PPoE to PPoA at Belkins suggestion, and now find that I am having to repair my wifi connection on all three computers every time I log on. I don't know the difference between the two. Frankly I'm not sure Belkin are right on this, has anyone any advice?

Finally, my thanks to all of you that replied. It was exciting and satisfying to finally see my computers networking together especially as it has been the final leap for me. It was, and is, still an area where there be dragons!, but at least I'm up and running.

Thanks again.

MSHOME
 

MSHOME is the default name (that Windows assigns) of the workgroup that Richard was talking about earlier.

My WLAN now has a PC with a Linksys 54g wireless router and 2 laptops, one with a Linksys wireless 54g PC Card and the other (nice shiny new one) with a built in 802.11g NIC. The network uses WPA, shares a broadband cable Internet connection and shares 1 inkjet printer. All the components are in the MSHOME workgroup. Took minutes in XP to set up (using the wizard) and works fine.

If yours now works as you wanted it, don't try to fix it would be my advice, however it might be good to ditch your Belkin hardware and get something else (D-Link, Linksys etc) and just start again - shouldnt take long and will save you having to repair your wifi connection on all three computers every time you log on.

Oggin

I have reset the router to PPoE as against PPoA as Belkin advised, I was repairing every ten to fifteen minutes in the latter setting and all has been stable since changing back.

This is with BT Broadband 512k.