Setting Up A Home Network

[gallente]

Heya, I want to set up a home network, but its not a normal network setup. There are 3 laptops and 1 computer in the house, and there all on wireless internet running through a wireless gateway router. At the moment they cant talk to eachother. I went to the wireless network setup in control panel (all of the systems are on XP) and followed the instructions until it said 'plug in your flash drive' which I did, then it said 'plug your flash drive into your access point'...which I don't have, I only have the gateway router, which hasn't got a USB port. Can anyone help me on this? Id preferably like to get it done by the end of the day, and without having to go out and buy anything new. Oh and I want to connect up the printer to the network as well, so we can all print to, and scan from it. Thanks :(

[Russ247]

Should be no problem to do with the kit you have. Generally if an item is on USB then it should be attached to a computer & shared across the network as an accessory of that computer. I would suggest the desktop as, personally, I'd have this as the control / main item & cable it to the router.

The router IS the access point (where you access the network!)

If you haven't already done so the computers need to be in the same family of addresses (192.168.0.XXX though these may be different depending on the gateway router make).

 

Can you be more specific on the makes & models of network bits?

 

The printer - If it has a network card in it just connect to the router & run the software & give it its address. If only USB or LPT (printer cable) then this must be attached to a computer (again pref. wired desktop) & shared across the network.

 

HTH

R

[gallente]

The Router is a netgear, there are two laptops by Acer, One by Cybercom and the desktop is by Tiny. None are near the gateway router, which is why we made it wireless because none of the systems were going to be near the router, so wiring one directly into the router is out of the question. :S

[Russ247]

Netgear - should be OK

 

I would suggest taking one of the laptops to the router & cabling it up during setup as it makes life a lot easier. With a cable there are less problems as you've got it or not before you get into things like WEP etc to keep the wireless network secure.

 

I would say you may be better off going on a network forum as they will know the products better (I'm a D-Link man myself).

Couple of things though:-

 

Ensure you have a good firewall if broadband connected CHECK IT'S ON

Once you've got everything working don't forget to secure it all with WEP or similar. You don't want to be a floating available network for anyone passing / neighbors.

 

R