Hey there. Here's the situation... I have a desktop pc wired to a 4 port wireless broadband router. Through this router I also use my laptop (wireless). What I'd like to know is how to network these two pc's together to transfer files via eachother, and also how do I connect my laptop so that files can be sent to the printer conected to my desktop. Thanks for any help.
I am no authority on this but I have set up my own home network and have researched this very problem. You have a number of options. (1) Get a crossover cable for direct connection of both your laptop and PC so you can transfer info from the laptop to your pc and print from the PC. I have no experience with a crossover cable so my knowledge here is limited. (2) Get a ethernet switch and connect the modem to the switch and then the switch to the PC. Here's the great thing about the switch. It is easy to connect and once you run the network configuration wizard you will have your own little network. You can buy one with wireless capability and even one with a print server so that you can connect the printer to this port and both computers on your network can share it. The laptop would communicate via a wireless connection to the internet and printer and using a shared folder you can easily transfer data to the desktop. The desktop would be hard-wired to the switch. I know that I came across a switch which had both wireless & wired connections and as well as a printer server but if you can't find one such product then you could buy them separately. Here's a wireless hub without printer server: http://www.buynetgear.com/product.asp?sku=1907661 Here's one with all the bells and whistles: http://www.netgear.com/products/details/FWG114P.php Here's a wireless print server which doudles as a switch: http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WGPS606.php (3) alternatively you could buy bluetooth adapters for the laptop, desktop and the printer. Load the printer software and drivers on the laptop and you can now wirelessly print from the laptop to the printer and continue to use your existing internet connection. You can also wirelessly print from the desktop to the printer,(you will need to get 2 USB bluetooth adatpers, 1 for the desktop and 1 for the laptop) and either a USB or parallel port bluetooth adapter for your printer depending on what port your printer has. Now comes the tricky part ie transferrring data from the desktop to the laptop. I have never done wireless networking before but I think that you would run the network configuration wizard and follow the menu and this should facilitate wireless networking. Certainly if you are using Win XP as the OS on both your computers this shouldn't be too difficult. The bluetooth devices should recognise each other and using a shared network folder then you can transfer data from one to the other. Here's an important footnote. If you decide to use this option then research the type of bluetooth adapter to buy. Ensure that you are happy with the distance that the device offers ie up to 10 feet max or up to 300 feet max. Consider your surroundings ie walls etc which are in the signal path if say you want to wander off with the laptop. Ofcouse cost effectiveness might be an issue and I haven't focussed on that at all. For further assistance have a look at these sites: http://www.networkworld.com and http://www.windowsnetworking.com. Best of luck.
