Best way to set up small network filesharing? *warning: N00B problem!*

[amnesiac]

I'm trying to get 3 computers at my work hooked up so we can share one set of files. Problem is, 2 are running WinXP Pro and 1 is running Win98. For some reason standard filesharing/networking doesn't want to work (computers randomly show up on network, and when they do, are not accessible)

Is there any easy, secure solution to get these three computers to work together? Actually if there's something I can do to make one computer host all the files that works too. I know this is a really easy, stupid question but I don't have much experience with networking.

 

[Electric Amish]

Install NetBeui on the Win98 machine.

amish

 

[minendo]

Make sure they are all part of the same workgroup. You also need to create an account on the WinXP machines for the other machines to connect as.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: minendo
Make sure they are all part of the same workgroup. You also need to create an account on the WinXP machines for the other machines to connect as.

Yes. Good point about the WinXP account.

amish

 

[chemos]

Without a domain or any enterprise administration, these machines depend on local security when sharing files. To best avoid administrative headache, share the files out on the Win98 machine, map a drive letter to the share on the XP boxes and go.

To map a drive letter, click start=>find=>files, then click "find computers and people" on the sidebar then "find computers" on the sidebar. Type in the name of the Win98 machine and hit enter. Double-click the computer when it shows up. Right-click the share and go to "map network drive." All this is from memory but should be quite accurate.

This option is less secure than hosting on one of the XP machines, but it keeps you from having to validate every time you access the resource and also doesn't require you to enable the guest account or set up a user to access the needed files.

Hope this helps.

Jonathan

 

[amnesiac]

Originally posted by: chemos
Without a domain or any enterprise administration, these machines depend on local security when sharing files. To best avoid administrative headache, share the files out on the Win98 machine, map a drive letter to the share on the XP boxes and go.

To map a drive letter, click start=>find=>files, then click "find computers and people" on the sidebar then "find computers" on the sidebar. Type in the name of the Win98 machine and hit enter. Double-click the computer when it shows up. Right-click the share and go to "map network drive." All this is from memory but should be quite accurate.

This option is less secure than hosting on one of the XP machines, but it keeps you from having to validate every time you access the resource and also doesn't require you to enable the guest account or set up a user to access the needed files.

Hope this helps.

Jonathan

Did that, the Win98 machine shows up but it says it's not accessible.
All passwords are off as well.

 

[amdskip]

the hard drives are shared on the 98 machine right???

 

[amnesiac]

Yes.

 

[AShadeOfClear]

Install NETBeui on the XP machines as well. You will not see the protocol in the list when you try to add it, so you will have to copy some files from your XP CD. Where is NETBEUI in XP?

 

[The Stigenator]

Did that, the Win98 machine shows up but it says it's not accessible. All passwords are off as well.

Make sure the Win98 user id is the same as the one on the XP machines. Like "user" for userid and "user" for password (use tweakui to set it up so it doesnt ask for it on bootup). and then u shouldnt have a problem.