Simple or Complicated

I'm pretty good with computers but I've always been somewhat of a minimalist when it came to networking. I'm setting up a wireless network for a guy down the street and I was wondering, should I stick with all the default windows XP networking stuff, or read up and try something more fancy, like a domain or something?
Basically I will have 4 windows XP home desktops, an XP Home or Pro (haven't decided yet) lappy, and a Windows ME file server. Its a home network so the server is really only needed as a backup of the important documents from the other computers and maybe a photo album if I learn how to set one up.

If the answer is, go ahead and shoot for the moon, then where should I look for a rather abbreviated guide to domains etc?
Otherwise, if I want to use a Windows ME computer as a file server for 4 or 5 windows XP home computers, are there any problems I will run into?

Lastly, what's the best way to backup, say, the my documents folder, from all the computers onto the server whenever they are altered?

Yea, I know, it would hardly be a server if I don't make a domain but dont get all nit picky on me, I'm a noob.

 

[Fiveohhh]

I'm not familiar with win me and networking much at all, but if you want to set up a domain your going to need a server OS, and that alone would make it pointless to have a domain if your using it solely as a BU server. For simplicitys sake I'd get a copy of win2k and use that as your server(I'm not sure of win me's networking capabilities)and just setup a domain. Also I don't think XP Home connects to a domain.

 

[JackMDS]

The word ?Server? is misused by many Entry Level Network ?Dwellers?.

A real Server is comprised of Server OS. (Win2000 server, Win2003 Server, a Variety of Linux Servers, etc.).

The Server type of Network, comes from the cooperate world.

Servers have a Network function, i.e organizing and maintaining large Network from one central spot, while providing Services like DNS, NATing, Security, etc., and a server application function.

Example: Cooperate Accounting Department with 10 people that issue invoices. You keep the Invoicing Software on a server, and the employees access it from their own computers. Every thing concerning invoicing is maintain and saved on the server. Doing so makes sure that every thing is central, and there are no duplications and updating issues. For this type of usage you need special Server accounting software that was written for this purpose.

Most Home/SOHO Networks are configured as peer to peer, i.e. there is no one main server, but few computers connected together, sharing the Internet, files, and printers.

To install a real server you need a good reason, and applications that need this type of arrangement, otherwise it is a waste.

What you want is not a Server but a computer that will hold your files and their backup.

Use a regular peer to peer Network. Organize the directory structure on the WinME computer in a way that will help you to find what you need fast, copy your Files to the WinME computer.

You can maintain the Files manually, or use an Auto FTP or Synchronization programs.

If you want to learn something new ignore my above suggestion.

Get yourself a Trial Win2003 package (free from Microsoft) and have 120days of Network ?Fun?.

 

What you want is not a Server but a computer that will hold your files and their backup.

rather, what I need is not a server, I understand I misused the term, I already said that.

Considering this isn't my network I wont use any limited time software, so I'll go with the peer networking.

Does XP home have any built in backup features? I know Pro has a backup program but I'm not familiar with it. For the Home computers how would I make it back up a file whenever its modified? I'd like to keep all the my document folders constantly backed up onto the ME machine.

Oh, and do I need to set up every username on every machine? or do i need to give the guest account more privlages?

 

[JackMDS]

Quote: "Oh, and do I need to set up every username on every machine? or do I need to give the guest account more privileges?"

If limiting privileges is not a concern use simple file sharing and every thing will be easily accessible.

Link to: Windows XP Simple File Sharing.

I do not know about WinXP Files back up. I prefer a solution like this.

Link to: FolderMatch - file management tool.