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30 Jan 11 - 02:19 PM (#3085365) Subject: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: Uncle_DaveO I've finally set up a wireless LAN on my two computers at home, and I can now operate on the web and send and receive emails from either of them. But I wanted to access and run programs and data residing on computer "A" from computer "B" or vice versa, and/or copy or delete from one to the other, and had understood that that was quite possible. But I don't know how to approach that. Some details, just in case they are relevant: Computer A runs on Windows 7, and Computer B runs on XP Pro Service Pak 3. My router, running from computer A, is a Cisco/Linksys E1000-RM, and the adapter at computer B is a Cisco/Linksys AE1000-RM. Both the router and adapter are for category N, not G. Can someone guide me here? Dave Oesterreich |
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30 Jan 11 - 03:59 PM (#3085428) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: The Fooles Troupe Windows is known for inconsistencies between versions. I'll put this up the top again so those with more knowledge can see it. Me, I'm trying to work between Ubuntu and Win7... |
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30 Jan 11 - 04:01 PM (#3085431) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: Bonzo3legs Surely remote desktop should do this. |
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30 Jan 11 - 05:14 PM (#3085477) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: GUEST,GOODLIFE as far as i know win7 is ucompatible with xp if you have the same operating system on each machine all you have to do is start the home network wizard and it will take you through it found in control panel networks then mark the files you want to share cheers |
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30 Jan 11 - 05:45 PM (#3085494) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: GUEST,Jon If the Windows versions of Remote Desktop are incompatible (I wouldn't have a clue), VNC might provide a solution. There are free versions for a number of operating systems. |
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30 Jan 11 - 11:24 PM (#3085657) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: JohnInKansas Running a program on one computer from the other is a bit of a problem, and generally requires a "remote desktop" program. It's not generally recommended for those of us "amatures" without networking theory and training, since it allows anyone who can get into one machine to screw with them all. I've never used it, with the exception of allowing one-time use by remote "fixit" consultants in a few cases. Sharing files between machines on a network is pretty simple. For all Windows versions: The "owner" of the files to be shared on a machine must set file properties to allow sharing. It's not recommended that you share your System Root, (C:\ for most) since that's where all your system and program files are, and access to the system files (and to some programs) is an invitation to hackers. The usual method is to put all the files that are to be shared in a folder or two on a computer, and set those folders as "shared." Subfolders of the top "shared" one generally inherit the same shared properties, so you don't have to set up each one. An entire drive that doesn't have system/program files on it can be shared at it's root (F:\ etc.) (Individual folders or files within a shared top folder can be excluded from sharing so you can keep secrets from your lovers without locking them out completely - if they're not smarter than you are (computerwise).) Right click on a folder in Windows Explorer, click Properties, click the Sharing tab, and click Share. Follow instructions for setting up who is allowed in. Once the files/folders are tagged as shared on the computer they sit on, any other computer on the network should be able to see them in Windows Explorer at "Network." If you plan to use a particular folder on another computer fairly frequently, you can right click on the "Computer" icon in Windows Explorer, where you should find an entry "Map Network Drive." Click there and then browse to the folder (or shared drive) on another computer on the network and assign a "drive letter" to it. Check whether you want to reconnect every time you boot the computer where you're setting the "map" up, and the drive/folder on the other computer will look (to you) like a Z:\ hard drive. Adding more (the default) steps back through Z:\, Y:\, X:\ etc, but you can specify any other drive letter that's not in use. Generally, when you click on "Map Network Drive" you will only see shared folders/files on other computers on the network. If one you think is shared doesn't show up, you can usually find it with the "Browse" button. Sometimes you may be asked for a password to make the mapped connection on another computer, so it's a good idea to have an "identity" (user name) on each of the computers; but if you choose to use "generic" usernames any name/password pair good on the "target" computer will usually get you hooked up from any of the other computers. Unless your use of files on "remote" computers is going to be quite rare, mapping the points where you can get into them (drives or "highest level shared folders" on drives) so that each one shows as a drive in your own computer is recommended (if convenience is your main concern). John |
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31 Jan 11 - 08:10 PM (#3086274) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: JohnInKansas Additonal note on "interoperability" - Setting a program installed on one computer so that you can run it from another computer is, according to the terms of most EULAs, the same thing as installing it on two computers. Many programs do actaully give permission for you to install the program on two computers, with the expectation that you'll want what's on your desktop to also be on your laptop. In many cases you can "stretch the interpretation" to have the same program on more than one desktop provided that it's only used by one person at a time in order to comply strictly with the EULA. If you have "multi-seat" permission, it's more efficient in most "home network" cases just to install twice than to "run remotely." You should, of course, read the fine print before doing either - or at least be prepared to pretend that you read it. John |
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31 Jan 11 - 08:33 PM (#3086292) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: Bill D You do have to be careful what you 'name' the two computers. If A does not recognize the name on B, it just goes in circles. I made that mistake, and am trying to figure out how to back out & start over. |
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31 Jan 11 - 11:48 PM (#3086369) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: The Fooles Troupe Windows also uses different default 'network names' on different versions - still trying to back out from that one since Linux has different ideas too ... |
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01 Feb 11 - 01:05 AM (#3086388) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: Stilly River Sage I'll jump to the bottom here - XP Pro will work with networks, but I don't know how to set it up between the two operating systems. I have two computers running Win7 Ultimate and it was surprisingly easy to set up a network so I can see what is on both computers from either one. I set it up on my main computer than set it up on the older one, and there it was ready to go, but I had to go back to the first computer to approve it. They see each other through the router because they're both wired. I suppose it would be similar if they were wireless. SRS |
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01 Feb 11 - 01:17 AM (#3086391) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: JohnInKansas Each computer on a network has to have a name. All the computers have to use the same network name for the network. In Windows Explorer, right click on "My Computer" and select properties. All the information should be there, and most of it can be changed at that point. When setting up a Windows "Home Network" you need to set up the network on ONE COMPUTER ONLY. The network (workgroup) creation assigns a network address to the computer, and you can't change that address. Attempting to create a network on more than one gives you two computers with the same address, so if you try to go through Network settings to "create" the network on more than one computer things get pretty well messed up. With early Windows versions you'd likely make a "transfer disk" on the first computer, and plug the disk into other computers to give them all the parameters. With WinXP and later, as long as you know the name of the network you can "join the network" with virtually zero setup on all the other computers. To search for another computer on your local network, it may be handy to know that you prefix the computer name with a "double backslash" but even that usually is not necessary since WinXP because usually the system on any computer will find any available computers it might be able to connect to. (The Documents folder on the R:\ Drive on the computer named Godzilla would be \\Godzilla\R:\Documents.) In Windows Explorer, right click on "Network" and click properties. It should take you to the "Network and Sharing Center" in Control Panel, where you should be able to solve any problems with sharing stuff between your (Windows) computers. John |
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01 Feb 11 - 01:32 AM (#3086397) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: eddie1 Just to add to the confusion - but interesting. At our community radio station we have a piece of gadgetry called a PogoPlug. This is basically an external hard drive linked to a computer which in turn is linked to one of our routers - we have two, one used solely for streaming radio ( www.reading4u.co.uk ) and the other for general office stuff. The PogoPlug requires its own e-mail address and password and any of us with these can access anything we put on it from anywhere. Very useful for audio files, forms etc. All in all a handy piece of kit. Eddie |
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01 Feb 11 - 01:56 AM (#3086406) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: The Fooles Troupe JiK - the Linux box was set up first - the Win 7 box used 'new defaults' for the network name ... |
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01 Feb 11 - 05:37 AM (#3086463) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: GUEST,Jon SRS, first of all you want a working TCP/IP network. Personally, I choose to use static IP and as I have an always on server use DNS to resolve host names.] For sharing, samba can make a Linux computer become part of a Windows workgroup. Also I gather there are nfs clients for Windows, I think ssh can be used on Windows , there is always ftp, etc. Linux (and I'd imagine other Unix like) distributions come loaded with these type of things as "standard". For a graphical approach, as mentioned before, VNC is available for a number of operating systems. It (at least the only way I've used it) is a bit odd as you are logged on and have the other (remote) machine operating your mouse and keyboard but it does its job well. |
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01 Feb 11 - 06:10 AM (#3086486) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: JohnInKansas Foolestroupe - I don't believe Windows requires you to set up the "workgroup" network if there's another network accessible, and even in a pure Windows Workgroup LAN you don't have to use the default workgroup network name, as long as you use the same network name on all the computers that connect to it. I've used several non-default names with Windows setups in the past, although I'm now using the Vista default. If a network already exists, you only want to join the existing network. Windows should only assign a default network name if you attempt to create a new network with the Windows machine you're working on as the "master machine." Each of the Windows computers would need to "join" the existing Linux network, which might be as simple as "Browsing" for the Linux network in Windows Explorer at the "Network" branch. The main difficulty might be that a Windows machine that has had a workgroup set up on it is automatically assigned the fixed address xxx.xxx.xxx.001, and doesn't really have DNS naming authority/capabiity. That machine attempts to decide what address each other machine will have on the workgroup net that it's the "focus" for (server would be an exaggeration) within the group, but it doesn't have real DNS naming capability. Unfortunately, Microsoft has never given any help on how to "uncreate" a workgroup, at least since Win95 so far as I've found; so I'm not sure how you "unfix" the master workgroup computer address if it's been "locked in" by creation of a Windows workgroup. You can only have one "Windows workgroup LAN" under the control of one Windows computer. The other Windows computers just find and join. But any Windows computer should be able to join any other existing network, including non-Windows ones, in place of or in addition to the Windows group network, provided that the other network has a suitable "master controller" or server functions to assign each computer an address within the net, and to resolve address conflicts. The Linux box may have the ability to assign addresses to each Windows machine as each machine joins its network, and if it's only a little more robust than the Windows kind it should be recognized by any Windows machine just by "finding it." Windows Local Network (workgroup) setup indicates that you can set Fixed Addresses on each machine if necessary on mixed networks, but for a typical Windows Workgroup it's not recommended - primarily I think because you have to manage the address assignments manually for all the computers on the net if you do it for one. It might be necessary for a mixed OS local network, but it's been too long since I've looked at it to offer a script of what needs to be done from memory, or even whether it might need to be done here. John |
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01 Feb 11 - 06:15 AM (#3086489) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: JohnInKansas ... Once again Jon proves his superior knowledge by posting while I'm typing. Seems like it's on purpose. $!#@ John |
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01 Feb 11 - 06:23 AM (#3086493) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: GUEST,Jon LOL John. I think I post first as I post lest detail! |
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01 Feb 11 - 06:33 AM (#3086498) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: JohnInKansas Yeah Jon - I have to spend lots of time trying to decide whether what I remember ever really happened, so that although I'm a decently fast typist I have to do a lot more thinking than most. I guess. John |
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01 Feb 11 - 06:49 AM (#3086505) Subject: RE: Tech: How get interoperability on Wireless LAN From: GUEST,Jon One other thing I don't remember seeing mentioned in this thread is using a NAS (Network Attached Storage) box for sharing. Linux is a good candidate for building ones own but there are plenty of off the shelf solutions. |