I'm moderately computer savy but ignorant when it comes to networking. Pleae forgive the length of this post. Here is my situation and need - I have a home office and recently bought a Compaq laptop with an internal wireless G nic card. I desire to connect my laptop with my desktop through a local home network. I'd also like the option of connecting my daughter's computer (Celeron Win 98) to this network as well. My home computer system looks like this: 1. COMPUTER ONE I have been using for some time a Compaq desktop computer (AMD XP+2400/512 RAM/XP Home). This computer is connected to a Lynksys WRT54G Wireless router through a NIC in the back of the computer. This cable runs to port one of the Lynksys router. The router is connected to the internet via a cable modem which connectes to the router through the Linksys internet port. 2. COMPUTER TWO My recently purchased Compa laptop (AMD Xp+ 2400/512RAM/XP PRO). This computer has an internal wireles G NIC which is connected to the internet via the Linksys router. (I am comunicating with this forum using this computer). 3. COMPUTER THREE My daughter's Celeron desktop (PII-500MHZ/256RAM/Win 98 SE) which is connected to the internet via a wireless pci card on the back of her computer. What I desire: 1. A home intenet connection which will allow us to continue connecting each computer to the internet. I have this now with the Linksys router. 2. A home network (LAN?) which will allow these three computers to share resources. Specifically, I would like my Compaq laptop and Compaq desktop to share files since these are my work computers and I'm on the road with the laptop but feel the need to synchronize files between these two computers when I'm back in the office. It would also nice to send a print command from my laptop to the HP printer currently connected to the Compaq desktop. My Questions relating to setting up a home network - 1. QUESTION ONE Do I need a second NIC to create this network? If so, would this card go into the back of my Compaq desktop and connect to the Linksys router in port two? 2. QUESTION TWO What type of architecture/network system (if that's the right word) do I use? From my reading in XP Help one type of system sets up a main computer as the network link between this computer and the other computers on the network. XP help recommends this design. However this system requires that the main computer always be on to access the network (and internet?). 3. QUESTION THREE Can I create a network which will allow these three computers to continue connecting to the internet and share files/printer without needing a main computer to be on at all times. If so, what do I need to set this sytem up? Thanks to any network expert who can help me out. JackRR

Needs for your desires. 1. You already have this as is. You don't need to do anyting else for this. 2. Make sure the "NetBEUI" protocol and "File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Networks" service is installed on all the computers and that each computer has a unique network name. Than make sure that the drives, or folders, you want the other computers to access are shared, then use the "Map Network Drive" option to connect another computer to the shared drive/folder. For the printer, make sure that it is shared, than connect to it from another computer by using the add printer wizard. Hopefully you won't need to install the drivers for the printer onto your laptop as this would complicate things. As for your questions. 1. Another NIC is not necessary. 2. The architecture you need is called a star network. Your network is already setup like this so nothing else is needed. 3. Yes you can. See the above on how to do this.

Since you already have TCP/IP setup, there is no need to install NetBEUI. You just need to make sure that you've enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP and disabled XP's built-in firewall. Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 306059 The NetBEUI Protocol Is Not Available in Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306059&Product=winxp

Once you set up the net bios and disable the firewall you are setting yourself up for attacks. Network Bios is the easiest way for a hacker to get through your router and dive into the file systems. Net Bios is BAD! Make sure all machines are DHCP and enable only the files that you absolutly need to share. the Wireless G network should work great. Your router is the gateway and it's ip address is the only other thing you need to configure. Wireless network cards should be the same speed and manufacture for ease. DHCP IS KEY THOUGH ENABLE IT. rember a hacker can get into any windows operating system also so Back that data up every week! If your using Linksys stick with all Linksys gear!

Re above comments about NetBios....... An SMB client or server expects to find a NetBIOS interface, regardless of which protocol is actually being used. SMB-based networks use a variety of underlying protocols, but the most popular is "NetBIOS over TCP/IP." It might be helpful to think of NetBIOS as a passenger in a vehicle, while TCP/IP, NETBEUI, and IPX are the vehicles. While each is a different type of vehicle (think car, boat, and plane), they all carry passengers to their destinations. In this case, the destination would be the system you're trying to share information with. So without NetBIOS enabled and properly configured, these PCs would be unable to communicate with each other. Verify that NetBIOS is enabled to run over TCP/IP. Go to TCP/IP Properties/Advanced/Wins tab to check this. Hope this clarifies it !!