HowTo: Microsoft: SOHO Network 1: Set up a Small-Office/Home-Office file and printer sharing workgroup using Windows XP
Summary: You have a small office or a home/office (SOHO) workgroup with all computers running MS Windows XP. This Tutorial shows HowTo use Windows shares to effect file exchange and printing services across the workgroup. [There is a companion HowTo/Tutorial on this site where routers and TCPIP ranges are discussed.]
Introduction: You have a small-office or a home-office (SOHO) workgroup running some combination of Windows 98SE (2nd ed), ME, NT, XP home, XP pro, etc. This How To uses Windows simple SMB (=server message block) sharing to effect file exchange across the workgroup and to provide printing services to all workstations from a printer attached to one workstation (a print server). The focus here is on Windows XP. If you have workstations running Windows 98SE or Windows 2000 they are discussed in detail in a companion HowTo/Tutorial. Probably you should read both this and the companion HowTo anyway, for greater clarity.
Basic Parameters: Two underlying parameters that hang the workgroup together are the name of the workgroup and the TCPIP subnet. My workgroup has a common interface to the Internet that serves web information to the workgroup (a router) and uses subnet 255.255.255.0 by default. So I stick with this. I use swerdna for the workgroup. This How To will comply and you must use whatever subnet your router uses (it's not likely to be different from this). You can read about HowTo set up a router elsewhere on this site.
Setup Windows Workstations:
People often use the wizard called set up a home or small office network in windows. Sometimes the wizard works. Other times it causes havoc. A better way is to check things as outlined below.
For each Microsoft workstation do this: R-click my computer, select properties, L-click computer name, look in your pic at full computer name and at workgroup:
In the pic I have hda3wxphome (what a name!) and SWERDNA. If you don't see your chosen workgroup name, change it by R-click on change and OK/apply etc. Restart Windows.
Now check the IP address as follows:
Open a DOS prompt (start, all programs, accessories, command prompt) and enter ipconfig /all. You get something like this:
In my case my router is located at IP address 192.168.2.1, subnet 255.255.255.0 In shorthand this is written 192.168.2.1/255.255.255.0
I had named my workstation hda3wxphome in system properties, first pic above, and (second pic) the DHCP server in the router has assigned an IP address automatically to hda3wxphome. The address is 192.168.2.103/255.255.255.0.
You can see that my internet service provider (ISP) serves names up from internet address 61.9.208.14 with a fallback server at 61.9.208.15 (primary and secondary domain name servers, DNS's).
All this usually happens automatically and these screens allow you to check that all is in order. If something doesn't suit then some changes can be made as follows: L-click start, L-click my network places, L-click view network connections, R-click the LAN icon, select properties, highlight internet protocol (TCP/IP), select properties, select use the following IP address, enter a unique address, e.g. 192.168.2.98/255.255.255.0, and OK/apply etc to exit. Don't do this unless you are an expert.
Set up Sharing
Now select folder/s that you want to share across the swerdna workgroup using explorer: R-click start, select explore, find the folder/s, R-click the folder, select sharing and share this folder on a network, fill in share name and perhaps allow users to change my files (write access in addition to read access).
Do the above for each workstation. When you have finished and restarted all computers you should be able to see all shared Microsoft folders across the swerdna (or whatever you called it) workgroup by using the Microsoft workstation network browsers called My Nework Places.
Print Server:Now share the printer across the workgroup as follows: Install the printer on the chosen workstation. Navigate to the printer e.g open control panel and select printers and faxes. R-click the icon for the printer and select sharing. Assign a share name. Finish.
For each workstation that will access the printer server do this: Open My Network Places or Network Neighbourhood, select view workgroup computers, select the print server (workstation) and you will see the shared printer. R-click on the printer icon and select install/connect. In most cases that's all. Sometimes you will be asked for the driver via an install screen from within the workstation. If so, insert the driver CD and either click install/whtever after the CD autostarts or cancel that and navigate the install screen to the driver folder on the CD. Finished. Restart and Test the printing.
Now: have a beer or a cup of tea.
That's not such a battle is it? Feels good - you have a good one too!
MS Windows Tutorials.
There are only a few at the moment. I will gradually build more.There are five mini HowTo Tutorials in a set. Each HowTo treats a different, independent security program. These are:
Grisoft's AVG Antivirus
virus scanner
Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm
firewall
Lavasoft's Ad Aware
malware cleaner
Javcool's SpywareBlaster
spyware gate
SpyBot's Search & Destroy
registry cleaner
Together, these five quite excellent free programs provide multi faceted security unparalled by any single multi-faceted proprietory [i.e. non-free] security package.
Cheers, Swerdna.
