Connect Wireless Vista to Wired Desktop?

Question

I have had an XP SP2 desktop for some time now. My desktop PC has a cable connection to a switch along with 2 other desktops...the switch is linked to a LAN featuring router. The router has a wireless connection. I bought a new laptop operating Vista Home Premium with SP1 and I am trying to connect it for file sharing to my XP desktops. My priorities are iTunes Library Sharing, Printer and File Sharing, and Remote Desktop Connection from my Laptop to all other PCs. How do I add the Vista to the network correctly?

Everytime I have tried to connect it just by adding the workgroup name I still couldn't get File Sharing or anything to work, I only saw the other computers but couldn't access them.

Answer 1

You did not indicate if you are able to access internet on the laptop when connected via wireless to your router.  If this does not work, then the problem is likely the wireless link is not functioning.  Validate this by seeing if you can ping the default gateway IP address using command prompt (start, run - type in cmd and hit enter; in command prompt at the > type in "ipconfig" without quotes and hit enter; you should be given the ip address, subnet mask, default gateway; then at the > prompt type in ping <ip address of default gateway> and hit enter (where <ip address of default gateway> is the ip address of default gateway you saw in the ipconfig command; e.g. if default gateway is 192.168.1.1, enter ping 192.168.1.1 and hit enter).  You should see 4 positive responses.  If you do not your configuration of the wireless router's wireless function and the configuration of the vista machine need to be addressed as the manual shows.

If the ping works, and you cannot see file folders (directories) on other pcs, then the directories are not network shared.  You need to open windows explorer in each pc, select the folder you wish to network share, right click on it and follow the sharing prompts to enable sharing. Once sharing is invoked you will see a hand image on the folder.  Now the folder is network shared and you can see it on other pcs.