How can I network my Macbook with my Windows XP computer?

Question

I have a Macbook running Leopard and I am trying to network it with my Windows XP desktop. When I open finder, the Windows desktop appears in the shared computers section of the sidebar. When I click it, it says connection failed. There is a button that says "connect as." I tried it, but when I tried to connect as a guest, it says that the server doesn't allow guest access and when I try to use a user name, it says I have an invalid user name or password.

How can I network my computers so I can access files and printers of the Windows computer from my Mac?

Answer 1

check the subnet  

Answer 2

Are u running XP SP3?

Can u access that shared folder from any other computer?

Edit:

In SP3 u have to set the security settings when u share a folder. Right-click on the folder to share, select "properties", click on the "Security" tab, click "Add", type Everyone in the box, click "OK", click "Apply". This should grant access to everyone on your network without a password.