How do I set up a Wirless Home Media Server ?????

Question

What units I have right now in my home:

* 1 Laptop capable of Wifi in the kitchen

* 2 Desktop computers capable of Wifi upstairs in separate rooms

* 1 PS3 that is capable of WiFi in the living room

(Currently all these units share their media through a portable harddrive that i carry around the house that stores all music, movies and photos)

What I want:

I want all the units mentioned above to wirelessly share all media of music, movies and photos through one home media server. The problem is ... i dont know where to start or what to even buy for this. What do i have to do and buy so that all my media can be wirelessly accessible from all 3 or my computers and the ps3?????

Answer 1

I'll copy my answer I sent to another asker about this. Just set up file sharing on all computers and they can all access the folders on the computer if thier wireless or wired.

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File sharing over a network is a very complicated and tedious process. You would need to tell us your operating system and we can help you more in depth.

What you would do is on the laptop enable file sharing.

XP:

1.0) Open 'My Computer' > 'My Networks' > 'Add a network place'

Go through the wizard.

1.1) After that goto 'Control Panel' > 'Network Connections' > Click on the way you connect, ex. Wireless G Dell card > Then on the right click 'change settings of this connection'

In this window click 'file and printer sharing' and press ok.

VISTA:

2.0) Bottom right of your computer there will be a computer with a circle, hover over and it will say internet. Right click and go view sharing. Scroll down a bit and it will show a table. Listing file sharing, printer sharing. Enable file sharing.

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On your desktop if it is Vista repeat step 2.0, if it is XP repeat step 1.1. Reboot both machines. On the desktop if it is:

XP: Open 'My Computer' > 'My Networks' > 'Workgroup'

Then click on the network you created in step 1.0.

You should be able to enter the folder and drag and drop into it.

VISTA: Right click the internet icon on the bottom right in the task bar and goto network sharing. On the left open 'My networks'. Click your computer name.

This should work, email me if you have any questions.

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So basically choose one computer to be the main server and you can file share with that one and back up data with it.

Answer 2

What OS are you running?...if windows; set one PC to be "master" and hook drive to it, use windows network manager to set up a home network. you already have a router (I assume because you have wifi). go into my network places and find your new network and create short cuts on other PC, and laptop, the ps should reconize the network, just find the master pc with the hard drive...I tried to make it simple as possible, repost or IM me if you have probs...itstimpyo - yahoo