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Need help wirelessly networking my 2 computers

I have 2 laptop computers that have wireless cards and also a router.

Laptop 1 was purchased 2 yrs ago and has Windows XP; my printer is attached via USB cable

Laptop 2 recently purchased and has Windows Vista.

When using laptop 1, and when I go to Network Places, I can see both computers, and when I click on computer 2, I can access all the my document files on that computer. This is what I would expect, but I do not have to put in a "user name and password". I did not put in a passwork on computer

  2. When using laptop 2, it is my desire to print documents from the printer attached to computer 1. When I go to Network Places, and click on computer

1, I am asked for a "user name and password". I am pretty sure I know the password I established 2 yrs ago, but I don't know what to put in for :"user name". As a result, I am unable to get to computer 1. THAT IS MY PROBLEM!

Any suggestions what I can do? Thanks in advance for any help.

Reply to
Les
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When you reboot Laptop 1, don't you see a UserName in the login screen? If there's only 1 account on that machine, and it's passworded, I've never seen an XP machine that didn't show the account name at login. John Jones, Detroit

Reply to
John Jones

When my computer 1 reboots, it does not show a username. I am the only user and I did not set one up when I got the machine.

Reply to
Les

You can set up the XP machine to go straight to the Desktop without needing to "Log On".

Seems like you could click on Start, Log Off and Switch User. That should be one way to determine the User Name. Other way Start, Control Panel, User Accounts.

Now have you enabled Sharing on the XP machine? Just checking but your hard drive might have some password needed there too. Usually I have more trouble trying to get into the Vista Machines. 8^o

still learning here oneoutofmanydaves

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

Open a command prompt (Start | Run | cmd). Type the following in the cmd prompt. set

and you should see ... USERNAME=... ...

Reply to
Harry331

Set both machines up "properly" with usernames and passwords. Create the same usernames and passwords on both machines. This is *essential* to get Windows to share stuff properly.

Also, not having a uid and password is a MAMMOTH security hole. Anyone connecting to your PC via your internet connection has complete access to ravish it.

Reply to
Mark McIntyre

And on that note, do NOT use simple filesharing and simple security. Enable the proper stuff. Really - the "simple" version is much harder to get working properly, and does not allow you to properly protect your machine.

If you have XP Home, expect this to be virtually impossible, and realise that properly sharing resources on an XP Home PC is an utter nightmare.

Reply to
Mark McIntyre

Then you probably have only the default Administrator account which is setup by Windows when installed. John Jones, Detroit

Reply to
John Jones

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

dave AKA vwdoc1 wrote: >

I'm afraid I forget as I no longer use XP except when using my office VPN, and that version is locked down. Sorry. I recollect S'd TFW however, and hit a site called practicallynetworked or tom's hardware or somesuch which explained it all. Its even possible there's a relevant KB article on MSDN.

Reply to
Mark McIntyre

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

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