I have just bought a laptop and have it, and the desktop connected to the internet via a modem/router.

The desktop is connected by ethernet and the laptop by wireless. The internet on both works fine, however I can not get the two computers to connect to each other to share files.

Both are running XP Home. I have run the network setup wizard several times but neither will show up in 'view workgroup computers' or anywhere else.

When I try to view the workgroup computers I get the following message:

"you might not have permission to use this network resource. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available"

This message shows up when tried on both computers. I contacted the modem/router manufacturer and they said it was something to do with the computers.

Apart from running the network setup wizard, what else am I not doing? I went through the XP tutorial on networking and still can't get it to work.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Re: Laptop won't work

Some things to try

the 2 must be in the same workgroup my network is called "home" to check this do the following -right chick on My Computer -select properties -click on on Compter Name tab -both PC's should have workgroup as "home" or they must be the same the default is Mshome.

Once this is done you should be able to see each other then you just share some folders. select a folder right click and setup sharing.

Have fun

Chris A

Re: Laptop won't work

Have you set up printer and file sharing? Do you have a firewall baring the connection? If the File Sharing isn't enabled there can be no connection. The most probable cause is a firewall - have it allow passage for file sharing and all should be sweetnes and light.

Pete

Re: Laptop won't work

I finally got it working!

To Chris A and Pete, I had tried those things several times over the past 2 weeks but with no success. I could not even see folders set as shared on the computer the folders were on, let alone seeing the other one.

A couple of weeks ago I couldn't set folders TO share but was then told to "start" the file sharing service. So yesterday I went to RUN and typed in 'services.msc' again and experimented with the settings that looked as though they might be needed. Eventually I got the right combination and enabled them on both machines.

I would have thought that when one runs the Network Setup Wizard that the required services would be automatically started by Windows.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Re: Laptop won't work

I'm having the same problem, but I changed/started a bunch of the services and with no luck. Which services did you have to start?

Thank you.