Help setting up XP Pro home network...

[Bose Pro]

Hello everyone,
We recently have acquired a 2nd computer in the house. We only have 1 printer. In a nutshell, wanna hook up a small, 2 computer network for sharing printer and internet.

Hardware:

1st computer - Is main computer, currently directly hooked to the DSL modem. It is running Windows XP Pro.

2nd computer - Has the Lexmark5150 printer hooked to it. It is running Windows XP Pro w/ SP2. No current internet connection.

HUB - Friend gave me his hub when he went wireless - Zonet "5-Port Nway Switch" ZFS3005. Has 5 RJ-45 connections and 1 uplink.

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When I power the HUB up, all the lights in the front come on - no flickering, no hesitation, nothing.

If I try to run the modem output to the HUB uplink, HUB output to the 1st computer, there is no connection and the "ethernet" light is unlit on the modem.

Any help or suggestions would be great. Thanks.

[cupon]

If the below doesn't work, reference: http://www.wown.info

Is this your connection?

1) DSL (from wall) to HUB (input slot)
2) HUB (output slot #1) to Primary Computer (ethernet slot)
3) HUB (output slot #2) to Secondary Computer (ethernet slot)

Afterward you'll have to go through the "Network Setup Wizard" located in the control panel. It's going to ask you to pick a "Computer Name" and a "Workgroup Name." The Computer Name on both computers should be different:

1) PRIMARY
2) SECONDARY

The workgroup name on both computers should be identical:

1) HOMENET
2) HOMENET

You'll have to go through the "Network Setup Wizard" on both computers.

After that's set up you'll have to turn on "Sharing" on your Secondary computer's printer:

On your Secondary PC, go to the printers folder, right-click your lexmark printer icon and choose "Sharing..." Click the "Share this printer" option. You'll notice the text box will change from disabled (greyed out) to enabled. Type the name you want for your lexmark printer (ie, Lexmark). Windows will most likely automatically enter a name for the printer. If it does, just accept the value it automatically inserts.

Since your printer is hooked to your Secondary Computer you'll have to "Add Printer" from your Primary Computer. In your printers folder, click the "Add Printer" icon, click "Next", choose "A network printer, or a printer attached to another printer", click "Next", choose "Browse for a printer" it will list all printers attached to the network. For instance, here's my setup:

Microsoft Windows Network
--HOMENET (your chosen workgroup name)
----\\PRIMARY\Brother HL-1240
----\\PRIMARY\FinePrint
----\\SECONDARY\hp deskjet 960c series

Your network should look something like this:

--HOMENET (your chosen workgroup name)
----\\SECONDARY\lexmark

You would double-click the lexmark printer and keep clicking next until it completes the setup routine of adding your Secondary printer drivers to your Primary printer.

If you use a software firewall app such as ZoneAlarm you'll have to give your home network permission to share files and printers. For instance, if you had ZoneAlarm installed, you'll have to restart your computer. After a restart ZoneAlarm will "detect" your new network and will ask if you want to put it into the "Trusted Zone Security" where file and printer sharing is allowed. You'll have to be sure to allow this or else ZA will block your home network connections. If you have ZA on both computers the detection routine will have to be ran on both PC's. Also, if your ZA "Trusted Zone" is set to High on either computer, your home network will not work. Keep it on Medium (the default).

[JM]

Originally Posted by Bose Pro

Hello everyone,
HUB - Friend gave me his hub when he went wireless - Zonet "5-Port Nway Switch" ZFS3005. Has 5 RJ-45 connections and 1 uplink.

A hub/switch is really not the correct hardware for your purposes. You need a NAT router. There is a chance that your DSL modem is also a NAT router though, in which case you could make the switch you have work. What is the model and brand of the DSL modem? If it is not a NAT router, you will likely be unable to share your Internet connection with > 1 PC using just a switch. You need a NAT router for this.

Assuming for a moment that your DSL modem *is* also a NAT router, you may have things set up incorrectly. Generally, a hub/switch shares the uplink port with the LAN port next to it--only one of the two can be used at the same time, resulting in only 4 total useable ports. Keep this in mind when connecting devices to the switch. Also, depending on your cable modem and whether it is connected via a crossover or straight-through cable, you may need to connect it to a regular LAN port rather than the uplink port.

Before you worry about getting any sharing working between the PCs, first get Internet working on both simultaneously. It is likely that you will not be able to accomplish this with just a switch though...