Networking - Sort me out.

[Simon_Nesbit]

I'm in a mess. I've spent nearly 72 hours (literally) returning my systems to normal after my most recent series of computer (and soul) destroying crashes, only just after finally getting everything talking to each other.

I cannot remember how, or what I did to get it to work.

Here's what I have:

Desktop (no wifi) connected via cable to wireless router (through separate modem). Win XP.
Laptop #1 (wifi) connects via wifi to router. Vista
Laptop #2 (wifi) connects via wifi to router. XP/Vista dual boot
Laptop #3 (wifi) connects via wifi to router but cannot see (or be seen by) anything else on network (work protocols, cannot and will not be changed). 2000/NT I think - can't be changed anyway.
Wifi Media Player connected via HDMI to tv, via USB to HDD's, via wifi to network.
MFC via old-style cable to desktop (no wifi).

I connect to the internet on all machines through the router (with separate modem) - this works for everything automatically now.

I cannot get anything but the desktop to print to the MFC. Previously one of the laptop's could, as could the wifi media player (photos)

I cannot get any of the laptops to 'see' the desktop, nor can the desktop see the laptops. Previously the desktop, L1 and L2 all 'spoke' to each other.

My problems/wishes are this:

1. Printing from any machine (preferably regardless of desktop on/off)
2. Transferring files from desktop to any of the notebooks (or at least L1 and L2)
3. Keeping internet for all.
4. Moving all usb drives onto desktop to clear clutter/heat around the tv.


Anyone who can step me through any/all of the processes will be greatly appreciated. I'm not a computer 'noob', but I might as well be with all the "idiot-proofing" they seem to do.

 

[Borgsta]

I forget how that all works on XP but have you set up the desktop and laptops for sharing?

 

[Dan Moody]

I forget how that all works on XP but have you set up the desktop and laptops for sharing?

Sell 1 laptop and use the proceeds to hire a tech to come round and fix it all

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

Calling the "tech guy" was what caused all the problems in the first place. Perhaps the mainland has slightly better credentialled people, but in Launceston it seems if you want to be a computer technician, you just say you are and that's good enough.

Regardless, I've got everything working again now.....for now anyway.

 

[weevil]

You know that Windows 7 sets all this up automatically for you.

XP is the dark ages.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

heh, weevil, you're talking to a bloke that never quite adjusted to not using Dos 5.0 anymore. I was running Windows 3.1 on the server up until I originally bought this XP (now Vista) machine back in 2006 or so. I much prefer to do things myself than "auto-enable" things.

On a tangent, I've now managed to completely bypass the government's encryption system on the 'nil-access' portable. How? The media player doesn't use a Microsoft-based system, so doesn't get asked for the passwords. Can access any file on the entire computer. Scary stuff.