How do I share files between two laptops using the same wireless router? One is XP, other is Vista

How do I share files between two laptops using the same wireless router? One is XP, the other is Vista. I tried following some MS guide for networking on their small business section of their website but I think that only applies for XP to XP connections because I'm not getting any sharing ability.

 

Take a little time and comb through the posts on this board. I've responded to two nearly identical questions very recently.

 

If you are referring to this, does that mean I'm screwed because I'm using XP Home and can't disable simple file sharing?

 

Turn on file and printer sharing.
Make sure you have both in the same workgroup, def different.
Turn off IP6 in Vista.

That should get you started.

 

also check you firewalls on machine make sure file printer share is allowed

and no it does.nt matter if you able turn simply file share on off

xp home to vista works fines

 

I'm a network nub but after some more research, this is where I'm currently at:

Both XP and Vista workgroups were set to the same label using System properties.

Vista's "network location" can be set to a label of my choosing (which I did). I don't know if XP has such a setting. I've set Vista's network type to Private Network, allowing it to see other computers as well as making itself discoverable.

I installed the Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) responder for Windows XP. This allows XP computers to be displayed graphically on Vista's network map.

XP machine's software firewall (non-Windows) has been configured to trust the Vista machine's IP and vice versa. This should be the same as setting File and print sharing to On for Windows firewall (which is not being used for either machine).

For the wireless router's hardware firewall, I don't see anything configurable in the setup utility relating to file sharing.

After all this:

For XP, I only see the XP machine's computer name in "My Network Place" > "Entire Network" > "Microsoft Windows Network" > "workgroup_label". The Vista machine is not listed.

For Vista,
- "Network" only shows the Vista machine.
- "Network and Sharing Center" displays "Vista_computer_name" connecting to "Network_location_label" connecting to "Internet".
- "Network Map" shows "Vista_computer_name" and "XP_computer_name" both connecting to "router_SSID_label" which connects to "Internet". "Vista_computer_name" icon is selectable/explorable but "XP_computer_name" icon is not.

I've turned IPv6 off and on for Vista. I did not notice any difference.

What's left to do?

 

try turn off you firewall

it seem like issues with them

 

I have. It didn't work.

I tried some more things. I installed IPv6 in XP and I messed around with its network setup wizard. I turned off the software firewalls for both laptops and didn't notice any change so I turned them both back on. A little later I noticed that Vista recognized the XP (although not the other way around). I was able to browse the XP shared files on the Vista laptop. So I transferred over some files. Midway through the transfer, I accidentally turned off the Wifi switch on the Vista laptop. I turned it back on and now I can't see the XP any more. I've tried leaving the software firewalls off and noticed no change. I turned them back on and noticed no change. What did I do to make it work before???

 

Try this link:

File sharing problem: http://help.lockergnome.com/vista/Vista-XP-file-problem-ftopict27353.html

Also, create identical user accounts and passwords on each computer, and disable simple file sharing on the XP machine.

 

Thanks for the link. As mentioned above, XP home doesn't allow disabling of simple file sharing.

I think I found out what the problem is. Apparently, disabling the software firewalls take a lot longer to apply than I thought. Waiting 30 minutes doesn't seem to do anything but an hour does. Why that is, I don't know. Regarding the XP not detecting the Vista folders, I set Vista's public folders permissions to share with everyone and that seemed to fix it. I thought setting the Vista network to private automatically shared the folders but I guess I was wrong.

 

I'm having the same issue with the vista computer needing the firewall turned off to access and be accessed on the network.

Can anyone tell me what firewall rules I need to allow or add? Or another firewall that works better in a network environment than windows.

 

I'm not using Windows firewall but I believe the necessary firewall settings is to go to Control panel > Windows firewall > Change settings > Exceptions tab > Enable File and Printer Sharing. Do that and follow the other steps in my previous 3 posts and hopefully it should work.

 

Can someone who has a working xp and vista network look at what exceptions are checked on both xp and vista computers, so I can match settings. If I disable all the firewalls then the networked computers work. Add a firewall to any cpu and the whole system goes down. file and print sharing are allowed as well as upnp.

 

You need to add a FW rule to each pc saying that it is safe for your subnet (192.168.xxx.1/24 (24=254/254/254.0). These ore normally tied to the port/adapter, so you may need to add 2 rules. Windows FW has tested the lowest of any FW out there. So I would change it to a free version like Comodo.