moving from vista to win7

My new windows laptop should be arriving soon.
Is there an easy was to network the two computers.
That is, I would like to keep my desktop as my main storage file server (so to speak) and use my laptop to access all media and files on that desktop.
Hope that makes sense, if not, please let me know and I will clarify.
Thanks.

 

Look here

How to create a network between vista and windows 7 - Networking & Security

 

To setup your desktop as a server on the network:

- Assuming you're already connected to your network, first you need to know your Network IP Address range. On any Windows computer using the same network open " Command Prompt" or alternatively type in " cmd" without quotes in the search bar.

- Type in without quotes " ipconfig" and check your adapter information (i.e. if wireless it goes under as " Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection", ethernet will be " Ethernet Adaptor Local Area Connection"). Check the " Default Gateway" and jot this down, it should go under something like "192.168.x.x".

- On your desktop (assuming it's Vista), click the " Start" button, then " Control Panel", then " Network and Internet", then " Network and Sharing Center" and then click on " Manage Network Connections".

- Right-click on the adapter you use to connect to the Network, this is either your Wireless Adaptor or your Ethernet LAN and then click on " Properties".

- Highlight " Internet Protocol Version 4 TCP/IPv4" and then click on the " Properties" button.

- Create a Static IP address for the Desktop server, so choose the second option " Use the following IP Address" using your Default Gateway as reference. As an example, let's assume our Default Gateway was 192.168.0.1...

* For the IP Address, follow the first three lines so for this example it's 192.168.0..., but for the forth section choose an unique number to identify the server on the network. So for this example let's use 55 to make up " 192.168.0.55".

* Subnet Mask is usually 255.255.255.0 for these networks so type this down.

* For Default Gateway, input exactly the same as the one you jotted down earlier.

* For the DNS servers, use the same Default Gateway in the " Preferred DNS Section", leave the second line blank and confirm by clicking "OK".

- Now go to your desktop computer drive and select which folders you want to share, let's say we want to share our Music folder, on the folder right-click on it and select " Properties". On the " Sharing" tab, select " Advanced Sharing" and check " Share This Folder". This folder will now be accessible to anyone on the network.

- Once done leave the system on, but now switch to your notebook.

On your Notebook Computer

- You have two options of either mounting the network drive or create an accessible network shortcut. I prefer the latter as mounting the drive can seriously slow down the boot time. Right-click anywhere on the desktop and select " New", then " Shortcut".

- For the location type in two backward slashes then the address of the server so for this example it's " \\192.168.0.55" and then click " Next".

- It will search for the address on the network, once found it may prompt you to enter the Windows Account Username and Password to verify. Enter these details to confirm. It should then prompt you to name this particular network shortcut, you can leave it as it is and then click "Next".

- Access the newly created shortcut on the desktop, you should be able to see all the folders you shared on the desktop server and access them on your notebook. Congrats, you now created your own network! Be sure to remember that this will only work when the Desktop is on!

 

or just access the server by entering the name, like \\servername, and be done.

same user accounts with same passwords on both system: and voilà, there you are.

no need for specifying ip's and stuff. that might make sense in some very special advanced setups, but definitely not for windows-to-windows connections.

couple of things: verify you have network sharing enabled by switching to a home or business network, if you don't have that yet.

there's nothing needed outside of same username and password + the name of the computer to access to have a 100% stable working network at home.

 

Hearst, thanks for the detailed response.
When my laptop actually comes in (crossing my fingers, soon) then I will give it a go.
thanks again