How do I link my laptop to my desktop wirelessly?

[Wapping]

The CD / DVD drive on my laptop has definitely packed up.

However, the drive on my desktop works fine.

Both machines are running Windows XP.

Questions:

• I have wireless broadband; I guess that can link the two machines together wirelessly?

If this is possible, how do I do it?

• Assuming it is possible to link the two machines wirelessly; can I then insert a CD into the desktop’s CD drive, access the drive from my laptop and send the information to my laptop wirelessly? What I want to do is transfer Mapsource V9 onto my laptop (it already has V8).

If this is possible how do I do it?

I get the sneaking feeling the wireless transfer speeds will not be that fast but I can live with that.

Any help or simple suggestions of any other more practicable ideas very welcome, particularly if they are spelt out in numpty language.

Cheers,

Richard

 

[centaur]

Whether you decide to transfer the applications/files wirelessly or via an ethernet (LAN) cable, you'll probably find it easier with a wireless router (with additional LAN ports ). Once you set up filesharing (see Windoze Help and support in XP ) it should be easy enough. You may find it quicker by LAN cable than wifi, though wireless is useful if you want to move the laptop to other rooms.

Since your CD/DVD drive has failed, you'll need to copy the whole application to your desktop's HDD initially.

 

[cookie]

the Network Setup Wizard is your friend here.

 

[rc mad]

here we go I'm assuiming you've got a router and both pcs are wireless. If you've got both pc's on the sme workgroup you can ignore this bit.


You need to run it on both comps tho

first select my network places from the start menu

then select setup home or small office network

Just click next till you get to this bit - then select the appropriate setup for your network (look at the examples for help) if its not there select other to look at a few more examples (must be the same on both comps)

Select your workgroup name here (must be same on both pcs)

Turn on file and print sharing and click ok if a pop up appears.

when you get here click on the bottom icon (just finish the wizard) and press next, wait for it to finish then restart the pc. The settings MUST be the same for both pc's.

Now to share the drive on the DESKTOP ONLY, there are two ways to do this, if you have a shared documents folder in my computer simply drag and drop the cd drive icon into it like you would a document (top left on the screenshot below) If the folder is there and you've drag and dropped the cd drive icon into it skip to the red text

Other wise its this way - Go into my computer on the desktop pc, right click on the cd drive and select properties from the drop down menu

Click on the sharing tab, then click on the blue text (the blue text is more relavent to hard drives than cd roms btw)

you should get this appear now, tick the box next to share this folder on a network, select your own name for the drive and click apply then ok. There should be a hand appear under the cd drive icon, this indicates that it is shared

Right, now to see if it worked, get the laptop.

go into start menu - my network places on the laptop. With any luck you'll see a folder named SharedDocs on xxx_pc (where xxx is the login name of the desktop) open the folder and there should be a link to the cd drive on the desktop. If thats worked you should be able to run the cd directly from the desktop, if not just copy the contents across to a folder on the laptop, either way will take time

Hope thats of some help, if i got it right

 

[Wapping]

Top stuff!

Many thanks.

Richard

 

[rc mad]

don't tell me it worked

 

[Bert]

RC Mad

don't tell me it worked

I think I want your babies.... if I could!
I got stuck too.....
You're a genius- many thanks for that aprpeciate the graphic work- easy to follow.
ditto problem-ish!! sorted

 

[rc mad]

err

ok bert, glad to be of help

 

[Bert]

Don't panic

Just expressing (wit a wee bit of humour ) my appreciation!