Before following the instructions
below, make sure that you have already installed and configured your network
adapter and its software drivers. Also File and Printer Sharing is not
supported by Linksys Product support, you must do so at your own risk.
Windows 98/ME
<Note: If you have an XP
computer on your network please see our area about file and printer sharing for
Windows XP>
1. Go to Start - Settings -
Control Panel
2. Double Click on Network
3. Under the Configuration Tab make
sure you have the following:
* Client for
Microsoft Network
* (A
description of the network card)
* IPX/SPX
Compatible Protocol > Network Card
* NetBEUI
> Network Card
* TCP/IP
> Network Card
* File and
Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks
-If you don't have IPx/SPx, and/or NetBEUI you'll have to click add>protocols>Microsoft
then select which every protocol you need.
4. Under Primary Network Log On,
have it set for Client for Microsoft Networks
5. Click on the File and Printer
Sharing button and make sure both boxes are checked
6. Go to the Identification tab and
make sure the Workgroup name is Identical on all computer on the network.
Example if Workgroup name is WORKGROUP, then it has to be WORKGROUP on all
computers. If it is workgroup, the all computers have to have
workgroup. Computer name has to be unique on each computer and
description does not matter
7. Finally, under Access Control,
make sure that there is a check by Share Level Access control.
8. Then hit OK out of all the
windows opened and restart when Windows asks you to.
Enabling File Sharing
After following steps 1-8 above,
double-click the, My Computer icon. A window of available disk
drives will appear. Using your right mouse button, click once on the
drive, or open the drive and right click on the folder that you want to make
available to other users. Click Sharing and then click the Sharing
tab. Click Share As. Enter your drive or folder name in the
Share Name box (you can call it whatever you want--Mary's Computer,
etc.).
Next, decide on the type of access
that you want to give other users. "Read-Only" access lets
other users view the files on your PC. "Full access" lets users
create, change, or delete files on your system. "Depends on
Password" lets users have Read-Only and/or Full access, depending on the
password that you decide to share with them.
Use your mouse to select the type of
file sharing access that you want other users to have. If you want to
assign access password(s), type them into the Password box(es). When
you're done, click the Apply button. Then, click OK. Your
drive(s) can now be accessed from other users whenever they click on their
Windows 95 Network Neighborhood icons. If a user tries to access one of
your drives that's password-protected, he or she will be asked for the
appropriate Read-Only or Full access password. After the item is shared
you will see a hand appear underneath the folder or hard disk.
How to Share Printers
After following steps 1-8
above, double-click the My Computer icon. Click on the Printers
folder. A window of available printers will appear. Using your right
mouse button, click once on the printer that you want to share with other
users. Click Sharing and then click the Sharing tab.
Click Share As. In the Share Name box, give a name to the printer
you're about to share (Jack's HP4, for example). If you want to assign a
password to the printer so only certain users can access it, enter it in the
Password box. When you're done, click the Apply button. Then,
click OK. Your printer(s) are now shared.
Note: Linksys does not warrant this
information and will not be held responsible for any software corruption as the
result of this information
Windows 2000
<Note: If you have an XP
computer on your network please see our area about file and printer sharing for
Windows XP>
Starting from the desktop:
1. Go to My Computer >
Control Panel
2. Double click on Network and
Dial - Up Connections
3. You should see Local Area
Connection or something similar. If you're not sure which network
card you're using select each Local Area Connection(s) and follow step
4. Click Properties
5. You should have the following:
*Client for Microsoft Networks
*File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks
*Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
*NetBEUI
*IPx/SPx
If you don't have NetBEUI or IPx
/SPx please go to Step 6, else please go to step 7
6. Next click Install and
select the protocol that needs to be added:
NetBEUI
IPx/SPx Compatible Protocol
7. Click Close and Close
again
8. This will bring you back to “Control
Panel”. Double click on System
9. This will bring up the
"System Properties" Window, you'll be on the General Tab, click the Network
Identification tab.
10. Click Properties
11. Check to be sure that the
computer name you're using is a unque name on the network, and workgroup is
set, not domain. Now make sure that this computer has the same Workgroup
as the rest of the network.
Windows XP
To setup a network in Windows XP,
you'll need to run the networking wizard in Windows XP you can access it by
going to:
Start> Control Panel> Network
Connections (If you do not see “Network Connections” click on the Switch
to Classic View option on the left hand side of Control Panel).
On the left side you'll see
"Network Tasks"
Click on the option for Setup a Home
or Small Office Network
This will bring you to a wizard.
Select the option for Connecting
to Residential Gateway (That's the router).
Once the wizard is finished you'll
have to make a floppy disk that you'll take around to the other computers to
set them up. After you set them all up, shut down all the computers, and then
start them up and you should be able to share files.
Please Note:
If you're using Windows 98/ME and
try to access a Windows 2000/XP PC then you may not be able to access the
shared portions of the Windows 2000/XP computer due to user right
restrictions. To get around this you may want to have the Window 2000/XP
PC access the files from the 98/ME machine. Else you'll need to setup
User permissions.
For more information on that you can check Microsoft’s website or contact their
technical support.