Networking an XP Desktop and Vista Laptop

I recently purchased a laptop running Windows Vista and I am trying to put it on my home network. My desktop is running XP and recieves its internet access through a cable modem and linksys router. It doesn't have a wireless card, so it is physically plugged into the router. I have been able to get the laptop on the network, it recieves internet access and the router recognizes both computers on the network. That is the extent of it. After many tries, I have not been able to get the computers to recognize each other or to share any kind of files. I have double checked the workgroups to make sure both computers are using the same one. I double checked the settings on the laptop to make sure that everything was on in sharing and discovery, except for printer sharing, because there is no printer attached to the laptop.

I don't understand what I am doing wrong. I have built home networks before and never encountered a problem like this. Can anyone give me an idea of how to get these two computers to work together. At this point I'll take step by step instructions because I truly believe I am lost.

 

Here is the full procedure. It works for two good reasons; "˜everyone’ is allowed access and no passwords are used.

You said that the machines are in the same workgroup, so that’s a start. Here goes:

FOLDER SHARING
XP
To share a folder, right-click it and select Sharing & Security > Sharing Tab > Share this… and optionally, Allow Network users to….. You only need to share the highest level folder, e.g. not every sub-folder. A little hand should appear on the icons of those that are shared. Alternatively, drag the folders you want to share to the Shared Documents folder (Public folder in Vista). In XP Professional you may have to turn off Simple File Sharing in Folder Options > View Tab > Advanced Settings at the end.

As you are sharing with an XP machine, you may need to install the Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) responder on the XP machine so that the computer shows up in Vista’s network map, get it here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...1D-EE46-481E-BA11-37F485FA34EA&displaylang=en

VISTA
To share a folder, click it > Share on the toolbar, type 'Everyone' (not the quotes), click Add and set the drop down Permission Level alongside Everyone to either Reader or Co-owner then click Share at the bottom. Two little people should appear on the icons of those that are shared. Alternatively, drag the folders you want to share to the Public folder.

Make sure in Control Panel > Classic View > Network and Sharing Center you have Network Discovery, File Sharing and Public Folder Sharing set to "˜On’ and, if you‘re not using passwords set Password Protected Sharing to "˜Off’, unless you want to set up identical usernames and passwords on all computers in your network. If you have it on, you will be asked for a username and password when you try to access a Vista computer from an XP computer.

GENERAL
Windows firewall is normally set to allow file and printer sharing but if you have a third-party firewall make sure file and printer sharing is enabled so that each machine can talk to the other(s). Don’t disable the Windows firewall if it’s the only one you’re running.

To see or copy files click the Windows Orb (Start) > Network (My Network Places in XP) and the computers/folders/files should appear. Using Windows Explorer, drag them from one PC to the other.