How to connect XP laptop and Vista laptop via wireless for data transfer?

Hello everybody!

I've been trying to follow instructions about how to set up ad hoc wireless network that I found on the internet and also here but I cannot get it done.

Can somebody kindly provide me with step-by-step instructions?

Here is what I have done so far:
1. I used the wizard to set up a new network and selected the "ad hoc" suboption; I gave it a name and provided with a password (it never asked for username...?)

2. When I let my other computer look up existing wifi networks, it can see the network. I click the connect button, input the first 5 characters of the password and it starts connecting. Eventually, it says that the connection has been established. However, when I type \\myothercomputername to the "run" button, it doesn't find it.

I then found some posts about how to change IP addresses and this kind of settings. I am not very familiar with networking so I don't really understand this part...

OK, I went to set the properties of the wireless connection, and in the dialog which shows the components of the connection on my XP machine I highlighted the TCP/IP item and went to advanced. There I clicked the "Alternative settings tab" - because I think I need to keep the default settings to dynamic IP etc because I also use my computers at work and that's how it needs to be set for that network, I think. So in the alternative settings, I set my computer's IP to 192.168.1.100 and submask to 255.255.255.0 and DNS server to 192.168.1.2
(I found this info and have no clue where these numbers come from)

On my vista machine the difference is that there is no TCP/IP option, so I selected Internet protocol v4 which also provides this "alternative settings" and I set the IP to 192.168.1.101 and the rest identically to my XP machine.

The machines still cannot see each other. When I try to connect from my vista machine to my xp machine either by writing \\ and the comp name OR the newly defined IP address, it says it cannot find the DNS server. So I gues the number is wrong?

I've already spent 3 evenings + nights playing with it, please help if you know how to do this...
Thanks!!!!!

 

Thanks for the reply but that doesn't help - the article you link to is exactly what I already found couple of days ago, and that's exactly how I set it - and that's exactly what doesn't work.
I found some new information for example here http://networking.nitecruzr.net/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html but haven't had time yet to try it. Seems thta one of the problems is that the accounts on my xp and vista machine have different usernames and there may as well be an issue with firewall settings. Looks like I'll have to spend more time fiddling with it

 

You might need to install the Microsoft LLTD responder (KB922120) which can be found here:

http://tinyurl.com/2b3lkn

for XP and Vista machines to see eachother in a network. Install the update on the XP machine only and reboot after.

 

here is the easiest way for data transfer
set up two messenger accounts - they can anything you prefer - MSN messenger, yahoo messenger , skype, eyeball chat whatever
The two messengers have to be the same system - i.e msn and msn
Log onto each messenger account on the separate computers
Just send the files one computer to another
If the files are made of a number of components you might want to compress them with winzip or winrar to extract on the other side
I know one system allowed my uncompressed folders - admit i do not remember which one
The connection is made over the internet but the router directs the data internally on your home network at blinding speeds ( at least on a direct ethernet jack) for increased speeds have the two computers close by to each other for fast speeds

 

visionof, I haven't thought about that, that;s a good idea. I may use this method at some point! But actually now I am trying to set up real synchronization, so I guess the messenger wouldn't do that (i have never used messengers in my life, so maybe i am wrong?). Also to use the messenger the computers would already need to be on acommon network, right? But my problem is that I need to connect them p2p , also when I do not have internet access.

Martijn, I downloaded the LLTD and I'll give it a try as soon as I get my hands on my other machine.
Thanks guys!