Open Connect to a Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Connect to.
3.
Select your home wireless network in the list, and then type the network security key, if required.
You should be connected to the wireless network and have Internet access.
NoteIf your home network is wireless, we recommend using a network security key. Not doing so could put your mobile PC at risk of unauthorized access by hackers or malicious software. For more information, see Why should I secure my wireless network?
Open Network and Sharing Center by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Network and Internet, and then clicking Network and Sharing Center.
2.
Click Customize.
3.
On the Customize network settings page, click Private, and then click Next. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
4.
On the Successfully set network settings page, click Close.
If your computer running Windows Vista is joined to a domain, you might not be able to change the network location to Private. In that case, under Sharing and Discovery, make sure the following options are turned on:
Public folder sharing (if you want to share files using the Public folder)
•
Printer sharing
NoteTo use password-protected sharing, you must have exactly the same user accounts and passwords on both computers. This is usually not the case if you are using a work laptop and a home computer, so it's best to turn off password-protected sharing. (The password-protected sharing option is only available in workgroups.)
To use a printer that is connected to a home computer from your mobile PC, first turn on network discovery (if the printer is attached to a computer running Windows Vista), and then make sure that the printer is shared.
Open the Add Printer wizard by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Hardware and Sound, clicking Printers, and then clicking Add a printer.
2.
Select Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer, and then follow the steps in the wizard.
You can share files and folders in two ways: through simple file sharing—putting the files or folders into a common shared folder, or in-place file sharing—marking individual files or folders to be shared without moving them from their current location. (In Windows XP, only folders can be shared this way.)
NoteThe ability to share files and folders is not included in Windows Vista Starter.
If any of your home computers are running a version of Windows XP earlier than Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2), you must upgrade them before you can set up sharing.
1.
Run the Network Setup wizard on each home computer, if you haven't already done so.
2.
When prompted, choose to enable file sharing. This creates a Shared Documents folder on each computer. Files in this folder are accessible to anyone on your network.
Notes
To open the Shared Documents folder, click Start, click My Documents, and then click Shared Documents.
In Windows XP, you cannot share individual files, you have to share the entire folder. To share folders and their contents without moving them into the Shared Documents folder, go to the location containing the folder that you want to share, right-click the folder, and then click Sharing and Security. Click the Sharing tab, click Share this folder, and then click Apply.
The Shared Documents folder has been replaced with the Public folder in Windows Vista.
1.
Open Network and Sharing Center by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Network and Internet, and then clicking Network and Sharing Center.
2.
Click the arrow button next to Public folder sharing, and then click one of the following options:
•
Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can open files
•
Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can open, change, and create files
3.
Click Apply. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Files in the Public folder are now accessible to anyone on your network.
Notes
To open the Public folder, follow these steps:
a.
Open Documents by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Documents.
b.
Click the arrow next to Folders at the bottom of the Navigation pane, and then click Public.
To share files or folders without moving them into this folder, go to the location containing the file or folder that you want to share, click the file or folder, click
Share, and then follow the steps in the wizard.
To access files on a home computer, you can either log on as a guest (this means you will only have access to files in the Public folder), or, if you have a user account on that computer, you can log on using your account. For more information about user accounts, see User accounts: frequently asked questions. To access another computer, follow these steps:
1.
Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Network.
2.
Double-click a computer's icon to see the files and folders that you have access to.
Notes
If your user name and password for the computer you are currently logged on to are different from those for the computer that you are trying to access, you might be prompted to enter your logon information.
If the other computer is set up to allow access to anyone on the network, you will be automatically connected to it but you will only have guest access. This means that you will only have access to files in the Public folder. You can automatically connect to another computer on the network using your logon information by storing your passwords. For more information, see Store passwords for automatic logon.
A folder containing the shared folders and resources on the home computer will open.
Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Network.
2.
When you are prompted to log on, in the User name box, type your work domain and user name, separated by a backward slash (for example: domain\username). In the Password box, type the password you use to log on at work.
A folder containing the shared files and folders on the mobile PC will open.
A networking standard that uses cables to provide network access. Ethernet is the most widely installed technology for connecting computers.
Switch
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Switch
A device used to connect computers on a network. The computers are connected to the switch with cables. A switch is similar to a hub, except that it sends the information received from one computer to the specific computers that are supposed to receive it.
Location
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Location
Any disk drive, folder, or other place in which you can store files and folders. Programs will commonly ask you to choose a location to save a file.
Network security key
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Network security key
A password that can help protect wireless networks from unauthorized access. A network security key encrypts information sent from one network computer to another so that the information can only be read by someone who has the key.
Icon
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Icon
A small picture that represents a file, folder, program, or other object or function.
Router
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Router
A device that sends, or routes, information between two networks (for example, between a home network and the Internet). Routers find the quickest paths for sending information, which makes network connections faster. Routers can be wired or wireless.
Domain
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Domain
A collection of computers on a network that share a common database and security policy. A domain is administered as a unit with common rules and procedures, and each domain has a unique name.
Hub
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Hub
A device used to connect computers on a network. The computers are connected to the hub with cables. The hub sends information received from one computer to all other computers on the network.
Network
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Network
A group of computers or other devices, such as printers and scanners, that communicate either wirelessly or by using a physical connection, such as an Ethernet cable or a phone line.
Network adapter
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Network adapter
A device that connects your computer to a network. Sometimes called a network interface card (NIC).
Workgroup
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Workgroup
A group of computers that are connected on a network and share resources, such as printers and files. When you set up a network, Windows automatically creates a workgroup and gives it a name.
Malicious software
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Malicious software
Software designed to deliberately harm your computer. For example, viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are malicious software. Also known as malware.
Help and How-to
