Connect a laptop at home  >  Part II - Client/Server

Step 4 - Finishing up

Here in Step 4, we're going to make the final configuration changes necessary to network our laptop to our home network.

First, in our client/server set up, we want our laptop to log on to the domain we created with Windows NT Server (that's a subject for another "how to" or see our Links page for some other resources). To do that, we need to go back to the Network Control Panel and click on the very first listing for "Client for Microsoft Networks." A dialog box, as shown below, pops up, allowing you to select the option to log on to the NT Server and to insert the domain name.

Next, we need to ensure that file and printer sharing is enabled on the laptop. To turn on file sharing, go back to the Network control panel, click on the File and Print Sharing button and make sure the box giving others access to your files is checked. If you also want to share a printer, click that box. Select OK and then select OK again on the Network control panel. Restart your machine if Windows prompts you to do so.

Now there is only one step left to complete. You must make sure to share at least one resource across the new connection. In our example, go to the laptop and double click on My Computer. Next, right click on one of the folders or drives (such as the C drive) and select the Sharing... option. (If there is not a Sharing option, then you likely did not complete the above steps).

Once the dialog box pops up, click the radio button for "Shared As" and select a name for the shared drive or folder. Next, click the radio button for "Full Access". Don't select Read Only or you won't be able to copy files. You should not have to select the password or any security options for a home network.

Again, if Windows prompts you to restart the machine, do so.

Upon restart you are ready to share resources. Simply click on Network Neighborhood and see if the other computers on the network are there. If they are not don't be concerned or discouraged. Network Neighborhood is fairly unreliable. Instead, click on the Map Network Drive and type in two backslashes followed by the name of the computer, followed by another backslash and the name of the shared drive. Then click OK and a box will pop up with the contents of that shared drive.

That's it! Congratulations! You've networked your laptop to your home network.

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This page last updated 08/12/2001