Setting up a wireless network

[#1]

Thanks for that.

Quote from: PeterLoftus

Have you typed 192.168.1.254 into the command line on your browser? do this and enter the username and password from the loose label sent with your router. Then click on home network and you will see all the computers "networked" through your router

I didn't need to enter either a username or password: the information was presented straight away.  And yes, all three machines are listed.

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If you then go into network and sharing centre or equivalent on any one of your computers you should find these computers on a network normally named after the router (again on the loose label) although you can rename it.

Slightly varied results there.  On my Win7 PC (under "Network") I see this:
Computer (2)  -  WIN7   XP-PC
Media Devices (1)  -  WIN7: Bert Coules:
Network Infrastructure  -  Thomson TG585 v7 (0849T FEKE)

So my laptop isn't listed.  On the laptop itself ("My Network Places") I see:
Add Network Place
Network Setup Wizard
Wireless Network Setup Wizard
Entire Network
And that's all: the two PCs aren't registered.  "My Network Places" on the XP desktop brings up exactly the same list, but with the addition of:
C on WIN7   (Win7)
Users on WIN7  (Win7)
So, the laptop isn't registering on either desktop, and the two desktops are not being picked up by the laptop.  However, if I click on "Wireless Network Connections" in the laptop systray, it reports Connected, PlusNetWireless, 54.0Mbps and opening a browser reveals a workling internet connection.
Perhaps I'll try fiddling with the various setup wizards and see what happens.  Or perhaps I'll be more sensible and wait for further advice...

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Are your printer and scanner connected to a computer, WIFI or the router?

The scanner is connected to the XP PC (because I can't find a Win7 driver for it).  The printer is connected to both PCs, via a switch.  Neither is wired to the router.

[#2]

two things to look out for
make sure you user the same network name on all computers XP and vista for instance have different defaults.
A right click usually shows a share option so you can go right click on the start button, explore or open and then right click on the drives or folders you want to share 

[#3]

what about you printer and scanner 

[#4]

Quote from: PeterLoftus

Make sure you user the same network name on all computers.

The Win7 PC gives what I presume is the network name as Thomson TG585 v7 (0849TFEKE); I can't find anything similar (or anything that looks like a different newtork name) on either of the other two machines (both XP).  Where should I be looking?
I realised I hadn't responded to your question about the printer and scanner, and I edited my previous post to add the answer.

[#5]

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While MisterW or someone else who can answer you from memory comes back I will occupy you with some of my hacking which may help

I'm afraid my experience of setting up home networks, particularly with Windows 7 is limited. All my PC's at home now run Linux and although the office is a Windows network its doamin based and therefore different to a home network. However, I will still try and help if possible...
Where Peter says

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Make sure you user the same network name on all computers.

I believe he is referring to the 'workgroup' name.
This might help you find the name http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Join-or-create-a-workgroup . Make sure that all the PC's have the same workgroup name.

[#6]

MrW, thanks for your reply.  I checked the Workgroup names: the two desktop PCs had the name as "WORKGROUP" whereas the laptop had something else entirely.  So I changed it to WORKGROUP...
...and now My Network Places on the laptop lists the two PCs.  But neither PC lists the laptop.  And on every machine, if I try to access one of the others I get an error message ---- is not accessible followed by either The network path was not found or Access is denied.
I'm off to investigate further.

[#7]

Are you using different usernames/passwords on any of the machines? That could explain the access denied message.
Also I found when setting up file sharing on my own network that if the machine I was connecting to didn't have a folder set to share, it either wouldn't display anything at all, or it would give me a network error of some description. Once I had the share set up, it worked straight away.
That said, I'm no expert when it comes to networking, all of what I know has been trial and error based, so take anything I say with a pinch of salt.

[#8]

MethodOne,  thanks for the thought about usernames.  I don't use passwords and my machines don't request one (though I set that up so long ago I've forgotten exactly how I did it).  But I'l check the usernames.
I don't know a thing about sharing folders: I think this is the first time I've even encountered the idea.  I'll investigate.

[#9]

The only reason I set up file/folder sharing across my network was because my optical drive broke, so I had to image my game discs on another machine, then copy them across to mine so I could install and run the games I wanted to play.
Should really see about getting a replacement drive, it hasn't worked in over 2 years

[#10]

In my case, the Win7 PC is my main machine but the XP PC is the one with all my favourite sound and vision editors, none of which will work under 7.  At present I do a fair bit of copying files from the main PC to the other via USB memory sticks or discs, working on them and then copying them back.  A network will presumably save me a bit of hassle, as well as being useful in other ways.

[#11]

It certainly would, being able to copy from machine to machine directly as opposed to copying to usb/cd/dvd is a lot more convenient, not to mention faster.
Since I've never used Windows 7 I can't help you out on that side of things, though with XP, to set up a folder to share across the network it's as simple as Right Click the folder, select the "Sharing and Security" option then put a tick in the "Share this folder on the network" box, type in a name if you wish, and tick the "Allow network users to change my files" box, click apply, then ok. Job done.
That last option to allow network users to change my files is useful in that it means not only can you get files off the XP computer, but you can also put files on it, and delete files you no longer need, all of course limited to the folder you set up to share.

[#12]

Not so much a "how to" but hope the following comments are useful.
I routinely share my user-related folders (documents, etc) between a Vista desktop (wired to the router) and two XP laptops (wireless mainly, sometimes wired). All have the same Workgroup name, but the computers have their own Computer names (say DESKTOP, LAPTOP1 and LAPTOP2). I had to set up shares and tick the "allow changes" options.
The reference to folders on another computer is of the form \\LAPTOP1\folder and I think I might have typed the \\LAPTOP1\ address into Windows Explorer to establish the first share. Sometimes do this again if sharing hasn't been used for a while.
I have a USB printer connected to my Vista desktop and print to that from the laptops - set up on the laptops using "add a (network) printer".
Networking computers is something I know my way around, though hadn't realised this was "difficult" until I had to do it with Windows computers.

[#13]

Well, I seem to have taken two steps forward and one step back.
I marked the relevant folders on all three machines for sharing (and many thanks to Spraxyt for the instructions).  Then on the XP laptop and the XP PC I ran the Network Setup Wizard, followed the prompts and then rebooted.  Result!  The folders in the laptop and the XP PC now both appear in each other's My Network Places and I can access them from either machine and cross-save to my heart's delight.  Excellent.
In the Win7 machine, something strange has happened...
The laptop and the other PC both appear under Network.  Twice.  And I can't find a way to delete the duplicates. However, whichever version of the icons I use, I can access the files on both laptop and XP PC.  Excellent.
Unfortunately, the Win7 machine still doesn't appear on either of the other two.  I suspect I'm missing something fairly obvious, but what is it likely to be?
Many thanks.

[#14]

Have you worked your way through all the settings in Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center\Advanced sharing settings and made sure they are correct?  You want Public Folder Sharing on and Password Protected Sharing off, by the sounds of it.

[#15]

Quote from: ReedRichards

Have you worked your way through all the settings in Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center\Advanced sharing settings and made sure they are correct?  You want Public Folder Sharing on and Password Protected Sharing off, by the sounds of it.

Yes, both of those options are set.  These are the current complete settings:
Turn on network discovery
Turn on file and printer sharing
Turn on public folder sharing
(Media streaming - not set)
Use 128-bit encryption
Turn off password protected sharing
Allow Windows to manage homegroup connections
I'd appreciate any further suggestions; it's frustrating to have come so far and then got stuck.  Many thanks.