How do I setup a wireless file sharing network?

I have setup a router, the desktop is using an Ethernet setup for DSL, and my laptop is using the wireless setup. The Desktop has Windows XP Professional, the laptop has Windows XP Home. I freshly installed the Professional yesterday cause I was having weird problems, and the laptop is new. Yes, I bought one that had XP, only because I hate vista. Anyways, I would like to setup a file sharing network now that I have a wireless network setup. I tried figuring it out, but it didn't work. How do I do this with XP without other programs? I need to share basically everything, or send files back and forth, like Music, Video, Documents, and programs. Thanks.

Public Comments

1. I would recommend you check out http://www.smartcomputing.com. They recently had an article in their magazine on just that subject. Use the search feature at the site to find the article or contact their tech support staff.
2. Before giving any details I have to give you this warning: Share ONLY directories that really have to be shared. Remember that sharing a directory shares everything inside it, including other directories. Never share the root (\) of a drive because that opens up the entire drive to potential hackers. Now the details. First, you have to share the directory. On the machine it resides on: 1.Right click on it in the left pane of Windows Explorer or My Computer and select Sharing and Security. 2.On the Sharing tab, go into the Network sharing and security box. 3.Click both the Share this folder on Network and (it will come on) Allow network users to change my files check boxes. 4.Give the directory a Share name. 5.Click OK Now it's available to be read from other machines on your network. On one of those machines: 1.Click on My Computer. 2.Click the Folders button to display folders in the left-hand pane. 3.Click My Network Places. 4.Click Entire Network. 5.Click Microsoft Windows Network. 6.Click your network. 7.Click the machine you just shared the directory on. Note: It may not show up here immediately, in fact, this has been the most frustrating part of sharing files or printers for me. Sometimes, restarting the machine with the directory seems to help this along. 8.If you expand the other machine's entry, you should now be able to see the directory in the list. You can click directly on it to open it, or you can go up to Tools->Map network Drive and set up a link to the directory that comes up whenever you log in. If the above steps don't work, you may have a firewall issue where a firewall rule is preventing Windows Printer and File Sharing. Good luck.