Creating a private network within another

Amp34

Amp34

Amp34

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I have just got a Laptop so want to network it (via a crossover cable) to my main PC without opening up my PC to the rest of the network (main PC is connected to a router [for the internet] and thus other PC's). The main PC is using Vista Ultimate and the Laptop Vista Business. The PC has two connections, one to the internet and router and the other to the laptop but I can't work out how to change the permissions of one of the networks without changing the permission of the other.

I am also having problems getting the internet on the Laptop through the PC, every time I click "allow other network users to connect through ths computer" it comes up with "An error has occured while internet connection sharing was being enabled... The dependency service or group failed to start." Any ideas why that might be?

Thanks:)
 
as above, you've gone about this totally the wrong way.

Start again from scratch. You plug your computer into the router, and any other computers as well. You dont need internet connection sharing, and just tell all the PCs to connect to the router.

click Start, click All Programs, point to Accessories, point to Communications, and then click Network Setup Wizard.

Select the option for "This Computer Connects To The Internet Through Another Computer On My Network Or Through A Residential Gateway" on all of the PCs. Then remove the wire connecting the 2 PCs together and just connect each computers network port to the router.

Amp34 said:
but I can't work out how to change the permissions of one of the networks without changing the permission of the other.
Click to expand...

and the answer to this part, is that its not possible. Your files are either shared, or their not. If your worried about the security of the laptop being exposed to the internet, there are ways to do this. But this setup isnt it.
 
following what mrlol has said, you should just be able to set all their settings to auto, and not need to use any wizards
 
Ideally I would, but the router is a shared one between me and my housemates and there isn't a spare slot for my laptop. The router is also not in my room and there is only one network port in my room (which is used by my main PC).

I have done it before, with another PC running XP, it did it fine, without the error message.

I also want to share all the files on my main PC with my laptop, so I can transfer easily etc., without others having access to the files.

and the answer to this part, is that its not possible. Your files are either shared, or their not. If your worried about the security of the laptop being exposed to the internet, there are ways to do this. But this setup isnt it.
Click to expand...

Damn, I thought that may be the case. It's not for security of the laptop, I don't particularly want all the files on my main PC available to all my housemates, but I still want them available to me when the laptop s connected directly to the PC.

Hopefully that makes it a bit clearer as to why I want to do it that way instead of the easier way.
 
Ah, see what you mean now. It's possible.

Connection wise, on the main PC go to "Network and Sharing Center" and click on "Manage network connections" (left hand side).

Select the two interfaces, right click, and click "Bridge Connections".

You should now be able to plug the laptop into the other port on the main PC and it should work as if you'd plugged it straight into the router.

Then for file sharing. Having bridged the connections, the PC can be accessed from both ports. However, you can work around this by changing the permissions on your shares to only allow your username and password to access them. This does require that you use the same username and password on both the desktop and laptop. To set this up, right click on the folder(s), click properties, go to the Sharing tab, click on share and add your username to the list. You will also need to do turn off public file sharing (if it's on) at "Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center".

Hope this helps,
Mr. Brightside
 
I just tried the "Bridge Connection" and it still won't work unfortunately. It may well be connected to the net as it seems to be downloading updates (although it hasn't got past 0% yet so..) but it won't load up a webpage and when the cable is plugged into the laptop it comes up with two connections, which the network diagnosis program says needs to be only one.

EDIT: It will ping 192.168.1.1 (the router) but won't load it in windows and it won't ping or load any external pages (such as google or BBC)

EDIT2: The two connections thing happens even if I connect the laptop directly to the router. I can't actually seem to access the internet on the laptop, so it's probably a problem at the laptop end not the bridge. Any suggestions as to why it would make two connections every time?:confused:
 
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im not a fan of network bridges, personally i think you need to purchase a 10/100 switch. You should be able to get a 4 port one quite cheap. Just plug your lead for your room into that and you then get 4 ports to use

much neater and effecient than faffing around briding connections

then just set up security permissions on the shares as outlined above so that only authorised persons can get on.
 
MrLOL said:
im not a fan of network bridges, personally i think you need to purchase a 10/100 switch. You should be able to get a 4 port one quite cheap. Just plug your lead for your room into that and you then get 4 ports to use

much neater and effecient than faffing around briding connections

then just set up security permissions on the shares as outlined above so that only authorised persons can get on.
Click to expand...

I did wonder if you could just get another switch. Thanks, i'll look into that.:)

I think I sorted out the issue of the double connections and managed to get the laptop to connect to the internet through the PC but only once. It seems a bit hit and miss at the moment as to what it will do when it's plugged in.
 
Go to a PC shop and buy a mini switch. there about £5, turn your single network point in your wall into 4, plug both laptop and PC in, turn on Advanced File Sharing, have the smae user account and password on both your laptop and your PC, use \\yourpc\c$ etc to get to drives, and have both machine on the net, and access to your files between your machine
 
Skeeter said:
Go to a PC shop and buy a mini switch. there about £5, turn your single network point in your wall into 4, plug both laptop and PC in, turn on Advanced File Sharing, have the smae user account and password on both your laptop and your PC, use \\yourpc\c$ etc to get to drives, and have both machine on the net, and access to your files between your machine
Click to expand...

thats my prefered way

as you've discovered briding network connections is far from simple. Just plugging a hub in,

is !
 
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