I've been googling around with no apparent answer so I decided to post it here, maybe you all can help.


I've got a home network, and when I say a home network I mean my laptop and desktop computer have wireless adaptors and basically I only use it to connect to the internet on my laptop via the desktop PC. I would like to create more interaction with the computers but WinXP nor the software I got allow me to do this.

One thing I'd like is to be able to shut down the desktop from my laptop? Is there any free software (and I need free because splashing out on wireless networking wasn't cheap ) that I could use to achieve this? I'd like other small things like maybe integrated chat or a way I can communicate with the PC. Is this at all achievable? Or am I being stupid again?

A couple of questions, you are connecting to the internet through a dsl / cable modem or are you on a dialup?

what is the OS on the desktop, what is the OS on the laptop.

What is the topography of the network? (Are your cable going directly from the wall outlet to the desktop computer or is it going to a modem then to wireless routerr)

what version (make model of router is it, what make and model wireless NIC cards are you using in the laptop and in the desktop)

Nils

NilsC is right, we do need more information.

But based on I'm going to assume both are running WinXP. In this case,if you have actually set up a notework and each computer has a name, try this.

1) open up command prompt by going start, run, type in "cmd" (without quotes), and hit ok
2) type in "shutdown -m \\computername -s" where computer name is the name of the desktop, and once again without quotes.

Ok I don need more imformation. As long as you know the IP address and have a "magic packet" sender you can control power of a ACPI Comp ('99 or later, one that doesn't have an actual "switch"), or use the remote desktop on Win XP. But yea the things you want are magic packets, i use em at school to have fun.

I dont know if rkage has found a solution but using the shutdown command in xp is quite simple and ready to use. However, a little thing you need to remember is that his laptop has to have administrator's right on his desktop. This can be done by creating two users have same login name and password on each machine.

I used to be in the similar situation with my cable modem. But I have installed a wireless router that support RJ45 connector to cable modem (on WAN side). Things are easier now.

OK I am still completely baffled. Yes both computers are using Windows XP, and the login name of the administrator is the same for both computers. The network cards are Belkin if it helps.

I'll try and break the problem down more. The only thing i use the "network" for is to connect to the internet - I dont share files, settings or anything else. When I got the network it was just too confusing to set up so I just settled when I got the internet working. Once, I was able to gain access to the desktop files from my laptop but then it stopped working and I haven't tried to reconfigure it to work again. I wish I was more knowledgeable in the field so I could get the maximum use out of the network but it just confuses mee.

Thanks for the help so far guys.

OK, to start.. XP has 2 versions of the OS. XP Pro and XP home, both can connect with each other but it's easier and more secure with XP pro.

First you have to create a workgroup on on both computers (I'm using XPP for this). The workgroup name has to be the same on both computers and please do not use the default "MSHOME" or "WORKGROUP". You should use something that is not to easy to guess. I used to have a network called "QDINZLAW" and it has no meaning so dictionary attack don't work.

Next you have to share the foders that you would like to have access to from both computers. Make sure you set permissions and a password for the shares and do not share from c:\ share subdirectories and cd / dvd playeres only.

If you have XPP you can setup remote desktop on both computers, then you log into remote desktop and you can work both computers like you at each one and it will be like having 2 computers and one mouse, keyboard and monitor.

NIls

Yeh see I have used the workgroup computers before but it only lets me remotely connect if the user at the computer clicks OK. Now, when it's later in the night, there wouldn't be anyone at the computer and since my brother, sister, father and mother all have different accouts on it, I couldn't keep access over it forever.

What I want shut down for is because the only time I can usely get on the computer is late at night. So when I come in I go on the internet but time is limited because my parents dont want it on all night (a friend of ours was involved in a house fire caused by an over heating computer so they have some right to be wary). So is there something, maybe an attachment to download to go with Remote Desktop that allows me to select the computer from my laptop's network places , right click it and click on Shut Down without having to allow remote access on my other computer?

Thanks for the help NilsC

Is it:


XP Pro

or

XP Home

There are a couple of solutions that can be used... depending on OS and if the NIC card has the avility to bot computer remotely.

If you have XP Pro on both computers you have to create a user account for you on the remote computer. Turn on remote desktop, and create a shutdown batchfile then when you are done connecting to the internet you access the other computer using remote desktop, run the batchfile and that will disconnect you and shut the computer down.

If it's XP Home you can put realVNC on both computers and run the bach file from there.
http://www.realvnc.com/

Nils

Sorry, I thought I'd specified, but I hadnt.

I have Win XP Pro on my laptop and XP Home on my deskop

Anyway I downloaded the realVNC server and viewer and have installed the server on my computer and the viewer on my laptop. But it doesn't appear to have any options for network, it seems like only internet. But then again what do I know, and I dont have a baldy what a bach file is