So the central machine has both W2K and Debian?
It does.
Trying to access files from both the Windows partition and the Debian
partition over the network is fraught with pitfalls is easiest if you're
willing to boot the central computer into the OS from which you're
trying to access files. If you're wanting to access files on both
partitions at the same time, it'll be easiest if you leave the central
computer in Debian, and have your Windows partition formatted as FAT32
rather than NTFS.
Alright. To make things easier (since I won't be using the central computer much when I get the laptop), we'll say the the central one will run only Win2K with NTFS. I'm not yet willing to change the NTFS to FAT32. This may change in the future; we'll cross that bridge if and when it actually happens. I think this will make things easier.
>How does one set up a network?
That's a tremendously broad question.
I know this well. Are there any good howtos? This would probably help my case much. I'll also give googleing a shot (in the dark).
> How will I be able to have an internet connection?
You mean, from the laptop?
I do.
Once you have the wireless in place, just get
a Linux-compatible wireless card for the laptop.
How do I get "the wireless in place"?
If you're trying to
access the internet from your laptop over a wired connection to your
internet-connected Windows box, I'd suggest forgetting this, unless you
really want to do it for the learning's sake.
Hum. I do not really know what I wish to do. I need internet access. This will be wireless. I have one signal coming in to the house. This currently goes directly to a modem, then to an ethernet in the central computer. If I want wireless at the same time as the central computer is connected, I need a router, yes? How do I set this up properly so that both computers can be connected and be accessing, say, different web-pages simultaneously? Does this help at all?
> How can I access the files and the printer?
If the central computer is booted into Windows, you can share out the
Windows partition just like you would in a Windows-only network. Then
the laptop can use Samba (more specifically 'smbmount') to mount those
shares. Since Windows can not natively read Linux partitions, you can't
(easily, without 3rd-party tools) get to the Debian files from the
laptop while Windows is running on the central computer.
So using smbmount gives me access to windows files if it is booted in to windows. Accessing Debian files is possible but very hard. Have I got this properly?
The printer can be shared out from the central computer when it's booted
into Windows or into Debian. The laptop can then print to the printer
using Samba (if the central computer is running Windows) or via several
methods if the central computer is booted into Debian.
So, Debian on Laptop, Windows on Central Computer, use Samba to print. That seems easy enough.
But the easiest
way would be to do what someone else suggested; get a wireless access
point that supports a printer, and print via the WAP (of course, this
assumes you have a real printer and not one of those rip-off winprinters
which I can almost guarantee you have).
What is a WAP? My Printer is an HP DeskJet 842C. Is this a "real printer"?
>
> I got the vague impression that there are numerous answers to this
> situation, possibly including some sort of debian-standard samba.
Yes. This is largely because you're wanting to use your central computer
as a server, without dedicating it as a server (ie, it's not
consistently available as a Windows or as a Debian box, 24x7). Thuse
there are many forks in the road, and we can't really provide a roadmap.
As I mentioned above, let's make things easier and say it will always run Win2K. If it would make it easier, why don't we set up a "dedicated server"? Are there any draw-backs to this? (And, by the bye, is there any reason to turn off the central computer, or can I just turn off the screen at night?)
Limit your path a bit, and we'll probably be of more help. For example,
decide that you're going to access either the Debian files or the
Windows files from within Debian or Windows, rather than trying to get
all the possible combinations taken care of right now. Once you've
gotten some experience and know the possibilities a bit better, then you
can start branching out to take care of those other configurations.
That sounds logical. I really do need to start at the basics, for once (I usually just skip right ahead). I'm sorry if I seem to be a complete ignoramus: I've simply never tried any think even remotely like this before. I don't really know where to begin. So, I need as much help as I can get to set up the situation.
I thank you very kindly indeed in advance.