Asking for some expert help with a home wireless network

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:59:11 +0000, Charlie+ <charlie DeleteThis @xxx.net> wrote:

>I need to share files/printer over a home wireless network but at the same time
>each computer on the wireless router needs separate access to the internet
>through the same router.
>I have a Netgear wireless router which has the landline internet connection and
>each computer has either a usb Netgear wireless dongle, a Netgear pci card, or
>in laptops their own built-in wireless connectivity. ( All are running XP Pro
>SP2+ updates.)
>
>Question:
>At the moment all the computers have separate internet connection through this
>wireless router quite happily.
>The fixed computers could make a WLAN through the router I think, but is it
>possible to make the WLAN separate from the internet connections through the
>same wireless router?

File sharing is independent from WAN access through the router.

> If file sharing for various folders is enabled, would
>this automatically make these folders available to anyone on say a visiting
>child's laptop who is allowed the password to use the internet temporarily in
>the house, or even worse to the outside world though the internet?

If you are using the MS file sharing abilities on XP Pro, to access shared
resources every user must have an account and a password for that account, and
accounts must be granted access to each shared resource. A Guest won't need
*any* credentials to reach the internet via the common router, and won't have
access to *any* shared resources.

Also, note that when attaching access to a shared resource, "Everyone" means
"Everyone with a valid account on the hosting system" - not "everyone
connected to the LAN".

>Sorry to ask such a basic question but even the books seem to give no clear
>answer to this, or how to do it and the wizards in XP dont cover this type of
>setup, maybe for the reason that it is not possible, but nobody says so
>anywhere, and it seems a perfectly normal thing to want to do!
>Help from someone knowledgeable would be great, networks seem to be a complete
>minefield unless one takes many many hours mugging up for something you want to
>set up only once, as a user!
>Charlie+

/daytripper