Small Office Network
 

Ok, I'll try to make this make sense..

we have a small office network using our internet access to connect our computers. My computer has our main programs that we share and I have several shared folders for documents etc. We share printers and all those basic features.

My question is this...

While connecting a new computer to our "network" - I noticed the option to create a connection from say, home, to our small office network using an IP address? Did I? Is there such a function? how does that work? I just leave my computer at work ON and connected to the internet and with the correct settings, I can connect from home?

can someone enlighten me to see first of all if this functionality is really available, and if so, how do I do it?

Thanks
theresa

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm I am going to watch this thread and see what some smart techy has to say.

I would like to know this as well.

bump

Theresa, my systems are both on the same network.

I have 192.168.0.100 for Ursa-Major, the Linux box and I think 192.168.0.5 for Polaris, The Junkbox Compaq.

I could have many other items with IP between 5 and 100. I let my Router determine the IP and then went to each system and set that as a default. Then back to the router to set the login for each system to see the names assigned. Your printer would then have it's own network address. In my network, I would select 192.168.0.13 (system 13 is printer in my sick weird world...)

You can take an old desktop and use it for an in office server also. All the other systems are then routed through one spot before they go onto the Internet.

Linksys has some of the best routers for this. Our office at work (with a network I am not allowed to touch) has a pair of 100 GIG servers labelled K and O drives. Everyone has ability to run apps from K or use O for storage. We have 17 users and all use CAT 5 cables and secure login. I can login to another system and get a desktop close to my own. We use a Linksys for Internet traffic and another for print router.

Can you describe verbatim what you did and what you said without summarizing?

Perhaps it's an option to set up a VPN with out side or remote access. What were you using to set this up? Windows XP? Home or Pro? etc etc

XP Pro

I cant say verbatim what I did b/c I dont remember. XP is so easy to use for setting up small office networks, basically it connected itself. It found my computer and connected to it and I shared the appropriate files/drives.

I just wonder now if I can connect remotely to this "network"

I trust you have firewalls so the shared folders are not visible on the entire Internet!

yes we do. I'm considering getting something better.

Can you tell me how to access our network files over the internet?

I just set up a wireless network myself about a month back.... fun stuff....