Windows – How to configure the IP address of windows 7 and windows xp through a wireless router to form networking

networkingrouterwindows 7windows xpwireless-networking

I am writing to seek for technical advice to configure the IP addresses of four computers connecting to a wired/wireless D-Link DI-624 router to form a 'SAME' network for files and printer sharing purposes.

Currently, i have four computers. I would call them computers A, B, C and D despite they have their own computer . The operating details are as follows:

  • Computer A: Windows 7 Home premium (IPv4 address is 192.168.131.1; subnet mask is 255.255.255.0; no default gateway).
  • Computer B: Windows 7 Home basic(IPv4 address is 192.168.0.101; subnet mask is 255.255.255.0; default gateway is 192.168.0.1).
  • Computer C: Windows XP Professional service pack 3 (IPv4 address is 192.168.1.82; subnet mask is 255.255.255.0).
  • Computer D: Windows XP Home edition service pack 2 (IPv4 address is 192.168.1.83; subnet mask is 255.255.255.0).

As you may have noticed from the IP address details, only, computer B is using WLAN to connect to the router, while the other computers A, C, and D are all connected to the router through LAN cable. Even though, they are under the same workgroup name which I named as '4in1', they are not entirely connected together under a 'SAME' network. Computer B is not connected to the current network which consists of computers A, C, and D because I can observe all three 'computers' in the network section in their computers.

Since computer B cannot create a Home group with computer A because it is running only in Windows 7 Home basic version, it has not choice but to join computer A's Home group. However, computer A has already formed a network with computers C and D running Windows XP. I say this because I can use the printer shared by computer C to print in computer A and D. One of my questions is how to allow computer B to form a network with computers A, C and D?

I can only think of a method that may help to achieve the objective above, by configuring the IP address of computer B to join the current network with existing three computers since we have different versions of Windows 7 and XP used. Forming the Home group is not working in this case. However, I do not know how to technically do it? Can anyone help to guide me, please? If anyone has any other methods that is helpful, please recommend and guide me too? Thank you.

Best Answer

How do I configure all devices to "Obtain an IP address automatically"?

The following works on all version of Windows from XP onwards.

  1. Click the "Start" button.
  2. Click on "Control Panel", then "Network and Internet Connections".
  3. Click "Network Connections".
  4. Right click on "Local Area Connections" and select "Properties".
  5. Double-click on the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)".
  6. Select "Obtain an IP address automatically".
  7. Select "Obtain DNS server address automatically".
  8. Click "OK".

  9. Click "OK".

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