How do you transfer files wirelessly between two computers?

Are both computers able to connect to the internet through your wireless setup?  If so, then you already have a working network.  It is now just a matter of enabling File and Printer Sharing, designating drives and/or folders that you want to share across the network, and making sure that any firewalls that you may have running are configured to allow local network access.  Answer my first question and we can go from there.

Steve

Yes, both computeres are able to access the internet. As for printer and other files being enabled, sounds interesting. If I can figure out how to get stuff printed off my laptop without using wires, in addition to being able to transfer files, that would terrific. Where do we start?

On each computer, open Network Connections, right click on your wireless network connection and choose properties from the drop-down menu.   In the box that opens, find File and Printer Sharing.  Make sure the box is checked next to File and Printer Sharing and OK your way out.  Next open Windows Explorer.  Choos a drive of folder that you want to share on the network and right click it.  From the drop-down menu, select Sharing.  Read the warning about opening drivers or folders to sharing and if you accept the risks, choose to share the drive or folder.   On the computer that is attached to the printer, open the Printers and Faxes folder, right click the printer you want to share on the network and select Sharing from the drop-down menu.  Give the printer a name that through which it will be known on the network

The next step would be to make sure that any firewall software you are using (Norton Internet Security and McAfee Security Center both have firewalls) are configured for local network access. 

Once you have done this you should be able to open My Network Places and find the shared drives or folders on the network and then transfer files by cutting and pasting or dragging and dropping.    On the computer not connected to the printer, the shared printer should show up in the Printers and Faxes folder.

One important note - if you are running a non-secure wireless network, note with File and Printer sharing enabled, anyone who can gain access to wireless nework can also gain access to files on your shared drive or within your shared folders.  Thus, you should enable some kind of wireless security so your network is not open to anyone that happens to be within range.

Steve

On the computer that doesn't have wireless, then you just need to do the same thing on the LAN connection.  Whether it is wireless or wired, so long as they are on the same network, file and printer sharing works.  They must be connecting to the same router, so they are on the same network.

Steve

Okay, I've done some of the stuff you've suggested, but one problem; when I checked the desktop, I discovered that it didn't have any wireless settings. In fact I personally doubt it even has a wireless card in it. Since the desktop is being connected by a ethernet cable, will this present any problems? Also, as for security, I live out in the mountains (the hard road/pavement ends like a mile from my house), so as for intruders and the like, I doubt they would be much of a problem. Heading out to the country just to cause internet problems doesn't make much sense after all. ;)

Okay, I've got the C drive enabled on both the desktop and the laptop, the only problem though, is that even if I have both machines turned on, I can still not figure out how to access the other hard drive. Also, as for the printer, I had it set to share on a network, unfortunatly, when I use the laptop, I don't see it as one of the print options. Any idea where I'm supposed to go in order to recieve access to these? I tried checking the networks folder, and also the shared folder just in case, but both of them yielded little luck.

Do you have any firewalls running on these computers that may be blocking the local network access?  Most Dell computers ship with security software that includes firewalls.  If the firewall is not configured to allow local network access, then you will not see those computers that are behind the firewall in My Network Places.

Steve

I turned off all of the firewalls on both of the computeres and still haven't noticed a difference. After doing some thinking, I ran "network setup wizard" on both machines, but ran into problems on each. On the laptop is said that something was disconnected, so I checkmarked the box that said to skip such messages (it had nothing to do with the router since I was still able to connect to the interet). On the desktop, I didn't get such a message, however when it comes to setting up a network, it just won't do it. I left it running all night, and next morning, it was still busy trying to set one up. My next attempt was to use a jumpdrive in order to try and establish a wireless network between the two systems (using the "wireless network setup wizard" in control panel) unfortunatly this failed also.

I'm out of ideas. I already have it set on both machines for the C:\ drive to be shared, the only things that serves as a road block, is that I can't seem to get the network set up right. Also, out of curiosity, where am I supposed to go in order to make sure that things are successfully set up? I keep going to "My Computer" and "Network Connections," however, I can detect no signs of any shared netowrks from one computer or the other. Am I in the wrong folder? If so this may solve part of my problems.