How do you set up to share a common Drive?

[siratfus]

I don't know much about computers, so I'm not sure of the lingo. This is what I want to do. We have a computer down stairs, and we have another one upstairs. I've been moving files back and forth using an external hard drive. Can't I set-up a common drive and allow both computers to access it? This is how the work-place is and I always thought you couldn't do it at home. Or is there a way to allow my upstairs computer to access downstair's computer and vice versa?

Is this what they call networking?

Please advise. If someone has instructions on how to do this, that would be great. Thank you in advance.

[ROF]

There is no information in your profile so I can't tell which operating system your computers use. Your post also does not contain any information about whether you have NIC cards, routers, hubs, etc. for networking computers in your house.

[Faustus]

Yes that is networking. Or part of it at least.

Network the two computers, then share out the drive in Windows. If you want instant access to it remotely you can MAP the drive on the other machine so that it shows up as a drive letter on both.

[siratfus]

There is no information in your profile so I can't tell which operating system your computers use. Your post also does not contain any information about whether you have NIC cards, routers, hubs, etc. for networking computers in your house.

I know to you it seems basic, but for me, you're sort of speaking a different language. Nic cards, hubs, routers? I ddin't mention any of this because I don't know what they are.

What I do know is that both my computers have windows xp. I believe one is professional and the other is media center edition. Cable internet is hooked up upstairs and the downstaris computer share it with this external usb thingy. The best way for you guys to help me is to lay out the hardware that I need, and if possible, where they would be located in my computer. Then I'll just try to figure out if my computer has those pieces, if not, I'll go to my local best buys or something. Thank you for trying.

[isogonic]

a link:
http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/net.asp

[Supreme2k]

From the way that you phrased your posts, no one here will be able to help you. You are better off getting someone else (not Best Buy) to do it for you.

Your only other real option is a LOT of self-education. You need to get beyond the "thingy" knowledge of your equipment. Try a google search of "home networking".

[Xylob the Destroyer]

NOT BEST BUY!!!!!
if they've got this kind of thing set at work, just ask the IT guy/gal if they could help you, that often works just fine. offer to buy 'em pizza & beer to come over after work or on a saturday (you'll have to buy all the necessary equipment of course!). We've gone through several IT folks at my work (they're all contracted and move often) and they've all been very willing to answer my non-work releated questions about networking stuff
this is how I got my very first home network set up -- my roomie at the time offered pizza & beer to his company's IT guy to come over and do it and the guy was cool enough to explain everything in layman's terms while he did it and had us assist with everything so it didn't all seem so foreign to us.
after I moved out and got a place with my girlfriend, i managed to set up my new network by myself (after a great deal of the aforementioned self-education: Google really is a great tool!)