mixed bag of computers, one big hard drive, no clue how to use samba

[sgtdetritus]

Hello all.  I am trying to learn a bit about networking in my home.  Here is what I have:  Linksys wireless router connected to motorola surfboard cable modem.  I have a mixed bag of computers including a windows 7  netbook, windows XP laptop, Old desktop running PClos with LXDE feeding media to my living room TV, and a few linux laptops.  All are connected to the linksys by wireless because the cable entry point is awkwardly placed.  My initial goal is to be able to get to the media files on the desktop computer from the other wireless devices in the house.
I have one additional question as well.  is it possible to use a wireless router to connect to another wireless router and using it to establish a point that you can connect computers by ethernet cable.  I would like to create a workbench in another room to work on machines that may or may not have wireless capability.
Thanks for any help you can give.  

[sgtdetritus]

Okay, I feel like a bit of a pinhead now I think I found the answer to my first question here:http://pclosmag.com/html/Issues/200909/page05.html  I'll try it out and see if it works tomorrow.
does anyone have any ideas on the second one?
Thanks again

[T6]

there is a couple of posts here with similar questions

from what i understand your biggest concern is expand the wireless network, that can be done in two ways, by using a router as a repeater of the first one, this can be done depending on the router, some models doesn't have the option

the other way is install a bigger antenna in the router, 7db antennas will expand the network coverage alot, 200 meters or more

about the mixed network, what is your exact concern?  put them on a single workgroup?  share resources?

that can be done, the problem here is win7 cooperating, sometimes it refuses to work with xp machines

[sgtdetritus]

I don't really need to expand the wifi coverage.  What I want to do is be able to set up a workbench on the opposite side of the house.  Call it router 1 for the router that is connected to the cable modem and the outside world.  Router 2 is going to be the one on the workbench.  The machines likely to be put on the workbench are not going to have WIFI cards, or they may have broken wifi cards, whatever.  I want to be able to run an ethernet cable from the machines on the workbench to router 2, then have router 2 connect wirelessly to router 1 and on to the outside world.  I'm trying to avoid having to run 60 feet of ethernet cable and I don't want to have to buy a bunch of wifi cards and dongles
I hope this makes sense.  I would think it should be possible, I just don't know where to start looking.
 

[T6]

when you set a router to access point mode, the router repeats the wifi signal from the previous router, never done this so i can't guide you at all on this but there is a post talking about this on this forum

what i ignore is if the wifi signal is shared or not with the ethernet ports, possibly not if the ports are disabled in access point mode, some models do that or let ethernet as a simple switch

it is more simple to connect with a ethernet cable both routers allowing you to connect 3 pcs on each router, in the second router you can put limitations to the mac addresses of those pcs

also you can put a simple switch and in the port where you connect the switch to the router put rules if the router allows it, most cheap models doesn't offer rules on the port, maybe put rules on the mac addresses of the pcs on the second group could be more simple

[sgtdetritus]

Okay, thanks for your help.  I now have a good direction to start looking in.  I may not have too much time for it this week, but I will reply back if it works

[bnc75ohm]

I have pretty much the same need - to have multiple Ethernet ports available in my office that are connected to my home network and the internet via a wireless router and cable modem in another room.  The solution I found is to use a D-Link DPR-1260 wireless print server as the wireless access point and connect it to an inexpensive 5 port Ethernet switch.  This way I can connect my main PCLOS desktop machine and my HP M1212nf printer/scanner to my network and still have several Ethernet ports available for PCs being repaired or tested.  It works like a charm!

[menotu]

If it's just for getting to the "outside world" another consideration could be Powerline networking  requiring a minimum of 2 "Homeplugs"

In your "main" room - one "plug" goes into an electrical socket and the ethernet cable from that plug goes into the router.

In the room located on the far side of the house the other "plug" goes into another electrical socket and this time the ethernet cable goes from that plug into the workbench PC/Laptop. Your workbench PC should now be able to connect to the "outside world"

I very rarely use it for PC's - I now use it for my Sky Digital set top boxes located in different rooms in the house so they can download Sky Anytime movies and programmes. (No longer need to be on a Sky Broadband package to use this)

I've found the Homeplug method can also be used via a long electrical extension cable for using a laptop in the garden.  Extension cables can of course slow it down, but when I've used it in the garden I've never noticed any noticeable decrease. In fact if memory serves I've used it with two extension reels (one reel connected to t'other) so I can get to the far (shady) corner of the garden