After years of repeatedly failing to succeed at using this modem/router to so much as simply WiFi to any of my laptops, XH SP2 VAIO, HP Pavilion Vista (now W7) and even my Aspire One netbook, I finally succeeded in this, at least as far what all I raally needed for netorking (file sharing such that the Acer's XP SP3 now detects the W7's shared folders and also affords my copying files into the W7). 'All' would be well enough for my chief purpose of managing like files on each machine, ie; no longer having to flash drive files from one machine to the other, but one aspect of the setup leaves me concerned, ie; the potential security risks. While one runs W7 Pro and the other, XPH SP3, I must say that what seems to have worked for my intent was setting up a "workgroup" on both laptops, using a USB stored key to silently configure each laptop's one supposed wireless network (a 'named' network hsving a random generated number-lettered "work network") and also manually creating another (again supposedly) wireless network that I specifically named. That one, somewhat oddly lists on the W7's network and sharing center as "unidentified network - public network", ie; a 'no internet access' ("access type") which again sort of oddly lists as a connection type of 'wireless' and is actually an unsecured network connection, but note tht neither machine can access the internet wirelessly (nor do I care about that latter aspect). What I do care about here is I simply don't know enough to tell if I have a security risk. I do realize that one aspect of this setup using the subject modem-router along with W7's and Xp's network wizards and my own manually set up 'WiFi' network, is just this, aside from the above described network listing as such on the W7 'sharing center' when it's WiFi is turned off, and when turned on, it lista a second network, this time as 'XXBXXXXXXXXX - work network' with an access type of "internet" for a 'local area connection' and the 'sharing center's 'partial' map list the baisc network map as 'my pc' - 'multiple connections' - 'internet'. As such, I'm left surmising at worst, the numbered network (to the W7's local area connection to the internet) as it's unsecured, simply risks anyone nearby bleeding off my bandwidth. That's something I should probably prevent by securing it, but I'm not sure if that's done by just going to the verizon website's '198.1.1.1' (whatever) webpage and configuring their/my modem-router as secured? But of more concern is what I don't know about modem-routers, networking, shared files and it seems too also AV firewalling, especially when I wirelessly network between my XP and W7. What leaves me wondering most of all is the fact that both machines have shared folders, when networked (apparently wirelessly) and are sharing their files, that somehow the machine's could be at risk of unauthorized access while I'm file sharing. More muddied waters here, is the fact that I'm new to BitDefender and on my W7 machine, while the cable is affording the W7's LAN internet connection, when I then go thru the process of sharing files with my XP, I turn on the WiFi for both machines, then click the W7's 'connect to a network', BD then once prompted me that it has allowed only an internet access connection for the "open-unsecured WiFi network", plus BD prompted me that the AV firewall is blocking communication other than internet and will do so until I add that network as trusted in the firewall module, also prompting that it's highly recommnded to "secure" that network before hand. Sheesh, if things weren't already over my head, I just now went back and tried once again file sharing, but 'no soap' as XP no longer lists the W7's shared folders. Instead now the W7's sharing center lists "wireless network connection" (connected - Intel wifi link 5100 AGN) and also lists a red X-ed "wireless network connection 2" ( not connected - ms vitual wifi miniport adapter). Likely now my W7's BD firewall is blocking file sharing, but how to secure it as recommended is beyond me. As such, wihout a really good tutorial specifically aimed at sharing files via this sort of modem-router (or advice here), I'm left to giving up on this for another month or so. FWIW, the W7's cable jacks into the modem's "ethernet" port and the XP jacks into the E4 port and right now despite my one time ability to share files, neither machines can wirelessly connect to the internet, which that alone is not my aim or concern. And lastly, in that I only use the machines at home, WiFi'ing while traveling is not a concern so much as here at home is. At the very least maybe someone can tell me how one should go about securing the 327W15-60's unsecured-manual connect network. Maybe it's as simple as going to verizon's webpage and securing it, but my advanced novice status tells me that I could well lose my ability to st least manage files on the W7 machine while using my XP machine. Until then I'll just leave things alone, as sure as anything I'd likely mess up what was once a good thing.