connecting laptop to desktop pc

Hi

I have a desktop which is my primary pc, but I would like to be able to access my desktop and all my drives on my pc through my laptop so that I can use it to continue with what I'm working on, later on in the day. More or less remote access of my own pc.

The laptop is a refurbished one and when I tried to set up a homegroup, I got a message to say that a homegroup could not be set up on the laptop.

 

I tried to set up remote access through windows, but there seems to be something going wrong somewhere.  I followed the instructions given and each time on the laptop I get the same message that either:

1) Remote access to the server is not enabled - which it is

2) The remote computer is turned off - which it isn't

3) The remote computer is not available on the network - debatable

 

Also noticed when selecting users when setting up remote access in windows, I am down in users as a Guest on my own pc.  Surely that can't be right?  Seemingly no way of changing it, either.

 

I'm not a geek when it comes to networking, I'm afraid, so whether this last one is right or not is, as I say, debatable - depends what 'not available on the network' means.

I could have missed a setting, but don't really know. 

 

Then again, I've been told about Teamviewer.  Does this do the same thing?  Can I access everything, including drives, files & email for editing on my laptop through Teamviewer?

If anyone can help, I would be most grateful.  I have tried this for the last month and unfortunately got nowhere at all.

 

Thanks for reading and in advance for any help offered.

hedley 

Hello hedley93,

 

What version of Windows are you running on the two computers and do they both have a wireless connection. (Often easier to set up).

 

Don`t use TeamViewer myself but have only heard good things about it from colleagues.

Hi, thanks for the reply.
I have Windows 7 Ultimate on the desktop connected by Ethernet, but is also running some devices by wi-fi. The laptop is Windows 7 Home Premium with wi-fi.

hedley

Not a Network genius myself but manage my own so I have every faith that you will be able to take care of yours as well 

 

First of all, can I ask if you are aware that you cannot have a wired and a wireless network running concurrently, it has to be one or the other.

 

I have Windows 7 Ultimate on the desktop connected by Ethernet, but is also running some devices by wi-fi. 

 

 

Does the above mean that your desktop computer has a wireless device and that you use this device to connect to wireless hardware such as a printer.

 

What if anything have you tried regarding not being Administrator on your computer.

Hi Phil, sorry for the delay in answering.  Judging by your post, my post may have been a little misleading.  I have everything set up on the pc as you say, as an administrator and as a user, about 20 or so years ago and connected to the internet.  It's just now, having the laptop that I'm having the problem connecting both together.  To answer your question I have a couple of tablets, my TV on demand network and another monitoring system are all running wirelessly throughout the house.  A friend at one time also had a laptop running wirelessly while he was staying here.  So you can maybe understand more now why I couldn't understand why my laptop wouldn't connect wirelessly.

 

But, just by chance, I have found the answer to my own question in that I have the wrong edition of Windows 7 on the laptop to use Remote Connection.  I have Windows Home Premium on the laptop and you cannot use Microsoft Remote Connection (or probably HomeGroup?)with this edition of Windows 7.  That puts paid to that effort.  I'll have to see if I have another edition of Windows 7 around that I can put on the laptop to change that situation.

 

Sorry to have wasted your time.  Thanks for your time and your help, in any case, much appreciated, as always.

hedley

Hi hedley,

 

Glad you got things worked out and thank you for letting us know 

 

No need for any apology btw, you have not wasted anyone`s time and you are welcome