Need help with my home network?

ok i have a gateway pc running windows vista and a dell inspiron 6000 laptop ive got a wireless router set up right now so i can get internet on my laptop but i want to be able to print from my canon mx310 (which is hooked to my desktop) wirelessly from my laptop now i know its possible but how and also i want my documents to be shared on both computers that way i can be working on a paper or something on my laptop well im gone and come home and continue working on my desktop where i left off any help would be greatly appreciated please as much detail as possible i don't want to pay the geek squad 200$Need help with my home network?
First the printer sharing:


on your desktop, right click on the printer and select sharing.


on the laptop go to printers and faxes....select add a printer. See radio button...a printer on another computer.





For file sharing create a new folder, right click on that and select sharing....network sharing. On the laptop add that shared file to your network places.





It's a little harder when you start to analyze version of a document, do some research on ';shadow copies';.Need help with my home network?
Question 1 - Printing


Best solution - put both your machines in the same workgroup and share the printer on the desktop


1. Right click on start - choose explore - right click on My Computer and select properties. Click the ';computer name'; tab or something like that. choose change - and put a name in the workgroup ';my house'; ';my network'; ';Gondwanaland'; whatever you would like.


2. repeat procedure on other machine.


3. On desktop click start - settings - printers and faxes


4. Right click on the printer you want to use and select properties


5. Select the sharing tab at the top - say ';share this printer as'; and put in a name


6. on Laptop - Start settings - printers - add printer - select ';a network printer'; browse to the other machine name - you should find the printer there, connect to it. - Print





Question 2 - Sharing files - More complicated. Since you are not using a ';server'; with your 2 machines connected to it, it is more difficult to get them to sync with each other. You can store the files on your laptop and then share that folder. but the 2 machines will have to be where they can see each other if you want to use the desktop to access. Perhaps a Windows Live Skydrive - a storage location on the internet for free then you could access the files from any machine and work on them. Sorry I don't have a better answer on the sharing of files - there are ways to make it work, but all are somewhat complicated. Good luck.