Getting my new PC 'networked' with the old?

A couple of weeks ago in advance of getting my new PC, in the thread
'Cable for transfer of data?', I had a lot of much appreciated help.
In particular, GB recommended I use Add New Network Wizard. The PC
arrived yesterday and today I got most of the way through running the
wizard, about to click Finish, before losing confidence and canceling.
So I would appreciate a bit more practical help please.

The old Athlon PC runs under XP Home SP1, the new Intel PC under XP
Pro SP2 (not yet updated with all the Windows Updates).

I already have an internet connection, via the router, using the cable
I bought. That happened without my doing anything, other than starting
IE7. (I will install my preferred Firefox later.) So the last thing I
want is to inadvertently lose that. The closing stages of the Wizard
appeared to be telling my I was setting up an 'Internet Connection',
which is what made me nervous - as I already have one.

On reflection, I suspect that apprehension is groundless, and it's
simply referring to fact that I'm (sort of) using my existing Internet
Connection as the method of communication, yes?

But I was also unsure of my ground at a couple of other points:

1) The default entry in 'Computer name' was a long alphanumeric string
presumably entered by MESH. I changed that (after recording it) to an
arbitrarily chosen 'TERRY-INTEL'. Is that OK, or are there some other
consequences of changing that name in such cavalier fashion? Where
else is this name recorded and used?

2) The default entry for Workgroup is MSHOME, with a footnote that all
computers on the network should have the same Workgroup name. But I'm
unsure if the old PC has a workgroup name, or - if it does - what it
is! Where can I find out please? If I need to do so, where can I
change either of these workgroup names?

Finally, I'm confused about the underlying concept. Should I actually
be using the wizard on the new PC, as I am doing? A 'new network' is
surely independent of the 'nodes' in that network? So presumably I
could just as well set it up on the old PC? Assuming the names of the
PCs and the workgroups, whatever that distinction is (seems irrelevant
for a solo home user!) are known in advance?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK



--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

.

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