Building a small network with Windows 7 machines

Question

This isn't necessarily Premiere or even video-related, but hopefully some of you hardware/networkin gurus can offer a bit of advice...
I've been using my ISP's rather cob-job DSL/hub/WAP for awhile, with my two workstations cabled to it, and my laptop accessing it wirelessly. I frequently push files between the systems, but, since the hub is only 100Mbit ethernet, and the WAP is 11g, shoving large files around is an exercise in mind-numbing patience. On the software side, I just click a bunch of buttons until the various systems show up as accessible on the others--I really have no idea what I'm doing in this regard.
I've got a GigE switch on the way, with enough Cat6 cable to connect all the computers directly to the switch, and then to the DSL modem, so at least the networking between my systems will be far faster. However, I'm still in the dark as to the best way to actually establish the network on the software side of things. How should I set up shares between the systems? I don't have a NAS yet--that'll be a later investment--so I need to be able to drop files from System #1 on System #3, etc. I've tinkered around with the Windows 7 "HomeGroup" funtionality, but that seems like it's more designed to easily set up swapping of music and documents and things like that.
Another consideration is that my laptop usually goes with me to various remote locations, where I either plug in to a cabled network, or access it wirelessly. How can I maintain some semblance of security, both at home and in the field, without unnecessarily hobbling the connection?
I appreciate any insight and advice you guys might have. Thanks!

Answer 1

Colin,
I have three servers, 01 and 02 and an ESX server. Two run plain vanilla Win2008 Server, the last one runs ESX/VMWare and Win2008 Server. They are physically miles apart but connected over a VPN. All local machines are either cable connected with Gb Netgear unmanaged or HP managed switches and the routers at both sides are Draytek Vigor 2820 Vn ADSL2+ modems or they are wirelessly connected over 801.11n.
Some local machines are part of a domain, others are not.  Whenever one starts a machine, they are automatically logged in, using a vbs script, and the networked drives are automatically connected. Some of these drives are local, others are over the VPN connection.
This gives me the following drives on my video machine:
but gives me the same networked drives on all other machines.
One thing to note, drive K, named 'harm' contains My Documents. This is automatically synchronized with my notebook, so I can access all of My Documents when I work off-line and they are automatically synchronized when I get back on-line on the network. The same applies to my wifes My Documents and my daughter's and my son's files, all using active directory.
Furthermore all networked drives are backed-up daily over the VPN to a NAS. To add to that, my daughter in Switzerland can connect to the servers here over a VPN so she can access our files here.
The only thing you do not yet have is a dedicated server running Win Server 2008 and possibly Exchange Server 2010. That would make your life a bit easier. For example, I only have Office on my notebook, but sometimes need to check my mail on my video machine. Using Exchange Server and OWA (Outlook Web Access) I can easily consult my mail on my video machine, send, reply or forward without having Outlook installed.
Check your PM for a graphical representation of my network.
Sharing with two PC's on the same switch seems like the most down-to-earth approach that will do what you need initially. Forgive me for not remembering all the gory details, but this network here has been in operation for over 5 years now and is a bit beyond what you want to achieve now. Just set sharing and it should work.
If you have difficulties, let me know and I will ask my son (MCITP, MCSE, MCSA, MCP, MCDP, etc.) what your best approach is.