home networking help needed

[alkaprim]

I have setup as follows:
1 My main box running winXP
2 Laptop winME
3 Desktop winME
they all connected to SMC barricade router and sharing my cable
internet connection.Router is configured as DHCP server.
Right now in network property they all have only network adapter
and TCP/IP nothing else.
As far as itnernet sharing everything is OK, but Im getting
tired of having to burn cd to move larger files between them.
Now what I want to do is :

1 designate directory on my XP machine so all 3 can acces it.
2 make sure that only that directory will be shared.
3 give all 3 comps read/write rights to that directory.

Questions:

1 what protocols should I install on all machines?
2 Can I share only one directory or it has to be a drive? (NTFS)
3 Will it cause boot delays on networked computers when XP machine
is off?
4 Will it work using router as DHCP , or I have to asign addreses
manually?

Thanks fo help.

 

[kerykeion]

Right now in network property they all have only network adapter
and TCP/IP nothing else.
You need File and Printer Sharing installed and enabled (checked) as well.

1 what protocols should I install on all machines?
TCP/IP should be enough

2 Can I share only one directory or it has to be a drive? (NTFS)
You can share one directory if you wish ... but only after File and Printer Sharing is enabled.

3 Will it cause boot delays on networked computers when XP machine
is off?
No, it shouldn't...

4 Will it work using router as DHCP , or I have to asign addreses
manually?
Since your Router is already configured as DHCP, you don't need to assign the address manually.