I currently have several computers that my family uses in our house.  One is running Windows XP Professional, two are using Windows Vista, and my work computer uses Windows 2000.  All of the computers are set up to have multiple users/logins.  I currently have a wireless g router connected to my cable modem.

Because I now work from a home office, I need my work computer connected via wired connection to my router and thus the other computers in the house are wireless.  I used to have my desktop computer connected via wired connection to the router so that it could serve as sort of a file server and the other computers could use files from the desktop as needed, especially Outlook .pst files.  However, now that the desktop is wireless, as soon as someone logs off the computer, it disconnects the computer from the network.

So, my question is, what is my best option to be able to have some sort of a file server so that we could have one location for the Outlook .pst files as well as a common location for other files the we might use from different computers in the house?

I'm also considering changing to a wireless n router because my wireless connections keep dropping sporadically and I've tried a bunch of different configuration changes.  So I'm afraid that where I have my current wireless router just doesn't provide the range that the other computers need.  But I have to have it where it is because it is in my home office and I need to be connected via wire for my work computer.

Any advice would be MOST helpful.

Thanks!

This article should fit your requirements.
http://lifehacker.com/software/home-server/how-to-set-up-a-home-ftp-server-130806.php

dlwolff0 - thanks for that article. It was very informative. However, it didn't answer my questions.  I must not have worded my situation very well in my original post.  I'm not interested in being able to get my files from somewhere outside of my home network.  I'm interested in all of the computers on my home network being able to use a common location/drive within the network.  With basically all of my computers being wirelessly connected to my home network, the computer you want to use files on has to have someone logged on for the wireless connection to be on.  I have multiple users in the family so I've set up all of my computers to have multiple users.  As soon as someone logs off the computer, it disconnects the computer from the wireless network.

Case in point - my wife and I use Outlook.  Outlook uses a .pst file.  I have to be on the computer that has the .pst file in order to access the .pst file.  If I get on one of my other computers, and no one is logged on to the computer that has the actual .pst file, then I can't get to my old emails.

Does that help you understand the situation?

This sounds like a problem with permissions for viewing the files.
Try reviewing this page.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/security/permissions.mspx

Another great article!  I've wanted something like that for some time.  

However, my main issue is that when no one is logged on to computer ABC, then my wireless connection is off to computer ABC.  If the wireless connection is off to computer ABC, then I can't get to my files on computer ABC from a computer XYZ until someone logs on to computer ABC and establishes the wireless connection to the home network.

Take a look at this discussion thread.
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.windows.vista.networking_sharing&tid=35bf4c0a-d14c-4ef4-9e45-5a90f10de078&cat=en_US_9CA88DDB-D18D-FA0E-A366-6E527B0FBA67&lang=en&cr=US&sloc=&p=1

The thread is about a Vista problem, but the principles applied are used for any networking problem.
Sorry to be so dense about understanding the problem.

Great! I briefly took a look at the thread and it looks like it might have some good information. I just need to take the time to read it all.  I'll try to do that sometime this week.

I really appreciate your persistence and willingness to help me out!