Best Networking Setup?

[McCormick]

I work for a small nonprofit. We run a database with 7 files, and up to three of us in theory would be on a time. In the future, I may add a few files and one or two people (if we're lucky).

I am running into numerous hosting/network problems. We purchased three individual copies of FMP from a discounted-for-nonprofits source. When I put the databsed on the server but hosted it from my machine, I would sporadically get an error message that it could not open (or find) certain files, which were in fact already open.

When I moved the files to my own hard drive, these problems disappeared for me. But now other users get the same error messages if they becoem guests. Essentially, the multi-user function is denied to us.

I know I could buy Server, put it on our server or a dedicated machine, and go from there, but that is just too expensive.

I could give up and make it single user, which would inconvenient but not totally unacceptable.

I could dedicate a machine with a fourth copy of FMP to do nothing but host this.

What other choices do I have? I haven't fully mastered the host-guest system (this discounted software did not come with a manual - is there a good line on-line substitute?), so I'm sure there's something I'm missing.

What is the best way to host a multi-file database for a very small group of users?

[Anatoli]

Host multiuser files with FM client on good machine. It will be OK for 5 users for sure.

Open the files on clients ONLY via HOST button.

Look on eBay for FM server.

[McCormick]

Is there a good reference source or past thread on the use of the host button? The computer I use as host does not show up on the list (the host button). On top of that, there seems to be some bizarre font setting that renders the list illegible ... the upper section ("Hosts") is empty, and the lower section I only know what it says from past experience. So it is hard for me to poke around and figure it out. Probably a networking issue that is beyond me, but I need to start somewhere.

[Anatoli]

Specify IP of the FM serving computer.

The font corruption probably calls for Windows/FM reinstall.

[McCormick]

Finally!

I had a dynamic IP on the serving computer, so the other ones couldn't find it. I changed it to a static IP and everything fell into place.