could someone please tell me or provided for me a starting point (url, advice...etc) as to how I could go about adding my FD4 box to a three XP machine network...I've read alittle and thought I knew what I was up against, but I quess not...please advise and thanks for your reply.

My first question: when you say XP network- do you mean a windows domain or a windows workgroup?

If you are running a windows domain , is it an NT, 2000 or 2003 domain? Are you using active directory (windows 2000 or 2003 domains only)

Do you just want file and print sharing, or do you want the actual fedora machines to have a windows domain logon?
Do you have Microsoft Exchange Server for e-mail and are you using active directory?

Using the built-in samba client , you can share files between windows and linux machines.
Samba has a gui to configure this: go to system settings>suthentication>click "authentication tab">ckucj "enable smb support">click "configure smb"

Also go to system settings settings>server settings>samba to set up samba shares.
You can also print to window printers by using the printing gui.
go to new>add a new print queue>
chose a printer name>next
select a queue type: choose Networked windows (SMB)
click specify
under workgroup name type the name of your workgroup i.e "my workgroup"
under server type //server name (i use the server ip address, not the dns name, as it gives consistenct connections)
under share type: //server ip address/windows printer share name (usually case sensitive)
for username type: mydomain/username (username of an account with administrative permissions to the windows print server
password: the administrative password

The next window will ask you for the printer manufacturer and model, selcet the model and the suggested driver and then save

If you are connecting to a domain then you will need to configure the kereberos client in system tools>authentication>enable kerberos support>configure kerberos.
you will then need to enter the name of the domain controllers in the boxes.
I have several fedora 3 and 4 machines which authenticate fine to a windows 2000 and 2003 network . Once authenticated with kerberos, you can even get your e-mail with a linux e-mail client using the exchange server's name. Using a program called crossover, you can even install Microsoft outlook and get your e-mail and the use the features of outlook! Also, using the smb client you can share files and folders between linux and the windows network.

this is a windows workgroup, along with file/printer sharing...nothing complexed...just trying to get FD4 to show up in "Network Places" and to
able to share a doc or two...SuSE linux did this for me automatically so I
never thought much about it...thoughts?

from System Setting>Server Settings....the only thing listed under Server Settings is "Services"....could/is Samba listed in different local with FD4?

Make sure samba is installed, you should see the smb daemon under services if it is. also, make sure the daemon is running
Then check all your settings. give it a few minutes and you should see the samba workgroup in "my network places", and then clicking on this you will see your machine and the shares U set up