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I developed an application using ms access for database and VB.NET for front end. The application is a stand alone application but my supervisor wants it to run on a local area network (LAN). Please help me VB.NET programmers, time is already running out on me. Please say something.

I am not a .NET programmer. you should google your problem. Am sure other.NET programmers must have encountered a similar problem.
I suppose if data is being transferred, at an instance a computer is serving as host and another is serving as client
{Client side}:
Here is what I will do if I have ur problem:
I will look for a format to transport my data over the network.(xml, JSON)?.
I will make sure my software will be able generate and parse any data form I choose (the .NET framework should have those classes already created, if not, search the web or create one yourself).
You make a request to the host computer(which should have a script running that helps it handle requests).
Parse the data you get from the host and use the data in whatever way u want.

This answer to your question could be as simple as changing the Database connection string server name, to suggesting a re-design of your application. You need to at least give us a better idea of what you mean when you say you want your application to run on the local network, and what your application currently does, or is not doing.

Try to ask your supervisor to give you a good picture of what exactly he wants and then come back and give us an idea of what it is you are required to have this application do.

VURN: [color=#990000][/color]

I developed an application using ms access for database and VB.NET for front end. The application is a stand alone application but my supervisor wants it to run on a local area network (LAN). Please help me VB.NET programmers, time is already running out on me. Please say something.

Well, i don't know anything about vb.net, but i'm gonna assume you can server-script with it, and that you already have your app running on a server(apache, IIS, wamp, etc).
so here's a simple idea: first change your server ip address-method from DHCP to static & manually assign an ip address to it,
then do one of two things:
either go to each system on the LAN that will access this server and access a file named HOST(just host, not host.txt or any host whatever) in the folder c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\(again, assuming u r using windows. sorry, i don't know anything about linux, etc). you need to open this file as an administrator, you will find ip address & host entries including:

127.0.0.0 localhost

then you'd need to add on a separate line, the ip address(which you statically assigned b4) & hostname for the server hosting your app eg:

192.168.0.4 almighty_server

this is known as DNS-hacking. save this configuration & that's it. so when you type almighty_server(or 192.168.0.4) into a browser, it would route you to the host server & thus you can access your app through browser.

if you don't wanna do this for each computer on the LAN, you can log into the local router(if you know how to manipulate your router), the router is usually the local DNS server for your LAN. simply include this same entry into it's DNS table. so when you type "almighty_server" in your browser on the LAN, you'd be redirected to the app host server. hope this helps.

The only serious problem is that you cannot connect to ms access database over a network. So you need to change you database to one that support connection over the network. MS sql Server, oracle, mysql are examples. I use mysql.
Then just change your connection string to reflect the name of the server machine.
Chikenah!

The only serious problem is that you cannot connect to ms access database over a network. So you need to change you database server to one that support connection over the network. MS sql Server, oracle, mysql are examples. I use mysql.
Then just change your connection string to reflect the name of the server machine.
Hope you already have a network on which to run it or you may try it on a virtual machine.
Chikenah!

Microsoft says:

[size=14pt]About sharing an Access database on a network (MDB)[/size]

Applies to: Microsoft Office Access 2003
Show AllShow All

Note The information in this topic applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).

If your computer is connected to a network, you and others can work with one Microsoft Access database (database: A collection of data related to a particular subject or purpose. Within a database, information about a particular entity, such as an employee or order, is categorized into tables, records, and fields.) at the same time.

Tip Try Office 2010 In Access 2010, you can publish a database to a SharePoint server that is running Access Services, and then use the database in a browser. Read an article or try Office 2010!

ShowWays to share data

There are several ways you can share data in a multiuser environment.

Share the entire Access database You can put the entire Access database on a network server or in a shared folder. This is the easiest method to implement. Everyone shares the data and uses the same forms, reports, queries, macros, and modules. Use this strategy if you want everyone to use the Access database the same way or if you can't support users creating their own objects.

Share only the tables in the Access database You can put only the tables on a network server, and keep other database objects on users' computers. In this case, the Access database's performance is faster because only data is sent across the network. When you split a database into a back end (tables) and a front end, users can customize forms, reports, and other objects in their front-end databases without affecting other users.

Share Access database objects or data access pages on the Internet You can output one or more database objects to static HTML (HTML: The standard markup language used for documents on the World Wide Web. HTML uses tags to indicate how Web browsers should display page elements such as text and graphics and how to respond to user actions.) or server-generated HTML (server-generated HTML: An Active Server Pages (ASP) or IDC/HTX file that is output from a table, query, or form, connected to an ODBC data source, and processed by the Internet Information Server to dynamically create read-only HTML files.) format, or create data access pages (data access page: A Web page, published from Access, that has a connection to a database. In a data access page, you can view, add to, edit, and manipulate the data stored in the database. A page can also include data from other sources, such as Excel.), and then display them in a browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, on the World Wide Web (World Wide Web (WWW): The multimedia branch of the Internet that presents not only text, but also graphics, sound, and video. On the Web, users can easily jump from item to item, page to page, or site to site by using hyperlinks.).

Replicate the Access database If you use two computers, such as an office computer and a portable computer, you can use Microsoft Windows Briefcase to make replicas (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) of your Access database and keep those replicas synchronized (synchronization: The process of updating two members of a replica set by exchanging all updated records and objects in each member. Two replica set members are synchronized when the changes in each have been applied to the other.). Also, several users at different locations can work on their own copies at the same time and then synchronize them over the network, either through a dial-up connection or on the Internet.

Create a client/server application If you work in a client/server environment, you can take advantage of the extra power and security it provides by creating a client/server application. You store your data in tables on a database server such as Microsoft SQL Server instead of in local tables in Microsoft Access. The Access application (the client) retrieves the data it needs from the server. The server maintains data integrity and runs any queries that it can evaluate.

ShowThe locking information (.ldb) file

When you open an Access database file (.mdb) in shared mode, Microsoft Access also creates a locking information file (.ldb) with the same file name (for example, Northwind.ldb) and in the same folder as the database file. This locking information file stores the computer name (such as mypc) and security name (such as Admin) of each shared user of the database. Microsoft Access uses this information to control concurrency. In most cases, Microsoft Access automatically deletes the locking information file when the last user closes the database file.

ShowEditing data in a shared database

In a multiuser environment, more than one person might be working with the same records at the same time. Since other people can change or even delete the same data you're trying to edit, you might occasionally conflict with others as they work.

Microsoft Access helps you keep track of the status of records as you edit them, and makes sure you're using the latest data. When two or more people try to edit the same record, Microsoft Access displays messages that help you resolve conflicts. For example, if you try to save a record that another user has locked, Microsoft Access displays the name of the person who locked that record.

To help you keep track of the status of records, Microsoft Access displays the following symbols in the current record selector (record selector: A small box or bar to the left of a record that you can click to select the entire record in Datasheet view and Form view.)

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/about-sharing-an-access-database-on-a-network-mdb-HP005240860.aspx

Hello OP,

I will strongly advise that you migrate to Alpha five platform as your new IDE.
I bet that you will never regret doing so.
Kindly take a look at a guide for migrating from Ms Access to Alpha five on http://www.gregoryfca.com/blogs/alpha/documents/Alpha_AlphaFiveWebApplicationsforAccessDevelopers_WP_FINAL.pdf .
Go through the guide carefully and you will be glad u did.
Cheers!!!

@VURN:
It's doable and you'd be surprised how easy it is (or maybe not depending on your experience with IIS) -- I'm assuming you have some familiarity with IIS, if not, see the last sentence.

What you want to do is:

1. Install ODBC drivers and connect to Access with that, when what's successful
2. Set up IIS an an intranet service (that makes it accessible over LAN)

OR

Install IIS on your supervisors machine anad just copy the project to her "Inetpub" folder.

If you're not sure how to do any of the above, perhaps that is where the hard-work is: https://www.google.com/search?q=setting+up+an+IIS+intranet