Using a shared folder as a "Network"

I work in a small office environment. We have three employees (3 macs and 1 PC). We want a "Network". I say that in quotes because all we really want is a common place to dump shared files. A place we can all read and write the same files.

Here is what I have been doing in the past....
I set up a folder on my machine and shared it. I then went to the other employee's computers and go to Finder > Go > Network > Choose my computer > Mounted it > Navigated to the shared folder. This is too long of a process for a well working "network folder". So I created an alias to the shared folder and that worked. They could always just click on the alias and it would connect and allow them to read/write to that shared folder.

However, this only worked when I used to have a static IP for my computer but I have a new router that won't allow me a static IP and the alias no longer works. When you click on it, you get a pinwheel for a while and it never connects. We are back to every time we want to put a file in this common folder we have to do the Go > Network > Choose Computer > Shared Folder etc. which is not convenient.

Is there a better way to do what I am trying to do?

I would like this system to work for the 3 macs and the PC but working for the 3 macs is most important.

Thank you.

I find it hard to believe that the router will not allow you to have a static IP. The router could care less. Just be sure the IP is out of the router's DHCP scope.

Thanks, You are correct. My old router's GUI had a place for me to specify my IP according to its MAC address. This one did not and when I just tried to set it static it didn't work but I was doing that within the DHCP range. I took your suggestion and it worked!

Thank you, I will go back to my old system. Unless of course for some reason there is a better one?

Thanks again.

Unfortunately the "Network" abilities Apple has simplified for us dolts is not as usable as most of us would like.