Homegroup a necessity?

[W. eWatson]

If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

[W. eWatson]

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

BTW, is Network Discovery needed with homegroup?

[...winston]

Post by W. eWatson

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

BTW, is Network Discovery needed with homegroup?

Homegroup is an option (i.e. not necessary)

Network Discovery is necessary.
- As it states on the Network Discovery settings
"When Network Discovery is on, this computer can see other network
computers and devices and is visible on other network computers"

Win7 has Help info on Network Discovery
<qp>
What is network discovery?

Network discovery is a network setting that affects whether your
computer can find other computers and devices on the network and whether
other computers on the network can find your computer.

There are three network discovery states:

On
This state allows your computer to see other network computers and
devices and allows people on other network computers to see your
computer. This makes it easier to share files and printers.

Off
This state prevents your computer from seeing other network computers
and devices and prevents people on other network computers from seeing
your computer.
</qp>

Try following the applicable and accurate instructions and links
previously provided by a variety of other users that have replied to
your other questions (about networking devices) in this forum.

[JJ]

Post by ...winston
On
This state allows your computer to see other network computers and
devices and allows people on other network computers to see your
computer. This makes it easier to share files and printers.
Off
This state prevents your computer from seeing other network computers
and devices and prevents people on other network computers from seeing
your computer.
</qp>

What's the third one?

[John Williamson]

Post by JJ

Post by ...winston
On
This state allows your computer to see other network computers and
devices and allows people on other network computers to see your
computer. This makes it easier to share files and printers.
Off
This state prevents your computer from seeing other network computers
and devices and prevents people on other network computers from seeing
your computer.
</qp>

What's the third one?

Broken. HTH.

[Paul]

Post by JJ

Post by ...winston
On
This state allows your computer to see other network computers and
devices and allows people on other network computers to see your
computer. This makes it easier to share files and printers.
Off
This state prevents your computer from seeing other network computers
and devices and prevents people on other network computers from seeing
your computer.
</qp>

What's the third one?

Custom

http://windows.microsoft.com/is-IS/windows7/What-is-network-discovery

"Network discovery requires that the DNS Client, Function Discovery
Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery, and UPnP Device Host services
are started, that network discovery is allowed to communicate through
Windows Firewall, and that other firewalls are not interfering
with network discovery."

I don't think that's the whole story on detecting computers.
The network discovery button might be more for making
cute graphical icons for Printers and DLNA TV sets. The
ability of computers to find one another, can also use
some legacy protocols. That could be why my Vista VM
finds my Windows 98 VM so easily. Windows 98 doesn't
exactly get updates any more to support newer protocols,
and yet Vista managed to find the Windows 98 VM. I don't
think the Windows 7 VM is quite as smooth. (I can't run
a Windows 8 VM, so no comment on that one :-) )

Paul

[...winston]

Post by JJ

Post by ...winston
On
This state allows your computer to see other network computers and
devices and allows people on other network computers to see your
computer. This makes it easier to share files and printers.
Off
This state prevents your computer from seeing other network computers
and devices and prevents people on other network computers from seeing
your computer.
</qp>

What's the third one?

Win7 has Help info on Network Discovery
- access Help then search for Network Discovery - it will explain all
options.

[W. eWatson]

Post by ...winston

Post by W. eWatson

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

BTW, is Network Discovery needed with homegroup?

Homegroup is an option (i.e. not necessary)

Thanks for the info.

Post by ...winston
Network Discovery is necessary.

I finally found it using Help and Support. It sure isn't obvious that it
is useful.


...

Post by ...winston
Try following the applicable and accurate instructions and links
previously provided by a variety of other users that have replied to
your other questions (about networking devices) in this forum.

It looks like to me that to solve my real problem, which is to get one
of my two XP machines reachable from this win7 PC, I'm going to need to
turn this problem over to a local computer repair shop.

[Ken Springer]

Post by W. eWatson

Post by ...winston

Post by W. eWatson

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

BTW, is Network Discovery needed with homegroup?

Homegroup is an option (i.e. not necessary)

Thanks for the info.

Post by ...winston
Network Discovery is necessary.

I finally found it using Help and Support. It sure isn't obvious that it
is useful.
...

Post by ...winston
Try following the applicable and accurate instructions and links
previously provided by a variety of other users that have replied to
your other questions (about networking devices) in this forum.

It looks like to me that to solve my real problem, which is to get one
of my two XP machines reachable from this win7 PC, I'm going to need to
turn this problem over to a local computer repair shop.

It can be done. I have a dual boot XP/Vista and a dual boot Win7/Win8
here, with selected folders on each machine flagged for sharing. XP and
Win 7 read/write in both directions.

Since I knew Homegroup only works with Win 7 and Win 8 computers, I used
the workgroup method, and followed instructions on how to do this I
found elsewhere and in this group.

The hardest part of getting my network working was getting "everybody"
to talk to this Mac. Got it to work, just not the way it should, I
think. But, since I'm the only user, don't care too much.

[Nil]

Post by Ken Springer
It can be done. I have a dual boot XP/Vista and a dual boot
Win7/Win8 here, with selected folders on each machine flagged for
sharing. XP and Win 7 read/write in both directions.

Of course it can be done. I have Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8,
Linux, and occasionally Windows 98 computers all sharing each other on
my home network.

Never tried a Mac, though.

[Juan Wei]

Post by Nil

Post by Ken Springer
It can be done. I have a dual boot XP/Vista and a dual boot
Win7/Win8 here, with selected folders on each machine flagged for
sharing. XP and Win 7 read/write in both directions.

Of course it can be done. I have Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8,
Linux, and occasionally Windows 98 computers all sharing each other on
my home network.
Never tried a Mac, though.

How about an Android phone or tablet?

[Nil]

Post by Juan Wei
How about an Android phone or tablet?

Yes! I've been able to connect wirelessly to my network shares with an
Amazon Kindle Fire and a Samsung Galaxy II tablet.

[Juan Wei]

Post by Nil

Post by Juan Wei
How about an Android phone or tablet?

Yes! I've been able to connect wirelessly to my network shares with an
Amazon Kindle Fire and a Samsung Galaxy II tablet.

Using what app?

[Nil]

Post by Juan Wei

Post by Nil

Post by Juan Wei
How about an Android phone or tablet?

Yes! I've been able to connect wirelessly to my network shares
with an Amazon Kindle Fire and a Samsung Galaxy II tablet.

Using what app?

I've got two of them that can open an SMB share: File Expert, which
works very well, and ES File Explorer.

[Gene E. Bloch]

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

No.

See all the other posts that people have made telling you about
Workgroups.

[Wolf K]

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

No, but it's the easiest, and machines running other OSs can join it
too, with a little work. Set up the network on any one of the machines,
and then the other W7/W8 machines can Join it.

You could set up one of the machines as a network server, but then you'd
need Windows Server on it to run the network.

[Char Jackson]

Post by Wolf K

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

No, but it's the easiest, and machines running other OSs can join it
too, with a little work.

As long as those "other OSs" are limited to Win 7 and 8.

Post by Wolf K
Set up the network on any one of the machines,
and then the other W7/W8 machines can Join it.

That's one way.

Post by Wolf K
You could set up one of the machines as a network server, but then you'd
need Windows Server on it to run the network.

You don't need a server OS before a PC can act as a server. I have a couple
of servers scattered around the place and each of them runs a non-server
flavor of Win 7.

[Wolf K]

On 2013-10-27 11:58 PM, Char Jackson wrote:
[...]

Post by Char Jackson

Post by Wolf K
You could set up one of the machines as a network server, but then you'd

Post by Wolf K
need Windows Server on it to run the network.

You don't need a server OS before a PC can act as a server. I have a couple
of servers scattered around the place and each of them runs a non-server
flavor of Win 7.

I think we have a semantic problem here. In my conceptual universe, a
"network server" provides more capabilities than peer-to-peer.

I agree with your comment, for a peer-to-peer network such as Homegroup,
W7/8 does a fine job. In a peer-to-peer network, every machine is a
server, so to speak. That's why any one of them could share its printer,
and in that sense be a network server. Etc.

HTH

[Nil]

Post by Wolf K
I think we have a semantic problem here. In my conceptual
universe, a "network server" provides more capabilities than
peer-to-peer.

Such as?

Certainly Microsoft's server products have features that their client
OS's done, such as Active Directory and domain services, but the core
server duties are the same in all. The extra stuff in the server
editions are unlikely to be used in any home network.

[Wolf K]

Post by Nil

Post by Wolf K
I think we have a semantic problem here. In my conceptual
universe, a "network server" provides more capabilities than
peer-to-peer.

Such as?
Certainly Microsoft's server products have features that their client
OS's done, such as Active Directory and domain services, but the core
server duties are the same in all. The extra stuff in the server
editions are unlikely to be used in any home network.

Quite so. That's why I wrote "You could..." Depends on what OP actually
wanted to do. Or what he eventually realised he could do, which IME
often leads to I Want To Do That! ;-)

Have a good one,

[Char Jackson]

Post by Wolf K

Post by Nil

Post by Wolf K
I think we have a semantic problem here. In my conceptual
universe, a "network server" provides more capabilities than
peer-to-peer.

Such as?
Certainly Microsoft's server products have features that their client
OS's done, such as Active Directory and domain services, but the core
server duties are the same in all. The extra stuff in the server
editions are unlikely to be used in any home network.

Quite so. That's why I wrote "You could..." Depends on what OP actually
wanted to do. Or what he eventually realised he could do, which IME
often leads to I Want To Do That! ;-)
but then you'd need Windows Server on it to run the network.

That's simply not true.

[Ken Blake]

On Sat, 26 Oct 2013 18:28:14 -0700, "W. eWatson"

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

No. You can also use a workgroup. And if there's any chance that you
later might want to add a machine running an earlier version of
Windows, be sure to use a workgroup, not a homegroup.

[Mike Barnes]

Post by Ken Blake
On Sat, 26 Oct 2013 18:28:14 -0700, "W. eWatson"

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

No. You can also use a workgroup. And if there's any chance that you
later might want to add a machine running an earlier version of
Windows, be sure to use a workgroup, not a homegroup.

What about other network devices such as printers, NAS boxes, etc? I've
always wondered. I decided to set this Windows 7 network up using a
workgroup just to be on the safe side.

[Wolf K]

Post by Mike Barnes

Post by Ken Blake
On Sat, 26 Oct 2013 18:28:14 -0700, "W. eWatson"

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

No. You can also use a workgroup. And if there's any chance that you
later might want to add a machine running an earlier version of
Windows, be sure to use a workgroup, not a homegroup.

What about other network devices such as printers, NAS boxes, etc? I've
always wondered. I decided to set this Windows 7 network up using a
workgroup just to be on the safe side.

Three ways that I know of; I've done the first two:
a) if the printer is wi-fi, just install the driver on each machine.
b) if it's "network ready", read the specs carefully. With some, it's
enough to plug the printer into the wi-fi router, and treat it as a
wi-fi machine. With others, you have to plug it into a machine and share
the printer.
c) if it's not "network ready", plug it into a machine, and set up that
machine as a "print server". Google for help on that.

I notice that lot of people recommend Workgroup. As I said, Homegroup is
easiest with W7 (and W8). If you want to connect machines with other
OSs, Workgroup may be better, I haven't tried it so I can't compare.

HTH

[Ken Blake]

Post by Wolf K

Post by Mike Barnes

Post by Ken Blake
On Sat, 26 Oct 2013 18:28:14 -0700, "W. eWatson"

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

No. You can also use a workgroup. And if there's any chance that you
later might want to add a machine running an earlier version of
Windows, be sure to use a workgroup, not a homegroup.

What about other network devices such as printers, NAS boxes, etc? I've
always wondered. I decided to set this Windows 7 network up using a
workgroup just to be on the safe side.

a) if the printer is wi-fi, just install the driver on each machine.
b) if it's "network ready", read the specs carefully. With some, it's
enough to plug the printer into the wi-fi router, and treat it as a
wi-fi machine. With others, you have to plug it into a machine and share
the printer.
c) if it's not "network ready", plug it into a machine, and set up that
machine as a "print server". Google for help on that.
I notice that lot of people recommend Workgroup. As I said, Homegroup is
easiest with W7 (and W8). If you want to connect machines with other
OSs, Workgroup may be better, I haven't tried it so I can't compare.

No, it's not a matter of a workgroup being *better* if you want to
have other OSs; it's a matter of it's being possible. Only Windows 7
and 8 machines can join a homegroup.

[Gadfly]

The following Q&A tells you how to change from using HomeGroup to using
classic workgroup networking.

Improve network performance in Windows 7 and 8 if you are using a Windows
HomeGroup network, which is the default setup -

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/NetworkingProblems.htm#homegroup

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

[Char Jackson]

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

There have been a lot of replies in this thread telling you that you have to
do this or you have to do that.

The bottom line is that you don't have to use a Workgroup, you don't have to
use a Homegroup, and you don't have to play with Network Discovery. Each of
those things just makes certain things easier. None of them are required in
order to network your computers.

A couple of my systems are in a Workgroup here, none are in a Homegroup, and
all of them are networked by directly accessing their respective IP
addresses. For me, that's a lot easier than messing with Workgroup names but
I have nearly daily changes around here, with PC's coming and going. YMMV

[Yousuf Khan]

Post by W. eWatson
If I decide to put say win7 machines together in a home network, is
homegroup the only way to do it?

Share Files and Printers between Windows 7 and XP
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/share-files-and-printers-between-windows-7-and-xp/

Yousuf Khan