New W7Pro-64 user: Networking w/ XP machines

[spamiam]

I like the idea of the Homegroup, but I want to be able to easily share printers and public folders to other computers on my home network. I have a couple XP machines and a vista laptop that very much need to access shared printers. It is nice to share files in public folders too.

I have read that it is possible to get W7 to revert to the old-fashioned network resource sharing, but I didn't see any actual instructions to do so.

-Tony

 

[Fire cat]

There's no option to "revert" back to old fashion sharing It's still there. Homegroup is just an extra feature added onto that.

I made a tutorial about sharing files here:
https://www.w7forums.com/share-files-over-network-t5562.html

For sharing printers, go to the printers folder in the Control Panel, and it's pretty much the same process as in the tutorial I posted

 

[spamiam]

I made a tutorial about sharing files here:
https://www.w7forums.com/share-files-over-network-t5562.html

For sharing printers, go to the printers folder in the Control Panel, and it's pretty much the same process as in the tutorial I posted

Thanks. I will try it! I will report back if I have trouble.

-Tony

 

[spamiam]

Well, I think I have W7 setup to share files and printers following the instructions above. But I can't see any of the XP computers on the network. Is there a W7 setting to be able to see the computers which are in a workgroup called MSHOME? Or maybe there is a patch I need to run on the XP computers similar to what I did to get vista to see them. It appears that I am sharing my files and printers but no one is there to share them with....

Other question. How do I choose to share individual printers and set the their shared name?

-Tony

 

[spamiam]

Ok. I figured out how to get all the computers on the same workgroup (XP, Vista, W7).

I have a couple of non-password protected accounts on the W7 machine and I got the printers on the W7 machine set up to be shared. The other workgroup PCs can see the W7 machine but not any of it's printers. I tried to open the W7 machine with a double click and I got a login screen silar to what I get on the vista machine which IS password protected. I entered my W7 user name. But it requires a password and one does not exist.

In W7. I disabled the requirement for username/password or so I thought. But I am still asked for it.

Will I see the printers in I successfully open the W7 PC? What password should inise when one has not been setup?

 

[spamiam]

I finally had success. I had already eliminated the requirement for passwords, but was still asked for one. None of the W7 users HAD passwords set, so I could not give one!

I rechecked all the advanced network settings and everyhting seemed OK. I was using 128 bit encryption, but I did not see any indication I needed to use less powerful encryption.

I found a reference on the net that said to change the network type to "work" rather than "home". This change resulted in deactivation of the W7 homegroup, and also lowered the encryption to the lower level.

After this change my XP computer could gain access to the W7 PC without being asked for a username and password. I could also see the W7 printers once I had double clicked the W7 PC icon.

I could connect to the printers and print to them. Since the XP computer alreasdy had the requisite printer drivers, I had no trouble with attempt at downloading 64 bit drivers from the W7 PC.

WOW, that was not a very intuitive set of fixes!!!!

-Tony