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General discussion

connecting 1 windows 7 machine and 1 windows xp machine to s

by MaskedMacroMan Feb 6, 2011 9:07AM PST

ive got 2 computers hooked up to a router by Ethernet sharing an internet connection, the internet connection works fine for both computers. i would like to share documents also between the computers

one is a windows xp 32
one is a windows 7 64

ive set up many networks in the past with a bunch of xp machines without any trouble but now i am having trouble
my first step was on the windows 7 machine, i went to control panel -> network and sharing center -> setup a connection or network -> set up a new network

this is where i believe i am making a mistake of some kind, it seems that the windows 7 machine is assuming that i want to set up the network wirelessly, when it is connected to the router via Ethernet. it simply brings me to a screen that says choose the wireless router or access point you want to configure, and hangs there with a greyed out next button

everything seems to be going fine on the xp machine, i created a new network called "sharebear", told it that the computer connects through a residential gateway, enabled file and printer sharing, rebooted the machine, and confirmed that there was a new folder in the network places for shared documents

i went back to the windows 7 machine where it was still hanging, rebooted it, looked for the new network in network and sharing center and it wasn't there, i tried again to "set up a new network" on the windows 7 machine with the same hanging screen

what am i doing wrong?

Discussion is locked

3 Posts
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UPDATE!!! the computers can see one another! on the windows
by MaskedMacroMan Feb 6, 2011 1:26PM PST

UPDATE!!!
the computers can see one another!

on the windows 7 machine,
under the network sharing center, if i click on the icon at the top of the screen that says "multiple networks" i can see the windows xp computer, click on it and view and read/write all the shared files! my only concern with the windows 7 machine is why do i have to click on "multiple networks", why cant i see the network i created on the windows xp machine called "sharebear"?

on the windows xp machine,
if i click "add a network place" i can see the sharebear network, with only the xp machine on it, and there's another option called "workgroup", and if i click on that i can see the windows 7 machine, but the "ok" option is greyed out

so ive made some progress but im still not where i want to be, i hope this bit of info helps u help me Happy

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Seeing each other.
by blueskymornings Feb 18, 2011 10:35AM PST

You just need to enter the same WORKPLACE network name on both PC's. I also have an XP & 7. On the XP got to ' my network places'

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In general
by MarkFlax Forum moderator Feb 18, 2011 10:00PM PST

Generally any home network needs to be set up with both, (or all), computers having the same account profile. That means, XP account name and password exactly the same as Win 7. Log in to both computers with that identical account profile, then set up the home network from there.

Which version of XP is this? If it is XP Home I believe, (but I am not sure), that Simple File Sharing is already turned on, but in XP Professional you have to turn it on.

Also and as has already been said, both computers must be a member of the same Workgroup.

After the network has been set up successfully it doesn't then matter which account you are logged into on either system.

Mark

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