Networking two home PCs

[blueonblack]

I'd like to be able share files between my wife's laptop and my desktop. We already share a wireless network but I don't have the first idea how to make it so that we can access and manipulate data on each machine from the other.

We're both running Win7, mine is Ultimate 32-bit hers is Premium 64-bit. I've looked over Homegroups and that avenue seems to be limited to "Libraries". I want to be able to access and share *files*, not just a limited array of shortcuts in "libraries". The whole concept of "libraries" is useless if you ask me.

I want to be able to open My Computer and see the drives on my system and the drives on her system and open files from and save files to whichever drive I want, in any location on the drive, just as though I were only working with one PC. She needs to be able to do the same thing.

Can it be done? If so, what is the best way to do it? I imagine it will have to be third-party software, and that's fine with me.

If anyone has any good ideas on this let me know. Thanks!

[AmEv]

Yes, with File and Sharing.

On the host machine, go to folder (or drive) you want to share, right-click, "Share...", "Advanced sharing", "Yes", "share".

Then, on the remote machine, right-click Computer, "Map network drive", \\(pcname)\(sharename)

[OvRiDe]

You will not need any third party... network is a basic function of Windows all the way back to Win95. (Yes you could network Windows 3.11 but it was done in DOS and not in Windows.)

The first thing I would do is just open up Windows explore from your machine and type \\<wifescomputername> into the address bar. If it prompts you for a username and password then you are on the right track. IF you have your accounts set to use a password just type in the username you use to login to the wifes computer and that login and should be presented with some shares. They might not be the shares you are interested in and you can either go create some shares that you do want on the other PC and your good to go. If you don't have the user set to use a password you will probably run into authentication issues. The can be fixed by just creating a password.

EDIT:I almost forgot the rest of the mapping portion. You will want to right click on one of the shares and then select map network drive, it should walk you through the rest.

EDIT2: :) I thought I would check you tube for a more visual demonstration...

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[diluzio91]

also, you might have to add her as a user for the files. for example, my media files on my nas are set so everyone has read capabilities on the folders.

[OvRiDe]

Good point .. it will make it alot easier if you go to her machine and create a user (the same one that you use on your machine).

[Drum Thumper]

I beg to differ guys. Much much easier to esentially 777 the files.

Set up your homegroup, then on either computer right click on the folder in question and choose Share with and select Homegroup (read/write) from the dropdown list.

If you want to share cross platform, let me know. I have successfully (finally I might add) set up my home network to allow SMB shares to and from my Win7 box to the nix household that this has become.

[OvRiDe]

I have to say I haven't really used Homegroup yet. From what I have heard it does sound like it might be easier, but I don't have the experience to say one way or another. It does look like you can create a library that is essentially the whole drive, so in the case that Homegroup only works with "Libraries" and not volumes or drives.. it should work.

[Fuganater]

I just tried Homegroup last week. Was extreamly easy to setup and share files/folders. I shared a folder though Homegroup and then mapped it to my laptop.

[Twigsoffury]

beware, when you share any one folder.


anyone can access your whole drive by entering C:\$ or something like that.

[Fuganater]

Not if you set up permissions correctly.

[AmEv]

Password-protected sharing in the N&SC.

[Twigsoffury]

Re: Networking two home PCs

Have you by chance, tried hitting them?

[blueonblack]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I am happy to say that we are successfully sharing the files we wanted to share now.

And strangely, kicking them didn't help at all.