Windows 10 home group. How to set up a Windows homegroup

Homegroup is the functionality of the Windows operating system, introduced in version 7 and migrated to the successive versions of 8.1 and 10. Having appeared among the functionality of Windows 7, the homegroup replaced the function of setting up shared folders for computers on the same local network as part of Windows XP. Homegroup is designed to greatly facilitate the process of setting up resources for sharing on a small network. So, even a layman can set up a network connection and share folders with files for public access as part of the homegroup function. To do this, the user does not need to have tremendous experience with Windows-based computers. Actually, we will consider this process below.

So how do you set up a homegroup on a Windows system?

Questions are considered:

1. The possibilities offered by setting up a homegroup

A Windows Homegroup is a kind of peer-to-peer workgroup with network domain elements. Devices in a Windows Homegroup can open and play files in shared folders. Media files on one of the homegroup computers do not need to be copied to another computer to play them. Windows homegroup features include: computers, TVs, smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, etc.

A Windows Homegroup is also an online way of sharing files between users of computer devices on a network. To send to another computer on the local network, for example, a document for editing or an executable file, it must be placed in one of the shared folders, and on another computer, the file must be copied to the hard drive.

What are these shared folders? These are the folders of the user profile "Pictures", "Videos", "Music" and, if necessary, "Documents". These folders are preinstalled with Windows and appear in the System Explorer along with disks and devices as branches of the This PC section.

Also, all computers in the homegroup have access to printers connected to specific computers on the network.

2. What do you need to create a homegroup?

To set up a homegroup, you need to have a Windows version not lower than 7, that is, Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 installed on all computers on the network - PCs and laptops - and, of course, the local network itself. It can be a network that connects all devices using a router (Wi-Fi router). This could be a straight-through cable network between computers. It can also be the network between the physical computer and virtual machines that the hypervisor provides.

3. Creating a home group

Well, we figured out the benefits of the home group, now let's proceed directly to the setup process. We need a Windows Control Panel. In any version of Windows - 7, 8.1 or 10 - you can get to the control panel using the in-system search. Direct transitions to the control panel are located in the Start menu:

In Windows 8.1 and 10, this is the context menu on the Start button;

Once in the Windows control panel in any of the ways, select the "Network and Internet" section.

A window for creating a home group will open. As mentioned, the process of setting up a homegroup is as easy as possible and set up to follow a step-by-step guide. But this is assuming that network discovery and sharing were activated immediately after installing Windows. In this case, you can immediately press the button "Create a home group". But if, for example, Windows is used, with which other users previously worked, and also if a modified assembly of the system is installed, the network settings necessary for the homegroup may not be available. Therefore, it is better to investigate them first. Click "Change advanced sharing options".

We open the "Private (current profile)" tab. For the homegroup to work, you need to activate the options "Turn on network discovery" and "Turn on file and printer sharing."

This is the minimum required. But we can also make some adjustments in the homegroup setting for the convenience of working in the future. We open the tab "All networks".

At the very bottom, activate the "Disable password protected sharing" option. This will allow users of network devices to seamlessly use files in shared folders and a printer without the hassle of entering an account password. Click "Save Changes".

Returning to the window for creating a home group, press the button "Create a home group".

We will see a window for setting up sharing for the above-mentioned user profile folders. By default, all folders are allowed to be shared except for the Documents folder. This can be changed in the drop-down list next to this folder and also set to public access for it. However, in the same way, you can remove sharing for other folders for which it is set by default. Determine and click "Next".

In the next window, we will see the generated homegroup password. This password is generated on the first computer on the network, where the initial setup is carried out - creating a home group. In the future, this password must be used on all computer devices on the local network in the process of joining the homegroup. Therefore, the password must be fixed somewhere and somehow - printed, as suggested just below the link, or transmitted via Internet communication channels to other computers on the network.

Well, as for the process of creating a home group itself, it is complete. Click "Finish".

Next, the Homegroup section of the control panel will take on the format of a window with settings that can be changed at any time. At any time, you can close access to individual folders of the user profile, or, conversely, open access. At any time, you can close access to individual network devices for playing multimedia content - TVs, set-top boxes, smartphones, tablets. At any time, you can view the homegroup password or make adjustments to the network settings. Finally, you can leave your homegroup at any time.

4. Joining a homegroup

To become a member of an existing homegroup, we follow the same path as for creating one.

Directly in the home group window we will see a notification that a certain user has already created it and can join it. In the same way as when creating a homegroup, we set up the network: we check the inclusion of network discovery and public access activity, and also disable password protection. Then we press the button "Join".

As with creating a homegroup, we set permissions for the user profile folders. Click "Next".

In the next window, enter the password - the password that was received during the creation of the home group. Click "Next".

That's it - click "Finish".

As after creating a homegroup, after joining it, the "Homegroup" section of the control panel will turn into its settings.

Now you can start active communication between the computers in your homegroup.

Have a great day!

In commercial, educational and other small organizations, it can be very important to establish convenient, fast and secure file sharing. In such cases, instead of using the Internet for data transmission, computers are united into a local network. Networks can be both large and small, and have different topologies, that is, the connection method and type. There are two main types - client-server, when one computer in the local network plays the role of a server, and the others are workstations, and a peer-to-peer network, in which all computers are equal.

Type 2 networks are also called workgroups and are used where there is no need for centralized management. There are also home groups - if I may say so, a special subtype of workgroups in which a password is requested when a new device is connected. Such groups are usually used to exchange files in small organizations and houses / apartments with several PCs, hence, by the way, their name. A Windows 10 Homegroup can include up to two dozen machines, and we'll talk about how to organize and configure it below.

Create and set up a homegroup in Windows 10

So how to create a homegroup on Windows 10? First, let's make sure that all computers meet three main requirements, namely: they must be connected to the same network (via a router or Ethernet), have the same workgroup name ( System Properties - Change - WORKGROUP) and run a system not lower than Windows 7.

Now let's proceed directly to the procedure itself. Let's open with the command control / name Microsoft.HomeGroup on your computer the Homegroup applet and the first thing to do is to make your network private. To do this, click in the current window on the link "Change location in the network", then click the "Yes" button on the left panel left.

The contents of the window will immediately change, and the button "Create home group" will become active. Ok, now let's set up some parameters. Click on the link "Change advanced sharing settings" in the window and enable network discovery (should already be enabled) and file and printer sharing.

Returning to the "Home group" applet window, press the "Create home group" - "Next" button and select the directories whose contents we want to share with all users of the group.

At the last stage, you will be prompted to write down the password that will be used to connect to the created group of other computers. We save the password and click "Finish". This completes the creation of a homegroup in Windows 10.

How to connect to a homegroup

The homegroup is ready, but so far there is only one computer. Let's connect other hosts on the local network to it. To do this, open the "Homegroup" applet on another computer and when the message "The user has created a homegroup on the network" appears in the snap-in window after the automatic scanning is complete, click the "Join" button.

Then click "Next", select the necessary resources and enter the same password that was issued by the system when creating a home group on the first computer. The connection is complete. If you want or need, you can add arbitrary directories to the list of shared resources. There are at least two ways to do this.

The first way is to add the desired folder to any of the standard Windows libraries by right-clicking on it and selecting the appropriate option from the menu. The second way is just as simple. Click on the shared directory by PKM, select the option “ Grant Access - HomeGroup (View and Edit)».

After that, the folder will immediately appear in the resources of the Windows Homegroup. In addition, you can change the group password (the new password must be passed to all members of the group) and temporarily disable access to any of the shared libraries. All these actions are performed directly from the Homegroup snap-in window.

Homegroup became unavailable after Windows 10 update

By opening the command services.msc service management snap-in, find the specified service in the list, double-click to open its properties, set the startup type to "Automatic", save the settings and restart the computer. In the next versions, Microsoft will probably simplify the task, but for now, let's connect like this.

Creation and customization

When you create a group, the folders that are installed with Windows 10 will be publicly available: Pictures, Videos, Music, Documents, Printers, and Devices (learn how to share folders in the article "Configuring and Sharing Folders"). Copy the files that you want to open for other users into them.

Before starting the process, make sure that all the devices you connect meet the necessary requirements:

oS is installed not lower than Windows 7;
they are connected to the network via a wired or wireless connection using a Wi-Fi router.

To set up your homegroup go to your control panel.

RMB on the Start menu → Control Panel (enable display by category) → Network and Internet → Homegroup.

Microsoft has made it as easy as possible to create your network, so follow the instructions. However, to avoid problems during configuration, check the sharing and network discovery properties for the device.

In the "Homegroup" window → Change advanced sharing settings ... → open the "Private" tab.
Select the radio button next to Enable Network Discovery and Enable File and Printer Sharing.
Open the All Networks tab and select the radio button next to Enable sharing so network users can read and write files in shared folders and Disable password protected sharing → save changes.

In the "Homegroup" window, click "Create homegroup" → Next → specify the folders to which you open access (these are standard Windows 10 folders) → Next.

When you finish setting up your home network, the first computer will have a password that you need to connect other devices. This completes the creation process.

Connection

RMB on the Start menu → Control Panel (enable display by category) → Network and Internet → Homegroup → Join → Next → open folders for access → Next → enter the homegroup password → Next → Finish.

Possible problems

After upgrading your computer to Windows 10 (read how to do this in the article "How do I upgrade to Windows 10?"), You often encounter problems when using a homegroup: sharing does not work, you cannot change your password, leave a group, or create one. To remedy the situation, proceed as follows.

Turn off all computers on your home network except the one on which you are fixing the problem.
Go to: disk with installed OS -\u003e Windows -\u003e ServiceProfiles -\u003e LocalService -\u003e AppData -\u003e Roaming -\u003e PeerNetworking -\u003e delete idstore.sst file -\u003e reboot device.
Important! In this case, enable the display of hidden files and folders, otherwise the AppData directory will be inaccessible.
Go to the window for creating a homegroup → an icon for its creation will appear.
Turn on all PCs and connect to the network.

Right-click on the Start menu → Control Panel (enable display by category) → Network and Internet → Homegroup → the group settings will be displayed → Show or print the homegroup password.

Deleting

To delete a homegroup, log out of it.

Right-click on the Start menu → Control Panel (enable display by category) → Network and Internet → Homegroup → Exit homegroup → select “Exit homegroup” → confirm the actions.

Output

Creating a homegroup in Windows 10 is a process that's simplified as much as possible. Follow the instructions and prompts of the system after checking the necessary settings. In this case, access will open only to the shared folders of the OS. If necessary, you can change or leave the homegroup.

Some fifteen years ago, there was only one computer in the family and the question of creating a home local network simply did not arise. Now in one apartment PCs, a couple of laptops, tablets, smartphones can easily get along. Routers are now available and cost no more than a pack of cigarettes. Sooner or later, the question arises: how to combine all this machinery into one network? After all, you want to share a printer, disk drive and play network games. On Windows 10, setting up such a grid is not that difficult.

How to create a local network Windows 10 - magic, a router and a little bit of wires

As funny as it sounds, when computers were slower and more expensive, building a local area network was cheaper and easier. Network adapters and a cheap coaxial cable (very similar to a cable for connecting TV antennas) were enough to connect multiple computers. The connection topology was “ring”, so the router was simply not needed. But such networks were slow, the maximum achieved speed could not exceed 10 MB, and with the connection of new clients, the speed dropped exponentially.

The "ring" has been replaced by the "star" topology, which is used to build all modern networks. Here in the center is the router (router), and clients are at the ends of the rays of the imaginary star. The beam can be either a wired connection or a WiFi connection. Almost all home networks are star-based. The network that we will set up with you is no exception.

The router is a key player in the home (and indeed any other network). It connects to the incoming Internet channel, client machines, peripherals (printers and disk storage). 99% of home routers are equipped with a WiFi module, so they can connect clients over the air. If you do not have a router, you will have to buy it, and it is advisable not to save on the purchase, because the speed and comfort of the home network depends on the performance and stability of the router. The router must be equipped with at least two antennas and USB ports for connecting peripherals.

Avoid using routers that your internet provider "gives" when you connect or installs "free". As a rule, these are the simplest and cheapest devices, the performance of which is enough for 2-3 smartphones to connect to the Internet. A home LAN is an exorbitant burden for such a unit: it will often freeze, overheat, and ultimately fail.

If you live in an apartment building, it would be useful to buy a 2-band router operating in the 2.4GHz - 5GHz frequency bands. There are many more channels in the 5GHz band, and there are few more routers of this standard, so your mesh will be less affected by the router operating in the neighborhood. The illustration shows how routers configured to work in adjacent links interfere with each other. The result is a decrease in speed and response.

WiFi Analyzer software will help you choose a free channel in the working range

It will also not be superfluous to limit the transmitter power to a value at which stable reception is ensured throughout the house, and the rest of the networks will not be visible. This setting can be done both from the side of the router through the web interface, and from the side of the client computer through the device manager.

DD-WRT firmware provides user with flexible power setting of WiFi module

Configuring the router is quite simple and in most cases you will need to configure the incoming Internet connection (the login and password will be provided by the provider) and the wireless network: come up with a name for it, choose an encryption algorithm (WEP, WPA or WPA2) and a password that is most resistant to cracking. If necessary, enable the DHCP server for address distribution. After that, you can start connecting clients to your home network (hereinafter referred to as DS).

When making wireless connections, do not use encryption below WPA2. The network password should contain lowercase, uppercase letters and numbers, and look chaotic. Date of birth, the name of a dog or girlfriend as a password is a bad idea. On the network, you can find a lot of WiFi hacking programs that do not require any special knowledge.

Connecting a DS client using a cable

If specially trained cable elves carry out the laying of cables around the apartment, the task is greatly simplified. If not, then you can do it yourself, though you have to work with your hands.

Choose a place to install the router and connect the cable of the Internet provider to it - usually it is already inserted into the apartment / house and crimped with an RJ-45 plug. The port for connecting the provider's cable is highlighted and signed: WAN or Internet.
The ISP cable plugs into a dedicated port on the back of the router
Route the cable to the computer connection points, fastening it to the baseboards. If the skirting boards have cable troughs, you can hide the cable in them.
Using crimping pliers, crimp the RJ-45 connectors at the ends of the cable according to the diagram shown.
Connect the cable between the computer's network interface and the corresponding port on the router. If the number of computers that need to be connected to the network with a cable is more than four, you will need to connect an additional splitter switch to one of the ports and connect the remaining clients to it.
Home network clients plug into the yellow (LAN) connectors on the back of the router

Connecting a DS client using WiFi

Despite the obvious advantages of the cable (the highest speed, no interference and harmful radiation), not everyone is ready to put up with the fact that a computer or laptop is tied with a wire. In addition, for a number of devices (tablets, smartphones, convertible netbooks), connecting to the network using WiFi is the only possible option.

First of all, you need to enable the WiFi interface in the router, create a network name (SSID), select the type of encryption and come up with a password:

On the computer, select your WiFi networks from the available WiFi networks, enter the password and connect to it.

LAN settings in Windows 10

You connect with a cable to the router or over the air - make sure that the network card (adapter) has received the TCP / IP and DNS server addresses from the router:

Open "Network Connections" and find there the network card through which the computer is connected to the router.
Expand the properties of the adapter, and in them - the TPC / IP protocol.
Make sure all values \u200b\u200bare obtained automatically.

Then you need to make sure that all Windows devices connected to the network have the same workgroup selected:

Working with Homegroups

For an unprepared user, the simplest solution, in which all users will have common access to each other's resources, is to create a Homegroup. In early versions of Windows, the Homegroup was unstable and limited. In Windows 10, setup has become simple and straightforward, and the Homegroup mechanism works like a clock.

Creating a Homegroup in Windows 10 is a process that is simplified as much as possible. Follow the instructions and prompts of the system, after checking the necessary settings. In this case, access will open only to the shared folders of the OS. If necessary, you can change the composition of the homegroup, enable or disable the types of resources that will be available, or exit the Homegroup.

Before creating a Homegroup, you must make the folders available in that group public. By default, the homegroup includes so-called user files: videos, music, documents, and printers and devices. If you don't want to mess around with add. settings, you can simply place documents for sharing in these folders. And if you need to ensure that folders are accessible elsewhere on the hard drive, it will take a little tinkering.

Setting up a home network

Settings

Thanks to the efforts of Microsoft, the process of creating a network has become as simple and straightforward as possible. If you follow the instructions, there will be no problems.

In the Homegroup window, navigate to Change Advanced Sharing Settings, and then expand the Private tab.
Make active the "Turn on network discovery" and "Turn on file and printer sharing" items.
Then open the All Networks tab and enable the Turn on Sharing options. Users on your home network will then be able to read and write files to the shared folders in the homegroup.
To prevent users from having to enter passwords, enable the Disable Password Protected Sharing option.
Save the settings changes.

In the "Homegroup" window, select "Create a homegroup", and in it specify the folders to which access will be made. The list of available folders will already contain standard Windows 10 user folders, as well as folders that you have configured access to separately.

Once you complete the Home Networking Wizard, your computer will generate a password that will need to be entered by the rest of your network users to access the shared folders. If password access is disabled, users can simply open folders as if they were located on their local drive.

Disabling password access to folders makes your home network vulnerable to external Internet attacks. If your network router is connected to the Internet, be sure to configure your firewall to exclude external requests to resources on your home network.

Connecting to a homegroup

Open the "Control Panel", in it turn on the "Categories" display mode, in the "Network and Internet" group, open the "Homegroup" item, and in it - the "Join" item.

Removing a homegroup

Disconnect from a homegroup before deleting it.
The exit from the home group is carried out only after disconnecting from it

Turn off network discovery and sharing of folders and printers. These options can be found under Advanced Sharing Options. Remember to save your changes.

Turn off sharing in order to leave the homegroup

Open the command line from which you start the service manager.
Start Service Manager from Windows Command Prompt
The Homegroup Provider and Homegroup Listener services must be stopped.
Select Homegroup Provider and Homegroup Listener services to stop
The service must not only be stopped, but also "manually" set the status when the OS starts.
In configuring service settings in Windows 10, you must click "Stop"

Now the homegroup will not show up in the control panel settings and work.

Video: how to create a local area network on Windows 10

Adding a device to the local network

How to add a device (not a computer / laptop) to a local network, consider the example of an ordinary printer. Several algorithms for sharing a printer on a network are possible. Depending on the interfaces of the printing device, it can be connected directly to the router or to one of the client computers with a shared access setting.

Modern printer for workgroups carries all interfaces for integration into a local grid

Sharing an Ethernet Printer

Typically, a wired network interface is found in color and monochrome laser printers for small workgroups and offices. These are rather big high-performance devices, so they are rare guests at home. But if by chance such a printer came to you, setting up a shared access to it is not difficult at all:

After installing the drivers, the printer is available for sharing.

Repeat steps 3–7 on each computer on your home network. It doesn't matter how the clients are connected, TCP / IP is supported on both wired and wireless connections.

Sharing a Wi-Fi Printer

Wireless interfaces can now be found even in inexpensive inkjet printers and MFPs. The manufacturers have tried to make the installation process as simple and straightforward as possible.

Printing on a wireless printer will only be available to those clients on the network that are connected to it via WiFi. Wired clients cannot print directly to this printer. If you share this printer on a computer with WiFi, everyone can print.

Sharing a printer connected to a network client

This type of connection is the simplest. The interface of the printer does not matter. All you need to do is set up general access to it:

Do not forget that printing on such a network device will be possible only when the client computer to which the printer is connected is turned on.

How to remove LAN in Windows 10

This question is very relevant for laptop owners who often connect to public networks. Each time you connect to a new location, the OS creates a new local grid called "Local Network N", where N \u003d 1,2,3 ... There is no simple removal mechanism through the network settings, so here is a step-by-step removal guide.

Use the Win + Pause key combination to open the system properties window and select "Advanced system settings" in it.
In the window that opens, select additional system parameters
Open the "Environment Variables" dialog.
Create a new variable DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES and give it the value "1".
After creating a new variable, you need to set it to 1
In Device Manager, enable the display of hidden devices.
In the "network adapters" section you will see a whole bunch of old network connection items with numbers "1,2,3" ... and endlessly. By deleting these items, you also delete the local networks associated with them.

How to turn off network discovery

Network Discovery is a mechanism that allows computers on a network to see other machines, their network drives and printers. If you don't want your machine to be visible on your home network, it is best to turn off network discovery.

Home network does not work: causes and diagnosis

The network is both a technically and programmatically complex organism, equipment that provides round-the-clock uninterrupted operation and costs a lot of money. In the home segment, the class of equipment is lower and it is prone to failures and malfunctions. All this leads to the loss of network performance. Let's take a quick look at the main mesh issues and how to fix them.

Router malfunction

Most home routers are made in compact plastic cases. Electronic components operate in a very difficult thermal regime, practically "at the limit". The hot season adds 10-15 degrees to the temperature of the device and the router freezes. Together with it, the entire home network loses its performance. Symptoms are the inability to log into the router's web interface, lack of access to the Internet and network resources. To restore the network, the router must be turned off and allowed to cool down, but this is a palliative measure. A radical solution to the problem would be to improve the heat transfer of the router by creating additional ventilation holes and installing a fan for blowing.

Installing additional fans will help your router to overheat significantly less and last longer

The operation of the router in a severe thermal mode not only makes the network unstable and "buggy", but also reduces the lifetime of the router itself by 3-4 times.

Damaged network cable

Pets, curious children, or just a wife with a mop can instantly disable a network segment by damaging the wire that connects the computer to the router. If only one client has lost access to the network, the problem is most likely in the cable. Disconnect the connectors, carefully inspect them and the wire itself. If the RJ-45 plugs are damaged, you can cut them off and crimp new ones. If the wire itself is mechanically damaged, it must be replaced entirely. Twist or solder connections will result in network errors and drop in speed to snail speed.

Inexpensive twisted pair UTP is designed for installation in protected cable ducts. If the cable runs along the skirting board and is not properly secured, it can be easily damaged

Damage to WiFi antennas

External antennas of a router or network adapter connected to a computer can be easily damaged by children or unwary users. In inexpensive home devices, antenna connectors are held only by soldering, without additional fastening. Mechanical stress on antennas leads to cracking and loss of contact. It is easy to diagnose such damage - if there is a connection between the router and the computer at a distance of a meter and a half, and at 5-6 meters there is no longer - the antenna is damaged. The fix requires opening the device and soldering. If you do not have the skills of such repairs, contact the service center.

The SMA antenna connector is a vulnerability in the router. Impact or lateral force will break the connector

Long-term operation of the router with a damaged antenna can damage the device. Try to fix the problem as soon as possible.

So, the home local network has been created: the router blinks cheerfully with LEDs, network clients go online and exchange files, the printer rustles with sheets of paper. The grid works, but not everything has been done: you will need to install anti-virus software, configure a firewall in the router, protect the connection from virus attacks from outside, create a blacklist of sites so that children do not find adult movies on the network. Test the network for errors in data transmission and measure the speed of work. However, this is the topic of the next article. Stay with us!

Windows 10: create a home group. Very often, with the active use of several devices running the MS Windows operating system, it becomes necessary to combine them into a common local network. For this purpose, MS Windows has implemented functionality that allows you to connect all the necessary devices to a home group.

A homegroup is a group of computers on a local home network that can share shared resources: files and printers. Homegroup allows you to simplify the process of exchanging data between devices, share files and printers with other users who are members of the homegroup.

For information security purposes, access to the resources of the homegroup is password protected, and other users can be granted appropriate permissions to access files and folders.

Consider the procedure for creating a homegroup using the example of Windows 10:
1. Click the right mouse button on the "Start" menu and select "Control Panel" from the pop-up menu.

2. In the control panel, for easy display, turn on the "Large icons" view and select "Homegroup".

3. In the window that opens, where the information part about the capabilities of the homegroup is presented, click on the "Create homegroup" button.

4. In the next window, just click the "Next" button.

5. For each resource (library or folder), set the appropriate permission level from the drop-down menu and click the "Next" button.

6. Wait for the end of the configuration process.

7. At the last step, a password will be generated to access the shared resources of the home network. Write down and use this password to add other computers to your homegroup. Click Finish to complete the Homegroup creation process.

It should be noted that using the "Home Group" section on the Control Panel in the future, you can:
Change the resources to which you share.
Allow other devices in your homegroup to play the content of your media files.
Change the system-generated password to your own using the "Change password ..." link.
Leave homegroup.