Networking 2 workgroups

[Ken]

We have a cpu network in a SOHO with 4 DTops, and 2 ocassional Laptops all
running XP - 2 Home, the rest
XP Pro. 4 DT's and 1 LT are part of ONE workgroup. Data exchange, printing,
sharing work fine.
The other LT is configured for their OWN home workgroup.
She now has to have access to the SOHO workgroup for data exchange and
printing. She is concerned about changing her config and possibly causing
failure of her home network.
How does/should this be set up?

 

[Chuck]

We have a cpu network in a SOHO with 4 DTops, and 2 ocassional Laptops all
running XP - 2 Home, the rest
XP Pro. 4 DT's and 1 LT are part of ONE workgroup. Data exchange, printing,
sharing work fine.
The other LT is configured for their OWN home workgroup.
She now has to have access to the SOHO workgroup for data exchange and
printing. She is concerned about changing her config and possibly causing
failure of her home network.
How does/should this be set up?

Ken,

Is "her" (who is "she" anyway?) laptop setup to use Network Neighborhood in her
workgroup? Does Network Neighborhood work properly in your (??) workgroup?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/windows-networking.html>
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>

Are both workgroups on the same LAN segment, or different segments?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/browsing-across-subnets.html>

If no problems otherwise, all you have to do is setup an account on the servers
that she needs access to. Please be aware of the difference between XP Home, XP
Pro with Simple File Sharing, and XP Pro with Classic File Sharing.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html>

Depending upon how the network is setup, you could have several issues. Read
the above articles, then ask questions.

And Ken, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted email,
than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself
a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - read this article.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html#Munging>

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

We have a cpu network in a SOHO with 4 DTops, and 2 ocassional Laptops all
running XP - 2 Home, the rest
XP Pro. 4 DT's and 1 LT are part of ONE workgroup. Data exchange, printing,
sharing work fine.
The other LT is configured for their OWN home workgroup.
She now has to have access to the SOHO workgroup for data exchange and
printing. She is concerned about changing her config and possibly causing
failure of her home network.
How does/should this be set up?

There's no need to change workgroup names. A computer in any
workgroup can access a computer in any workgroup.

To see the computers in your own workgroup, open My Network Places and
click "View workgroup computers". To see the other workgroups from
there, press the Backspace key. Click a workgroup to see the
computers in it.

To access another computer directly, regardless of which workgroup
either one is in, type the other computer's name in the Start | Run
box in this format:

\\computer
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com