Workgroup name and logging onto another computer

[Guest]

Hi there everyone...
I just struggled to get a home nerwork setup with my XP Pro and an XP Home
computer. Seems to be working now...

Oddly enough, my comupter set me up as part of the WORKGROUP workgroup; I
don't know where that name came from, everywhere else seemed to say MSHOME
workgroup.
I found too that logging on to the WORKGROUP workgroup, I could see and
access the other computer's shared docs, but it could not even find mine.

My questions are:
where did the WORKGROUP name come from?
Why could I see the other computer which was logged on to the MSHOME
workgroup, even though I was logging onto the WORKGROUP workgroup?

When I set my WG to MSHOME, the other computer found me fine, and now it
also finds the WORKGROUP WG. Any ideas why?

Finally, in one of my attempts to get the other computer to see my computer,
I cliked the Add network place wizard on it, and browsed to my computer, and
up came a log in screen for user name and password. I like that idea very
much... how can I set it up so I can log from one computer to the other one
to access my files, and not just the Shardocs folder?

Sorry for all the questions, but it was a long struggle, and I want to make
sure I understand why!
Thanks again...
John

 

[Chuck]

Hi there everyone...
I just struggled to get a home nerwork setup with my XP Pro and an XP Home
computer. Seems to be working now...

Oddly enough, my comupter set me up as part of the WORKGROUP workgroup; I
don't know where that name came from, everywhere else seemed to say MSHOME
workgroup.
I found too that logging on to the WORKGROUP workgroup, I could see and
access the other computer's shared docs, but it could not even find mine.

My questions are:
where did the WORKGROUP name come from?
Why could I see the other computer which was logged on to the MSHOME
workgroup, even though I was logging onto the WORKGROUP workgroup?

When I set my WG to MSHOME, the other computer found me fine, and now it
also finds the WORKGROUP WG. Any ideas why?

Finally, in one of my attempts to get the other computer to see my computer,
I cliked the Add network place wizard on it, and browsed to my computer, and
up came a log in screen for user name and password. I like that idea very
much... how can I set it up so I can log from one computer to the other one
to access my files, and not just the Shardocs folder?

Sorry for all the questions, but it was a long struggle, and I want to make
sure I understand why!
Thanks again...
John

John,

The master browser in each workgroup can also keep track of other workgroups on
the network. So the master browser for MSHome shows you the computers in
Workgroup, and vice versa, also.

The name Workgroup is the default workgroup created by the network setup for
Windows.

Read my article, please, about File Sharing in Windows XP.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html

If you have asymmetrical access and visibility problems, one of the most common
causes of this problem would be a misconfigured or overlooked personal firewall,
but there are other possibilities too.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html

If no help yet, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each
computer, so we can diagnose the problem. Read this article, and linked
articles, and follow instructions precisely:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

 

[Guest]

Thanks Chuck...
I will have a look at the resources you pointed out.
Thanks again
John

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Chuck...
I will have a look at the resources you pointed out.
Thanks again
John

Good luck, John. Ask questions when you need more detail. What you ask, or
report, may get rolled into more updates, and may help somebody else. These
forums are a community effort.