Resolved this home group thing again

Hi All,
Since I have a few days off, I will try this home group thing again.
Here are the particulars:
3 laptops running windows 8 and they all can see each other and read and write each other’s files.
1 laptop is running windows 7 Home Premium. This is seen by all laptops and they can read and write files on that laptop, however, the laptop with win 7 can see the other computers and when clicking on the icon for that windows 8 computer, it will see the library’s (Document, Music, Pictures, Videos) but cannot open them. The curser will display the little circle next to the arrow, but nothing happens. Not even an error popup. All laptops are connected via Wi-Fi to a router.
The last computer is my desk top. It is connected via Ethernet cable to the router. This one is running windows 7 ultimate. This one is not seen by any of the laptops, because I cannot join the network.
I click on join and it asks for the password, after typing the password, it starts something. I can see the progress bar moving, but it will not join the network. At the end of this I get a message: Windows cannot setup a Home group on this computer.
Do I have to do something special to connect win7 to win8?
Thanks for your help
Sven

 

Hi, Sven

My set-up is a bit different from yours, 3 computers all using Win 7, but maybe a suggestion will help.

Do you really need to create a new Home Group on your Win 7 machine or can you merely configure things to enable it to join the one that already exists in your other 2 machines? My daughter recently had to go through that when visiting here after I got a new modem and had to change the user name and a couple of other details. Finding the settings on the working machines and configuring the "new" one to match did the trick.

That may not apply to your Win 8 situation, but it might be something to try. Let us know how things go.

 

Hi Bobbo.
The network was set up by my son on his win8 laptop and I just joined the other 2 win8 computers to it without a problem. The problem is getting to join the win7 laptop and desktop to the home group.
Like I said, the win7 laptop is seen and fully accessible by the win8 laptops, but the win 7 laptop can only see the libraries on the win8 laptops but cannot open them. For some reason the desk top is unable to join the network at all.
I have the win8 and win 7 next to each other and it looks like they are the same. If you know some specific places to look, please let me know.
Thanks
Sven

 

I realize now you're trying to do something I never have. Our issue here was trying to get the different machines to join a Home Group in order to get on-line with the Internet, not to gain access into the different computers' programs and files. Somebody else, with the right kind of experience, will be able to provide better help than I can. Good luck.

 

Thanks
I appreciate the help
Sven

 

TonyT,
That is exactly what I did with the windows 8 computer and it worked flawlessly. The problem is the windows 7 laptop. It can see the members and the libraries, but cannot open them, and my desktop, also windows 7, that cannot join at all.
Anything special that I have to do to get windows 7 to join windows 8?
Thanks
Sven

 

Update:
I was just messing around on my win7 laptop and for no reason that I can figure out, I can now read and write the files on all laptop computer from all laptops.
I don’t understand why I cannot even join the network from my desk top. Is it possible that my router is he problem?
Sometimes it tells me there is a network and ask if I want to join it, and sometimes it tells me that there is no network and wants to create a network on the desk top.
Thanks
Sven

 

I think your problem is that the laptops are connecting to your network via wireless to the router, and your desktop is hard wired to the router. I have noticed most wireless routers by default do not allow wireless connections to join your wired network for security reasons.

 

markp62,
I did not know that, but that would be easy to find out. I just have to install a usb wireless adaptor and try again to join.
Thanks for the info.
I will not be able to test this at this time because I have limited time now because I will be packing for HAWAII. Leaving Wednesday morning. I will mark this resolved.

Thanks to all who tried to help

Sven

 

TonyT,
all laptops have the same work group name and all are working fine.
the problem is the desk top. it will not connect. see above error. I am not sure if my router is O.K., because if I switch the Ethernet cable to a differed plug, it changes the message: Sometimes it tells me there is a network and ask if I want to join it, and sometimes it tells me that there is no network and wants to create a network on the desk top.
Sven

 

TonyT,
just to make sure it is not my router, I ordered a mini wifi dongle. it will be here in a couple of days and I will report back after that.
right now I am I Honolulu at the pool and will not be back for 10 days.
Aloha
Sven

 

You got that right!!!
Sven

 

Hi TonyT.
The wifi adaptor came in and I installed it and guess what: I am now connected to all my other Laptop computer. Also, when I unplug the adaptor it will stay connected to the other computer with one exception: I can see my wife’s computer and the libraries, but cannot open them. After I plug the adaptor back I, I can open the libraries. Does that mean that my router is flaky?
Thanks for your help
Sven

 

Hi TonyT
it is a Belkin share max N300 wireless router.
Sven