In order to normally use a local network, you need to be able to open shared access to folders. In this article, we will talk about how to open shared access to a folder in Windows 7, 8 or 10, and also tell you what settings you need to make on your computer in order for access to folders to work normally.
Configuring Your Computer Before Sharing Folders
Before you open access to folders, you need to make sure that the computer is configured correctly. Otherwise, you will not be able to access the folders you need. To do this, follow the path " Start - Control Panel - Network and Internet - Network and Sharing Center". In this window, you need to click on the link " Change advanced sharing options».
After that, a window with sharing settings will open in front of you. All functions should be enabled in this window except for " Password protected sharing". This function must be disabled and click on the "Save changes" button.
If you do not disable this function, you will have to enter a password when trying to access the folder.
How to share a folder in Windows 7, 8, or 10
Sharing a folder in Windows 7, 8, or 10 is pretty simple. To get started, right-click on the desired folder and select " Properties».
After that, you will see a window with folder properties. In this window, go to the " Access"And click on the button" General access».
After that, a window with the name of the shared folder will appear. Here you just need to click on the " Done».
This completes the opening of access to the folder.
An alternative way to open access to a folder
There is also an alternative way to open access to folders. In order to use this method, press the key combination Windows + R and in the window that opens, enter the command shrpubw.
After that, you should see " Shared Resource Wizard". With it, you can quickly and easily open access to the folder. In order to start creating a shared folder, simply click on the " Further».
The first step is to select the folder that you want to share. Select the desired folder and click on the " Further».
The final stage is the choice of permissions to access the folder. Select the appropriate folder access rules and click on the " Done».
This completes the setup. In order to open access to the folder, it remains to press the button " Done».
If necessary, at this stage, you can enable the rerun of the "New Shared Resources Wizard".
In order to organize the exchange of data between several computers that are part of one, you need to configure shared access to disks (folders) on each PC.
General access
To open shared access to a disk (folder) in, do the following: right-click on the disk (folder) icon and select “Properties” in the drop-down menu; then go to the "Access" tab and click on the "Advanced setup ..." button; in the window that opens, check the box next to the inscription "Open access to this folder", in the "Name of the shared resource" field, enter the network name (it is necessary for the convenience of identifying the resource in the home local network), and then click "Apply".
Access rights
At the next stage of configuration, you need to determine who will have access to the disk (folder) and what rights will be assigned. To do this, click the "Permissions" button and in the window that opens in the "Groups or users" list, select "All" and check the "Full Control" checkbox, then click "Apply" and "OK".
Adding a group
If the Everyone group is missing, it must be included in the list. We click “Add” and in the window that opens, in the field “Enter the names of the selected objects” we drive in “All” (exactly as indicated in the quotes!), Then “OK”. Further, we act according to the already described algorithm.
Restricting user rights
If you want to restrict user rights when working with a network resource, for example, to prohibit deleting files and folders, you must use the "Security" tab. Highlight the "All" group and click the "Advanced" button. In the window that opens, also check the "All" item and click "Change", then in the upper right click the inscription "Display additional permissions". Disable unnecessary permissions by unchecking the checkboxes and confirm the actions by clicking "OK".
All necessary access and security settings have been completed.
Login and password
When you first access a network resource, the system may prompt you to enter a username / password, just enter the computer name (on the network drive of which you are trying to access) and password (if it is absent, leave the field blank), do not forget to check the "Remember credentials" box.
If you don't have a password, but you can't log in, disable password access (see the item "Troubleshooting when setting up sharing").
Troubleshooting Sharing Settings
If the system issues a warning about the unavailability of a network resource and "swears" about the settings, you need to check the sharing settings for various network profiles on the computer whose network resource you are trying to access.
Go through the chain: "Start" - "Settings" - "Network and Internet" - "" or "" (depending on the protocol of connection to the local network) - "Changes to advanced sharing options". Set the parameters as in the pictures below.
Today it is quite possible to use Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8 in the same home or small business.
And while Windows 7 and Windows 8 have similar tools for sharing files online, there are differences that might puzzle you.
The basics of sharing files on a local network
When installing or troubleshooting file sharing problems over a home or small business network, the first step is to make sure that all computers on the network are part of the same working group ... There is an exception: if you have a laptop, which is usually connected to a corporate domain and configured as a domain element, and you are going to leave it as such.
The default workgroup name for Windows systems is WORKGROUP. But you can use a different name. Simply put, the PC will see all systems on the local network that share the same workgroup name. If you are joining a machine to a workgroup, a wizard is provided in the Windows system settings.
To manually change the name of a system workgroup, open the System Properties dialog box (Figure 1). To do this, open the System section in the Control Panel. On Windows 7 and Windows 8, click the link Additional system parameters (Advanced system settings). Select the Computer Name tab and click the Change button to enter a new workgroup name (or a new domain name or computer name).
Figure 1. System Properties offers both a manual method for joining domains and workgroups, and using a wizard.
Once you have your computers recognizing each other in Windows Explorer, you can start sharing files by assigning files and folders to share. But more on that in a moment.
Using homegroups to share files and folders locally
Microsoft expects you to use the built-in Windows for file sharing home groups (homegroups). These are essentially pre-configured groupings of shared files and printers. Homegroups are generally easy to set up, but they also have a number of limitations and potential performance issues. For example, XP systems cannot be joined to a homegroup. Transferring files using a homegroup can be noticeably slower than using a standard workgroup connection.
Homegroups can be used in Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows 7 with a few important caveats. In Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, and Windows RT 8.1, you can join to the home group, but not create her. In RT, you also won't be able to share local content with others. Systems installed as domain elements can also be joined (but not created) to home groups.
Typically, Windows 7 prompts users to create or join a homegroup when the PC first connects to the network. Not so with Windows 8: When you set up your Windows 8.1 PC, a homegroup is automatically created if there are no other homegroups on the network. If there is another computer on the network with a home group, the utility will notify you and show a button Join now (Join now) (see figure 2). If you click the button, you will be prompted to enter your homegroup password.
Figure 2. If you already have a homegroup on your network, Windows should automatically ask if you want to join it.
Before joining the homegroup, however, I recommend clicking the Change advanced sharing settings link. Advanced sharing settings dialog box ) allows you to configure resources for the network. The program offers three sections: Private (current network profile) (Private), Guest or Public (Guest or Public) and All Networks (All Networks). The organization chart of this utility can be confusing; here's what is shown here:
- In sections Private(Private) and Guest or public (Guest or Public) you can specify whether to enable network discovery and sharing of files and printers. You should leave these options enabled because, after all, you want your computers to see each other and share files.
- Section All networks(All Networks) is more interesting. Here you can set an option for whether users on other computers can access Shared Folders (we'll get to them shortly), and define which devices on the network can stream media over the network.
To accommodate older devices, you can also lower the encryption standard used by the network. Finally, you can set whether password protected sharing will be implemented on the current computer. If you enable this option, users will need to have accounts on their computer to share files.
Figure 3. The All Networks section of the Advanced sharing settings dialog box allows you to password protect shared files.
When you are done with the (Advanced sharing settings) dialog, you can click the Save changes button and return to the previous dialog. Click the button Join(Join now) and you will be prompted to choose which folders you want to share.
The dialog box Share with other homegroup members can be a little confusing at first. Note that you are not defining file types, you are defining the folders stored in your user profile. Selecting Shared in the Video category, for example, means that only those files in your Video library or folder can be accessed by others. Videos saved in other directories will not be shared.
Figure 4. Windows allows you to control what is shared by default in Windows folders and libraries; you have two options - Shared and Not shared.
Click the Next button to join the homegroup. You will now be able to navigate within the shared resources of other computers by navigating to the Homegroup section in Windows Explorer.
For more information on Windows Homegroups, see the Homegroup page on the Microsoft website.
Sharing files over the network through folders General
Whether the system is connected to a homegroup, or just part of a workgroup, you can use the Public folder to share files with someone who has access to your computer, over the network or locally. If you have created a homegroup, the General folder will be used automatically. Otherwise, you will need to enable the General folder yourself.
Again, once you've enabled the use of the Public folder, any files saved in this folder or its subfolders will be available to all users who have access to this computer. Note, however, that the Public folder on each system is a separate folder, independent of the Public folders on all other systems. It is not a single shared folder accessible over the network.
Once you've enabled the Public folder, I recommend making it the new Library. Right click on her name and select Add to library (Include in library).
Sharing specific files and folders
I usually don't use the default Windows data folders, I find it more convenient to create my own folder hierarchy. (Keep in mind that if you want custom custom folders to be automatically backed up using File History in Windows 8, they must be included in the library.) Fortunately, it's relatively easy to assign separate folders, subfolders, and files to share for yourself, within a homegroup, or for other specific users.
In Windows 7, click (Share with) and then Individual people (Specific people); This will open the File Sharing dialog box, similar to Windows 8.
Curiously, if you want to make a specific folder (other than the Public folder) available all on your network, you have to take a few extra steps. You have to open the properties of the file or folder, select the Sharing tab and click Share.
Figure 6. The Advanced Security Settings tool in Windows 8 allows you to set permissions for individual users to share files and folders.
Double-click the name of a specific user and the Permission Entry dialog box opens (see Figure 7.) You can also specify, among other things, whether these permissions also apply to subfolders and files in them.
Figure 7. The extended permission dialog box allows you to specify what a particular user can do with the selected folders and files.
Windows 7 also allows you to set certain user permissions in files and folders, but this is in a different place. Right-click the folder and select Properties, then select the Sharing or Security tab. On the Sharing tab, select Advanced Sharing and then Permissions. On the Security tab, highlight the username and then click Edit. (This works for Windows 8 too)
Setting up shared files and folders manually takes some effort, but it will obviously give you fine control over access and levels of data access on your PC. When you want to access something publicly available on another computer, you simply go to the Network section in the Windows Explorer navigation pane, click the Expand button for a specific system, and open the file or folder you are looking for.
Cloud: organizing access to your own data
Using homegroups and shared folders makes it easy to give others access to your data. It also allows you to have access to data on multiple computers on the local network. But an even more flexible solution is in cloud technology. Services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft's OneDrive make it extremely easy to sync data across multiple machines and mobile devices. You can also access your data using any Internet-connected browser, and you can relatively easily share files and folders with others over the Internet.
But there are drawbacks to the cloud-based approach to storing files and folders - aside from the need for a monthly fee when you go beyond the free storage limits. For example, often you cannot grant different powers to different people. More importantly, you usually cannot sync files between systems on a local network without uploading the same data to the cloud, where, again, you face the potential need to pay for storage.
There is no one universal way to share data
To provide access to files and folders - to yourself and others - you will likely use different methods for different purposes.
Using homegroups makes it easy to share data in specific Windows folders, especially if you don't need to set different permissions for each file and folder for different users.
Manually specifying shared files and folders - and even drives - is the best option when you want tight control over access, or if you prefer to store data in your own directory structure.
Finally, cloud storage is ideal for syncing files and folders across multiple devices and when you're not connected to a local network. As a bonus, you also have the ability to remotely back up important data.
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In this article, we will set up a local network between two or more computers with Windows 7 (Windows 8) installed, which are connected via a Wi-Fi router. In fact, setting up a local network in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 is almost the same. Windows XP only has its own nuances, there are always some problems when setting up a network between the seven and XP. But, more about this in a separate article, and it's time to switch from Windows XP, it is outdated.
It is clear that in order to configure a local network and share files, computers need to somehow be connected between themselves. This can be done with a network cable, I have a direct connection between two computers. But, it is much more interesting to connect all computers through a router, which is now installed in almost every home and office. When connecting via a router, you can already set up a local network not only between two computers. All computers, and even mobile devices that are connected to one router, can be connected to a local network
For example, stationary computers can be connected to the router via a network cable, and laptops - via Wi-Fi network. This is how it is more convenient for you, and how you do it. It doesn't matter if the computer is connected to the router via Wi-Fi or a cable, the local network will work. And it doesn't matter what operating system you have installed, but I will show you using Windows 7 as an example.
And I will configure and show the network through a router to which my laptop is connected via Wi-Fi, and a stationary computer. Both work on Windows 7. It is between these two computers that we will now set up a local network. And also, open the general access to folders and files. What is a local network between computers for? Mostly for file sharing. If you often need to transfer some files from one computer to another, then in order not to run with a flash drive, you can do this over the network. Well, you can play games over the network.
If your network still has a TV with Smart TV, then you can set up access to movies on your computer from the TV. Read more in the article.
Instructions for setting up a local network in Windows 7
Let me remind you that the computers that you want to network must be connected to the same router, or directly connected by cable. Also, all the actions that I will show in this section must be performed on both computers.
An important point! If you want to set up a network via a Wi-Fi router, to which some third-party devices (for example, your neighbor) are connected, then after setting up, he will be able to access those folders on your computer that you set up public access to. Install a good one to protect your network. If you still need to connect third-party devices to your router, but you want to set up a home network, then you can create a "guest network" for guests, as we did on the Zyxel router in.
One more point. If you are setting up a network when connecting computers directly, without a router, then you will also need to set static IP addresses in the properties of the local network connection. If you have a connection via a router, then you do not need to do anything else, continue to follow the instructions.
1 First of all, we need to check that all computers work in the same workgroup. This should be checked on all computers that will be connected to the local network.
We do this: press the key combination Win + R, and in the window that appears, specify the command sysdm.cpl... Push Ok.
On the contrary Working groupis likely to be written WORKGROUP... You can leave her. The main thing is that on the other computers the workgroup should also be WORKGROUP.
If you go to change it, for example on MSHOME, then press the button Edit, and specify a new group. Save changes and restart your computer.
2 The second step is to change the sharing settings. We perform these settings in the same way on all computers in the network. Now I'll show you what to enable.
Right click on the internet connection icon in the notification bar, and open Network and Sharing Center... In the new window select Change advanced sharing options.
There will be two profiles. Home or Work, and General. We change the one that is written current profile... You can make these settings for both profiles.
First of all, put the switch next to Enable network discovery... Also, turn on File and Printer Sharing, and include share folders... See screenshot below.
Scroll through the settings page, find and open the tab All networks, or General, and necessarily disable Sharing with password protection.
After these steps, it is advisable to restart your computer. This is actually all the settings, the local network should already work. To check, you need to go to Explorer (My Computer) on one of the computers, and open the tab on the left Net... All computers on the network will be displayed there. In the screenshot, you can see my computer, and another one from the network.
We can already go to a computer on our home network, there will be access to shared folders.
If you do not have computers on the network, or you do not have access to a computer, then see the solutions at the end of this article.
Setting up file and folder sharing
As I wrote above, you already have access to shared folders. But, we may need to open shared access to some other folder, which is, for example, on the local drive D. This can be done without problems. After we open the general access to the folder, all computers from the local network will be able to view the files in it, modify them, and add new files to this folder. (however, it depends on what permissions we enable).
For example, I want to share my Pictures folder. To do this, right-click on it, and select Properties... Go to the tab Access, and click on the button Advanced customization... We put a tick next to the item Share this folder, and click on the button Permissions.
In the window that opens after clicking the button Permissions, we need to set the permissions to this folder. So that netizens can only view the files, then leave a tick only opposite Reading. Well, for full access to the folder, with the ability to change files, set all three checkboxes.
Click Apply and Ok... In the window Advanced sharing setup, also press the buttons Apply and Ok.
In the folder properties, go to the tab Safety, and press the button Edit... Another window will open in which we click on the button Add to... In the field we write "All" and press Ok.
Select the group All, and from below we mark the necessary access points for this folder with checkmarks.
All, after these steps, there will be a general access to this folder from all computers on the network. Starts working without rebooting, checked. Open this folder from another computer:
Everything was done in a confusing way, until you figure it out ... It was possible somehow to make these settings more simple and understandable. But, everything works. It turns out that I have access to a folder that is located on another computer. And this is all over the air, since I have both computers connected to the router via Wi-Fi.
By the way, this folder will also be available from smartphones and tablets that are connected to this Wi-Fi router. To view network folders on Android, I advise you to install ES Explorer, or use a standard explorer. Everything is working:
Now we will also look at possible problems and errors that can very often be encountered during the configuration process.
Possible problems and errors when setting up a home local network
If during the configuration process any errors or problems appear, then first of all disable antivirus, and other programs that might block the connection. If the problem is in the antivirus, then you will need to add your connection to the exceptions.
- Computers from the local network do not appear on the Network tab. In this case, on all computers we check the workgroup and the sharing settings. Open a tab in the explorer Net, right-click an empty area, and select Refresh... Another important point, very often antivirus and firewalls block access to the local network. Try disabling your antivirus for a while. Also, you need to make sure that there is a connection to the router.
- Can't access shared folder. Another problem, when we seem to have set everything up, opened public access, but when we try to open a folder on a computer on the network, a message appears that we do not have access, we do not have permission to access this folder, we could not open the network folder, etc. Or, you are prompted for a username and password.
Be sure to check the sharing settings in the properties of this folder. There are a lot of settings, everything is confusing, perhaps something was missed. Well, again, turn off the antivirus, it can block. - A computer connected via Wi-Fi cannot be seen by other computers on the local network. Or vice versa. If your network is built from computers and laptops that are connected both wirelessly and by cable, then there may be problems with a certain connection. For example, laptops that are connected via Wi-Fi may not appear on the local network.
In this case, pay attention to which profile you enabled network discovery (settings at the beginning of the article)... Also, it is advisable to assign the status of a home network to connect to your Wi-Fi network. Well, be sure to try disabling your antivirus.
I think you did it. If something could not be configured, then ask in the comments. Also, do not forget to share your tips on this topic.
Many of us have more than one PC at home with different operating systems. The need often arises. But if one of them has Windows XP, and the second it becomes a problem, tk. Windows 7 pays a lot of attention to network security issues (what can we say about then)... It is almost impossible to get access to network resources from Windows XP without making additional settings.
To make the necessary settings, go to the menu " Start"and from there to "Control Panel" and in the list that appears, select "Network and Sharing Center"
In the window that appears, we see the name and map of the active network. To configure the network, it is necessary that the "Homegroup" is not created, if it is created, you need to leave it. If no homegroup has been created, its status is defined as "Ready to create." Now we need to go to the menu item "Select homegroup and sharing options."
In the window that appears, select "Changing advanced sharing options ...".
After that, a large list of settings will appear on the screen. To properly configure the network, we need to change the following parameters, as indicated in the picture:
We save all the parameters and open the general access to the necessary ones, for this we select the folder, right-click on it and select from the list that appears "Properties", in the properties of the folder, select the tab "Access"... Click on the button "General access…".
In the window that appears, select users and their level of access to the folder. In order for all network users to have access to the folder, you must add a user group called "All" (If it is not in the list, you must select it in the field at the top of the screen and click on the "Add" button).
Upon completion of these simple manipulations, click on the button "General access" and a window appears on the screen with the specified network path to the folder. Now click on the button "Done".
Attention!
If your hard disk is formatted in the NTFS file system, you need to either disable sharing or adjust the rights before reinstalling Windows. if you open access to folders only for your account, you risk not accessing them from the new operating system.
