Image by wjr via Flickr

Windows 7 users are able to link multiple computers so they can share videos and music and files and printers on all of them.  Microsoft calls this feature as HomeGroup.  When a Windows 7 user allows a computer on the same local network to join HomeGroup, the very computer which joins the HomeGroup will be able to view files, videos, and music on all other computers that are in the HomeGroup.  Also, I believe you can also use the printers that are available on the local network even though the specific computer that you’re on is not even connecting to a printer, but it’s able to do so since it’s belonging to HomeGroup.

This feature is also very convenient in a way that when you have a computer in HomeGroup once, you don’t have to bother with it again unless you make a computer leaves HomeGroup.  Viewing contents from HomeGroup is easy as go to Start >> Computer >> HomeGroup.  I’m confident that when you have HomeGroup set up, you’ll be able to view contents of other computers on the local network as if those contents are on the very computer you’re looking at.

So how do we go about setting up HomeGroup?  First of all, HomeGroup is a feature that will not work if you don’t have a network!  What is a network?  Usually, a simple network requires a single wireless or wired router, couple computers that are connecting to the same router, and the router is connecting to your ISP’s modem.  The part where a router is connecting to your ISP’s modem is optional since a HomeGroup requires only local area network.  Sometimes, your ISP may provide a router which saves you some money from buying a router.  Sometimes, ISP’s modem is a router itself — as if it’s providing two capabilities.  Making sure you have a correct setting for your local area network or else your HomeGroup won’t be working.  Here is a hint, sometimes a firewall on a particular computer or on the router itself may prevent contents from being available for HomeGroup, but this is rare.  In the case of a router with strict firewall setting for local area network may also prevent a computer on a local network to join HomeGroup, and this is also rare.  It’s important for you to work on one thing at a time so you will be able to spot which particular area of your local network is the cause of non-functioning HomeGroup.

The next step is to create HomeGroup.  Just remember that only Windows 7 will be able to join HomeGroup.  If you have a Windows XP or Vista PC, I fear you have to upgrade your PC’s operating system to Windows 7 before it can join HomeGroup.  Also, if you’re using Windows 7 Starter or Windows 7 Home Basic, you can join HomeGroup but won’t be able to create one.  Let us create HomeGroup by firing up a Control Panel >> Network and Internet >> HomeGroup.  Following the instruction that Windows 7 gives you so you can create HomeGroup correctly.

After HomeGroup is available, you can begin to walk to other computers of your and fire up Control Panel >> Network and Internet >> HomeGroup, and join HomeGroup.  At the time you create HomeGroup or join one, Windows 7 offers you choices of choosing what you want to share such as printers, videos, and so on.  Obviously, you can always change this particular setting again at a later time.  When creating HomeGroup, Windows 7 will help you create a HomeGroup password, and you have a choice of printing the password, but you can always write it down — it’s really depending on you.  Some people notice that they cannot print the HomeGroup password, because they had not set their Internet Explorer browser as a default browser for their computer.  By making IE as the default browser, printing a HomeGroup password won’t be a problem.  At the time of joining HomeGroup, you have to enter the HomeGroup password.

In addition to what I’ve already written above, here are a few more tips where a computer may not be able to join HomeGroup.  Tip number one, a computer must be on a Home network in order for it to join HomeGroup.  Tip number two, you have to enable IPV6 for your Network Adapter, but usually this is enabling by default.  Tip number three, entering wrong HomeGroup password is usually the cause of unable to join HomeGroup.  Tip number four, check your physical wiring or wireless setting, because a break in a network at physical level or an error in wireless setting can prevent a computer to join HomeGroup.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEI2dQPODrQ&feature=player_embedded

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