- Network Access Options in Windows 7
- Network and Sharing Center 101
- Troubleshooting Network Connections
- Enabling Windows 7 to Connect with Windows XP Computers on the Network with LLTD
- Sharing Resources on a Windows 7 Computer with Windows XP Computers
- Configuring Windows 7 Networking
- Conclusion
Sharing Resources on a Windows 7 Computer with Windows XP Computers
Although you can use LLTD to enable Windows XP to share resources with Windows 7 (and Windows Vista) computers, you must set up a workgroup if you want to share resources on a Windows 7 computer with users of older Windows versions or non-Windows operating systems.
Before you can configure your Windows 7 computer to join an existing workgroup, you need to determine the workgroup's name. To find out the workgroup name:
- Go to a Windows XP computer on the workgroup.
- Right-click My Computer and select Properties.
- Click the Computer Name tab (Figure 11). Note the workgroup name.
![](/content/images/art_soper_xpw7nw/elementLinks/thSoper_fig11.jpg)
Figure 11 This Windows XP computer is on a workgroup named "SELECT."
To configure your Windows 7 computer to connect to the workgroup:
- Right-click Computer and select Properties.
- Click Change settings in the Computer Name, Domain, and Workgroup Settings section of the System properties sheet (Figure 12).
- Click Change Settings on the Computer Name tab (Figure 13).
- Click Workgroup.
- Enter the name of your workgroup.
- Click OK (see Figure 14).
- Click OK on the Welcome to … Workgroup dialog.
- Click OK on the prompt to restart your computer.
- Click Close on the Computer Name tab of System properties.
- Click Restart Now. When your computer restarts, other computers on the network will be able to access your shared resources as soon as you specify what to share.
![](/content/images/art_soper_xpw7nw/elementLinks/thSoper_fig12.jpg)
Figure 12 Preparing to change the Windows 7 computer from WORKGROUP to SELECT.
![](/content/images/art_soper_xpw7nw/elementLinks/thSoper_fig13.jpg)
Figure 13 Using the Change button to change workgroup identification.
![](/content/images/art_soper_xpw7nw/elementLinks/thSoper_fig14.jpg)
Figure 14 Changing to the SELECT workgroup.