Windows 10 home group

[Peterr]

Hello
None of the above seemed to fit.
I have Windows 10 pro on desktop and laptop.
I could not establish home group so I did what I had to do years ago with different pcs, which is to connect the 2 pcs with an Ethernet cable. However, unlike before when home group was established, even after disconnecting the cable, when I disconnect now I lose the home group.
I have bridged my gateway and plugged all into my own router. It functions well as networking with the laptop but cannot create a home group. I have Defender, SpywareBlaster, MBM and MBAM exploit.
TY

 

[ussnorway]

even after disconnecting the cable, when I disconnect now I lose the home group.

So you have a homegroup but only when NOT on wifi?

goto settings > networks > wifi > advanced

and turn on discovery

 

[Peterr]

I think you are on the right track - I have something disabled that should not be.
However, see the PrtScn. This what I see when I follow your path. I forgot to include it so see the next post.
I only have a home group when hardwired not with Wi Fi.

 

[Peterr]

I have both pc set to file and printer sharing on and network discovery on for both self and guest -is that correct?

Also, this works in libraries, correct?

 

[ussnorway]

This is a different screen... I need to see your advanced network mate, please have another look at my 1st post and it's the area marked in green.

 

[Peterr]

I have this enabled - please see the attachment.
I have tried stopping on both and re creating to no avail. I can make the homegroup connection when I use a cable but not with out. I have the laptop right on the desktop table.
Could it be a matter of operating systems as I have Win 10?

 

[ussnorway]

Windows 10 is fine with homegroups to older systems and thats the only setting within the os that would block a wifi homegroup but leave a cable homegroup working... at this point I'd check your router settings because a wifi is a different ip/ mac address and security. Turn off that 3rd party malware (for testing) and confirm that the laptop can see the other computer in the network and open the default shares with wifi and cable.

 

[Peterr]

I'm weak at this so if you don't mind I need a little coaching.
First I will disable the spyware blaster and MBAM and its exploit. I will leave Defender on as it is Windows so it should work with home groups. I will do it for each PC and see if each PC can see the other. If that is not right for the beginning steps, please let me know.

I disabled all but Defender the best I can. MBAM is not in Google as to how to disable it in 10 so I shut down each setting at a time. Exploit is closed as is spyware blaster

>>I tried to establish a home group but it still could not form and the PC s could not see each other.
I do not know what to look for in the router.
I assume we are no longer dealing with the bridged gateway as it is acting only as a modem.

When I click network they see each other but still cannot make a home group.
Perhaps I could share a file or folder this way if i don't mess up sharing.

 

[ussnorway]

First I will disable the spyware blaster and MBAM and its exploit. I will leave Defender on as it is Windows so it should work with home groups. I will do it for each PC and see if each PC can see the other. If that is not right for the beginning steps, please let me know.

I disabled all but Defender the best I can. MBAM is not in Google as to how to disable it in 10 so I shut down each setting at a time. Exploit is closed as is spyware blaster

Correct.

When I click network they see each other but still cannot make a home group.
Perhaps I could share a file or folder this way if i don't mess up sharing.

they can see the folders inside or just the default computer icon?

ie. when you clink on one of the other computer icons does it open for you or give a "you don't have permission" error

 

[Peterr]

You are correct in that they see the word desk or lap but cannot access them. Your diagram is spot on.

When I connect an ethernet cable to to lap from the router it is like it used to be with XP. However, unlike XP when I disconnect, I lose connectivity.

I guess the router is next. I wonder if bridging the gateway has anything to do with it although logically it would not make sense.

I was looking in the router and am not very familiar with the options so i did not poke my finger where it does not belong.

 

[ussnorway]

I want to try one last thing before we move to the router and bridge settings;

• open settings > WiFi > change advanced sharing options

• Then click "Guest or Public" and set discovery to on, save and test your wifi network/ homegroup... I supect the bridge you have set up may be treating your Wifi as unsecure?

 

[Peterr]

I finally have homegroup.
I'll try to explain but am confused about a couple of things I will ask later, if I may.

When I bridged the gateway, I plugged the ethernet cable that used to go from the PC to the gateway, into the router. That was the error. When I unplugged that cable from the router, the home group was established immediately, and the printer and laptop work perfectly.

A- Present configuration (not looking at the digital phone setup), ethernet from port #1 of the gateway to top port of the router. Power to router. Printer to router.

B-gateway configuration- power and printer to gateway. PC ethernet to gateway, top #1 port. ISP cable to gateway.

My question is, does the ethernet cable from the PC to the gateway have to go to port #1 as it does with the router configuration? It really is not a big deal - I was just wondering because I have forgotten what I used to do with just the gateway.

**Right now the cable from the PC is going no where but everything works. I am confused about that.
The PC ethernet is not plugged into anything(used to go to gateway) so is the PC wireless and running off the router?

The following are far less important + only if you have the time and inclination I would appreciate your continued support.
I am asking the following so I do not make a mess before I use homegroups.
Are you supposed to use just libraries to share?
Are you supposed to click on homegroup to share?
Will just clicking on documents share?
Now that the homegroup is established, are all the documents in my 2 PCs going to sync or will only new/changed data be shared?
TY for all your help.

 

[ussnorway]

1st, congratulations!

Link Removed

• Routers generally have only one input plug and however many output ports so for example my tp-4300 has the input port colour coded blue and if you had this router you would plug your "gateway" into the blue plug to give the router access to the internet. The four (in my case) yellow plugs are all outgoing and it doesn't matter which of these I use for my network as they all provide the same interface. However if you somehow plugged one end of a network cable into one yellow plug and the other end of that same cable into one of the other yellow plugs then that’s called a "loop bomb" and it's only a matter of time before your network stops working entirely because Windows can't understand this type of illogical loop… a VERY bad idea to do this just so we are clear!

• Windows Libraries are designed as easy storage markers for people that want the files spread out across different locations, for example Windows puts the pictures folder into the c: user drive but some people have small ssd and want their files on a separate hdd… by using the library these people can have all their images under the one pictures icon even thou they are in multiple areas.

• Yes you can share just one document but its better to share the folder that the document sits inside of because otherwise that folder may not allow someone else to access it even thou once inside they could open the doc itself.

Windows shares have so many rules that no two systems look the same… it boils down to, you can set any (non-system) document (you own or have rights to use) as a share and in most cases Windows will make a temporary COPY of that file when someone tries to open it then it will either allow them to change the original file copy after editing or (more often) just save a new copy of the file with a slightly different name so that the original isn't corrupted.

• Homegroups are a separate area that we could spend weeks covering, the two basic points are Windows allows ownership rights to transfer across a homegroup and doesn't normally allow editing of the desktop area over a network unless that desktop is shared to a homegroup so;

1. Music files within a homegroup share can be viewed/ played from another device (phone/ tablet or computer) without having to purchase another "copy" of that song from itunes or whatever distributor sold the song to you.
2. I can place a word document on my daughters desktop for her to open because she is a member of my main homegroup and I allow BOTH machines access rights to each other… a normal share would allow her access to a folder someplace but not the desktop itself.

 

[Peterr]

I truly appreciate all of the work you have done in your reply. I will be studying it all so it will sink in. So, TY for that.

I don't want to over do this but if you could please look at the beginning of my last post. Basically, before the router,I had an Ethernet cable that went to my gateway port #1 FROM my PC. That cable is hanging out of the PC and not connected to anything now.
From your advisement I will not plug it in to anything but wonder how the PC is involved if that cable is no longer functional.
There are no ethernet or ISP cables going to the PC so how is it functioning on the web? Is it wireless and getting signals from the router? I do not understand how it is involved without any cables.
TY once again

 

[ussnorway]

It's just a guess but I assume wifi transmitter... some motherboards come with one to run the wireless mouse/ keyboard

 

[Peterr]

I lost connectivity with my own router with all this moving so I am back to the gateway without my router. I will work today to reinstall my router. i guess I will never know why I got homegroup when ethernet went to PC from lower port(wired) on router and without it, no homegroup. Back to flash drives. Darn, hate to quit unsolved.
You gave it a good try so TY for that.