Windows 7 / Networking

Joining a Homegroup

After you've created your homegroup, you're next chore is to join all your other Windows 7 PCs to that homegroup. Here's how:

  1. In the Network and Sharing Center, locate the Homegroup setting and click the Available to Join link. (Alternatively, click Start, type homegroup, and press Enter.) The Homegroup window appears.
  2. Click Join Now. The Join a Homegroup Wizard appears, and the first dialog box asks you to choose what you want to share.
  3. Activate the check box beside each type of file you want to share, and then click Next. The Create a Homegroup Wizard prompts your for the homegroup password.
  4. Type the password and then click Next. The wizard joins the computer to the homegroup.
  5. Click Finish. Windows 7 displays the Homegroup window, which I talk about later in this tutorial (see "Changing Homegroup Settings").
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In this tutorial:

  1. Setting a Small Network
  2. Setting Up a Peer-to-Peer Network
  3. Changing the Computer and Workgroup Name
  4. Connecting to a Wireless Network
  5. Working with Windows 7's Basic Network Tools and Tasks
  6. Accessing the Network and Sharing Center
  7. Setting Up a Homegroup
  8. Activating Homegroup Connections
  9. Creating a Homegroup
  10. Joining a Homegroup
  11. Accessing the Homegroup
  12. Changing Homegroup Settings
  13. Turning Off Homegroup Connections
  14. Viewing Network Computers and Devices
  15. Displaying a Network Map
  16. Viewing Network Status Details
  17. Customizing Your Network
  18. Managing Network Connections
  19. Opening the Network Connections Window
  20. Renaming a Network Connection
  21. Enabling Automatic IP Addressing
  22. Confirming That Windows 7 Is Configured for Dynamic IP Addressing
  23. Displaying the Computer's Current IP Address
  24. Setting Up a Static IP Address
  25. Displaying the Current DNS Addresses
  26. Specifying the Static IP Address
  27. Using a Network Connection to Wake Up a Sleeping Computer
  28. Disabling a Network Connection
  29. Managing Wireless Network Connections
  30. Opening the Manage Wireless Networks Window
  31. Creating an Ad Hoc Wireless Network
  32. Working with Wireless Connection Properties
  33. Modifying Connection Properties
  34. Modifying Security Properties
  35. Renaming Wireless Connections
  36. Reordering Wireless Connections
  37. Creating User-Specific Wireless Connections
  38. Removing Wireless Connections