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Author Topic: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup  (Read 18114 times)

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brianb22

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Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
« on: December 07, 2011, 10:12:38 PM »
i just built my pc not too long ago and created a new homegroup on it.  just received my new laptop today and want to connect to that homegroup to share files.  thing is when i go to join it's not on there.  when i first turned on my laptop it created a group for that computer so i erased that one.  then i erased the one on my pc and created a new one.  checked my laptop again and it's still not showing up.  i googled it and found some other things to check.  network discovery is turned on, The Peer Networking Grouping and HomeGroup Provider services are both running, etc.  i have different versions of 7 on each computer but from what i've read that doesn't matter. 

bacon buttie



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Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2011, 10:21:47 PM »
Have a look here  http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/homegroup-from-start-to-finish 
Should clear up a few things for you.

BB ;)
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brianb22

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Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2011, 10:38:52 PM »
i'll check it out and see if it helps.  thanks

brianb22

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Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2011, 02:04:57 PM »
Doesn't help.  I know how to create a homegroup and where to look for it.  I've created one on my PC.  I go into network center and the homegroup section on my laptop and all it says is "create a homegroup".  There's nothing on there that says "join now".  This laptop is on my wireless network so it's communicating with that computer that way.  Thing is if I create a homegroup on my PC and am running 7 on both computers then it should be showing up.  It's not. 

Amacidia



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    Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
    « Reply #4 on: December 13, 2011, 11:49:23 PM »
    Hey Brianb22,

    By chance do you know what network profile you have loaded for your wifi connection?

    I know in the Network and Sharing Center/Advanced sharing settings you can enable settings such as Network Discovery etc.

    I know you mentioned you double checked these settings before, but are you sure you did so for the right network profile?

    Thanks

    brianb22

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    Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
    « Reply #5 on: December 15, 2011, 11:02:01 PM »
    I wasn't aware there was different profiles.  I just assumed when I hooked up my wireless router there would be one profile created and that unless I created another one myself that would stay the only one.  Where exactly would it say if there was more than one profile? 

    jason2074



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    Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
    « Reply #6 on: December 15, 2011, 11:21:45 PM »
    Network profile simply refers to previously or regularly connected wireless connections which then will be saved on computer under Network Connections.

    brianb22

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    Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
    « Reply #7 on: December 15, 2011, 11:33:33 PM »
    Ok.  Well I bought the router and hooked up to my PC.  Connected my old laptop to the router through wifi.  That laptop died.  Built new PC and hooked up to the same router.  Got a new laptop and hooked up to the same router.  Still can't find the homegroup that I created on PC on the laptop.  Have tried 10 different things with no results. 

    Amacidia



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      Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
      « Reply #8 on: December 16, 2011, 08:40:12 AM »
      Have you tried to test basic connectivity between all the hosts on your network? Try to PING all the computers on your network and see if they can communicate.

      Also, try the following on each of the computers on your network.

      1) Click start
      2) if XP/Vista click run
      3) type \\ComputerName and press enter

      See if it connects

      brianb22

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      Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
      « Reply #9 on: December 16, 2011, 01:47:48 PM »
      I haven't tried to PING the computers but I did check the IPv4 address like one site told me to and they are both the same.  If either wasn't on the network wouldn't they not be able to get on the internet? I should have tried PINGing before now and didn't think about it.  I'll give it a shot and see what happens.  Thanks
      « Last Edit: December 16, 2011, 02:08:24 PM by brianb22 »

      brianb22

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      Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
      « Reply #10 on: December 16, 2011, 02:19:50 PM »
      As I thought it PING perfectly.  What's next?  Also I did the \\ thing and both computers brought up the network folder.  PC had the shared User and printer icons.  The laptop had a shared User icon as well but it was just folders on that computer and not anything on the PC. 

      brianb22

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      Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
      « Reply #11 on: December 16, 2011, 03:03:20 PM »
      It's starting to feel like the problem is how each computer communicates to the network and what settings are supposed to be the same.  One computer says it's connected to a homegroup on the network(PC, creator) and the other says there's no homegroups on the network(laptop).  Automatically that's saying to me that they aren't connecting to the network in the same way.  That's where I'm stumped.  They are both using the same router, both have the same first 3 numbers in the IvP4 address, both have network connectivity turned on, both have the same date and time, both running windows 7 and yet it still can't see the homegroup.  As I said two posts ago PING worked fine with optimal speeds.  That right there is proof there's a communication over the same network.  I really don't know what else to check. 

      Raven19528



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        Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
        « Reply #12 on: December 16, 2011, 04:14:34 PM »
        If you open up the command prompt and type ipconfig /all what does it say beside "Node Type" on both machines. You are looking for both to either be "peer-to-peer" or "hybrid", but if they aren't the same, then maybe that is what is causing the issue you are talking about.

        Also, just verifying that you did turn network discovery on.

        Have you tried manually adding them to the same WORKGROUP through the computer name, domain, and workgroup settings?
        "All things that are
        Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd" -Shakespeare

        brianb22

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        Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
        « Reply #13 on: December 16, 2011, 04:31:42 PM »
        Both are hybrid.  Yea I turned on the network discovery.  I wasn't aware you could manually add a computer to a homegroup.  The only things I've seen is that it's supposed to show the homegroup and there should be "join now" option.  Obviously there isn't.  How do you go about trying to add manually?  I don't know much about that but it seems like even if I added this computers IP address or whatever to the original homegroup that still doesn't help my laptop to recognize the homegroup on the network.  At least it doesn't seem like it would. 

        Raven19528



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          Re: Trying to connect my new laptop to my homegroup
          « Reply #14 on: December 16, 2011, 05:04:26 PM »
          When you open the Start Button, right-click on Computer and select Properties. A little ways down the window that pops up you should see a section called Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings.

          To the right of Computer Name you should see a Change Settings link. If you click that you should get another pop-up window titled System Properties. It should be on the Computer Name tab, but if not select the Computer Name tab. The bottom button should say "Change". Click it.

          You will then be able to see the workgroup or domain that you are connected to, as well as your computer name. Two things to verify here, make sure that the Computer name for both of your systems is different, and that the Workgroup for both of the systems is the same.

          Alternatively, you can use the Network ID button to utilize the built in wizard to help you create and connect to the the workgroup.
          "All things that are
          Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd" -Shakespeare