HomeGroup has been removed from Windows 10 (Version 1803). However, even though it has been removed, you can still share printers and files by using features that are built into Windows 10. To learn how to share printers in Windows 10, see Share your network printer.
To share files using the Share feature on Windows 10, use these steps:
- Open File Explorer.
- Browse to the folder location with the files.
- Select the files.
- Click on the Share tab.
- Click the Share button.
- Select the app, contact, or nearby sharing device.
- Continue with the on-screen directions to share the content.
Workgroups are similar to Homegroups in that they are how Windows organizes resources and allows access to each on an internal network. Windows 10 creates a Workgroup by default when installed, but occasionally you may need to change it. A Workgroup can share files, network storage, printers and any connected resource.
What is a Workgroup? The workgroup is a collection of computers that are part of the same network. All the computers are peers and do not have control over another computer. The workgroup facilitates the detection of the computers that are part of it and the sharing of resources like folders or printers.
Besides Full Control, Change, and Read that can be set for groups or individually, NTFS offer a few more permission options: Full control: Allows users to read, write, change, and delete files and subfolders. In addition, users can change permissions settings for all files and subdirectories.
Network users can join two or more homegroups at a time.
How to Connect a PC to a Server
- Open File Explorer and select This PC.
- Select Map network drive in the toolbar.
- Select the Drive drop-down menu and choose a letter to assign to the server.
- Fill in the Folder field with the IP address or hostname of the server you want to access.
Use the Windows network setup wizard to add computers and devices to the network.
- In Windows, right-click the network connection icon in the system tray.
- Click Open Network and Internet Settings.
- In the network status page, scroll down and click Network and Sharing Center.
- Click Set up a new connection or network.
How to create a HomeGroup on Windows 10
- Open the Start menu, do a search for HomeGroup and press Enter.
- Click Create a homegroup.
- On the wizard, click Next.
- Choose what to share on the network.
- Once you've decided what content to share, click Next.
The Windows Firewall is designed to block unnecessary traffic to and from your PC. If network discovery is enabled, but you still can't see other computers on a network, you may need to whitelist File and Printer Sharing in your firewall rules. To do this, right-click the Windows Start menu and press Settings.
Use the Windows network setup wizard to add computers and devices to the network.
- In Windows, right-click the network connection icon in the system tray.
- Click Open Network and Internet Settings.
- In the network status page, scroll down and click Network and Sharing Center.
- Click Set up a new connection or network.
All you have to do is follow these five steps.
- Connect your router. The router is the gateway between the Internet and your home network.
- Access the router's interface and lock it down.
- Configure security and IP addressing.
- Set up sharing and control.
- Set up user accounts.
10 Ways to Share Files between Two Computers
- Windows HomeGroup.
- USB Drive or External Hard Drive.
- Use a Special Transfer Cable.
- Sync via Cloud Services like Dropbox or Google Drive.
- Share Folders and Drives Locally.
- Using AnySend.
Follow the steps below to add a network printer in Windows 10.
- Open the Windows Start menu.
- Then click to Settings.
- Then click on Devices.
- Next, select Printers & Scanners.
- Then click Add a Printer.
- Click “The printer that I want isn't listed.†Once you select this, the “Add Printer†screen will pop up.
Setting Permissions
- Access the Properties dialog box.
- Select the Security tab.
- Click Edit.
- In the Group or user name section, select the user(s) you wish to set permissions for.
- In the Permissions section, use the checkboxes to select the appropriate permission level.
- Click Apply.
- Click Okay.
File sharing over a network in Windows 10
- Right-click or press a file, select Give access to > Specific people.
- Select a file, select the Share tab at the top of File Explorer, and then in the Share with section select Specific people.
In order to access other computers on a network, your own Windows 10 system must also be visible on the network. Open File Explorer.
Enable network discovery
- Click Change advanced sharing settings in the column on the left.
- Under 'Network discovery', enable 'Turn on Network discovery'.
- Click Save Changes at the bottom.
Here are five Windows 10 Homegroup alternatives:
- Use a peer to peer workgroup network with public file sharing and permission.
- Use a transfer cable.
- Use an external hard drive or USB drive.
- Use Bluetooth.
- Use web transfers or cloud storage.
You can still share files and printers easily. Naturally, when Microsoft makes changes, there are always complainers. HomeGroup, however, is being removed because it's useless in today's world and file and print sharing are simple to do at any skill level.
View display settings in Windows 10
- Select Start > Settings > System > Display.
- If you want to change the size of your text and apps, choose an option from the drop-down menu under Scale and layout.
- To change your screen resolution, use the drop-down menu under Display resolution.
Once a system was configured with the homegroup-shared password, it would then have access to all of those shared resources across the network. Windows work groups are designed for small organizations or small groups of people that need to share information. Each computer can be added to a workgroup.
The Windows 10 HomeGroups feature lets you easily share your music, pictures, documents, videos libraries, and printers with other Windows computers on your home network. Any computer running Windows 7 or later can join a HomeGroup.
Windows 10 SettingsWindows 10's networking configuration is so complex that it's actually distributed between two different settings locations. You can go to Windows 10 Settings for a number of configuration options, while you'll need to go to the old-school Control Panel for others.
