Windows Homegroup vs Network

Copy Network Shares, Not Homegroup

Homegroup shared libraries are really an aggregate of all Homegroup member's references to shared folders within the Homegroup network.

The folders and files shown under Homegroup are groupings of network shares. The same files that you can see under Homegroup will also be shown while viewing the Network's Workgroup. The Network Workgroup is where the same Homegroup source and other network source files need to be selected and copied from, while using Double Image.

Were you able to copy directly from Homegroup and the Network Workgroup then same files in both sources could be copied twice to the target. If permitted, it would be a waste of time and leave some confusion for others.

When Homegroup connections don’t work

This sub-topic outlines possible conditions that may cause Homegroup connections to fail and possible solutions to resolve the problems.

The network location might not be set to Home. A 'Homegroup' only works on home (private) networks.

To change your network location, follow these steps:

Solution:

Open Network and Sharing Center by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type network, and then click Network and Sharing Center.

Click Work network or Public network, and then click Home network.

Other computers in your Homegroup might not be available.

Solution:

Not connected physically or via wireless

left the Homegroup

turned off

sleeping or hibernating.

For information on changing power saving options, see a link at the Microsoft web site:

Change, create, or delete a power plan (scheme)

The computer on which the Homegroup was created might have been restarted and no one has logged on to it.

The 'Home group listener' and 'HomeGroup Provider' services are both required by Homegroup and need to start.

Note, these two services do not start until after user logon.

Solution:

Make sure someone logs on to the computer that initially created the Homegroup.

Here's how to check this

Open Administrative Tools by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type administrative tools, and then click Administrative Tools.

If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Double-click Services. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

In the Status column next to the 'Home group listener' and 'HomeGroup Provider' services, you should see the word "Started." If you don't see this, double-click the name of the service, and then click Start.

Network discovery is turned off.

Solution:

To turn on network discovery, follow these steps:

Open Advanced sharing settings by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type network, click Network and Sharing Center, and then in the left pane, click Change advanced sharing settings.

Click the chevron to expand the Home or Work network profile.

Click Turn on network discovery and then click Save changes. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

The local area network requires the IPv6 protocol

When running Windows 7, your PC will likely have defaults established when it was first setup for both IPv4 and IPv6 network protocols, and further when HomeGroup networking was added to a computer. If networking for your HomeGroup no longer functions as intended on your network, consider the following:

Solution:

The local area network requires the IPv6 protocol

Click "Start" and in the Search pane at the bottom, type "local area connection” (with quotation marks) and press Enter.

The LAN dialog will show, then click ‘Properties’

Select (check) Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) and close.

Temporarily disable fire wall and third party antivirus program on the computer for a test.

Verify relevant services

Click "Start" and in the Search pane at the bottom, type "services.msc" (without quotation marks) and press Enter

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.

Right click the "Peer Networking Grouping" service and choose Properties.

Check if the service is started; if not, please click the Start button and see if it works.

You may also choose Automatic next to Startup type; even though this normally sits at Manual – and is started by Windows when HomeGroup is working normally.

Click OK.

Repeat the above steps with another service: "PNRP Machine Name Publication" Service.

Modify IPv6 registry key to enable IPV6

Click Start, type regedit in Search Bar, and then click regedit in the Programs list.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue.

Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
SYSTEM
  CurrentControlSet
   services
    TCPIP6
     Parameters

Check whether the "DisabledComponents" registry key exists.

If the key doesn't exist, then while the Parameters key is selected on the left, create "DisabledComponents" on the right pane; then assign "DisabledComponents" the value 0 (zero).

If the key already exists, then while the Parameters key is selected on the left, assign "DisabledComponents" the value 0 (zero).

Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.

Turn your fire wall back on.

Do the above steps on EACH computer that is going to be in the HomeGroup.

It is necessary to follow this procedure with each computer that is going to be in the HomeGroup.

Once the first computer is set up, then turn the other one on and wait a few minutes until the computer you are working on shows the previous computer user's HomeGroup shares. Continue doing the same with the remainder of your computers.