unable to connect new laptop with windows 7 to xp network

**mikev101** · 27-12-2009

I have a home network. The main computer has windows xp. the linksys router and printer is connected to the windows xp machine. I have an Imac and laptop with windows vista. Both the Imac and vista machines can see the network, access the shared folders, access the internet and print to the printer.

I just received a new latop with windows 7. The windows 7 laptop can see the home network and access the internet, but I cannot get the windows 7 laptop to see the printer or any shared folders. Is this even possible? If so, how would I configure the windows 7 machine to access the printer and shared files from the windows xp machine?

thank you

-Mike

**Raiz** · 27-12-2009

See the following similar issue threads:

Cannot Network Windows 7 with Windows XP
Windows 7 and XP networking
How to share files from Win XP to Windows 7

**Steve123** · 27-12-2009

First make sure both machines are members of the same work group which by default is named Work group then go to the Windows 7 machine and go into Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Network and Sharing Center then click on Change advanced sharing settings. Then you will verify the following settings under Advanced Sharing Settings for the Home or Work and Public profile. If you want any user to have access the public shares turn off password protection. This is located in Advanced Sharing Settings toward the bottom of the list. If you want to keep it enabled make sure there is a log in account for the other XP machines and they have a password.Now if you go into Network in Windows 7 you can see your XP machine and the Windows 7 . Then to share the printer on the Windows 7 machine go into Devices and Printers from the Start menu and double click on the printer icon. then double click on “Customize your printer”. In the Properties screen click on the Sharing Tab and check the box to share the printer and type in its share name. If your XP machine is an x86 OS you can install Additional Drivers before setting up the XP machine. To find the shared folders and devices double click on the Windows 7 machine icon under Network. Here you can see the printer connected to my Windows 7 machine is shared and also the Users Folder.
Continue into the Users folder and Public to see the shared folders, here I also created a folder called XP Share just to keep everything in central location. Over on your XP machine open up My Network Places to find the Windows 7. Double click on the Share folder to find a list of shared folders in the Public folder on Windows 7. If you have password protection enabled you will need to type in the username and password of the user account on the Windows 7 machine first. To set up the shared printer in XP you will need to go into Printers and Faxes from the Start menu and kick off the Add Printer Wizard. Now select “A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer” then hit Next. Then select “Connect to this printer…” and type in the path for the printer connected to the Windows 7 machine and click next. Now click Yes to the confirmation message. Then click Finish the printer to install and complete the Wizard.