Last year I did some testing with three computers linked through a Switch and Ethernet CAT6 cables. I didn't have much luck with Homegroups and was constantly asked to return to a Home Network and kept getting cut off. I managed to connect three computers through Workgroup with fewer problems.
Is Workgroup a more reliable setup compared to Homegroup?
Yes. Problems like yours with Homegroup led Microsoft to retire Homegroups and remove it from Windows 10 starting with version 1803. So Workgroup is the only sharing you should be using now.
Share Files and Folders Over a Network in Windows 10 | TutorialsStarting with Windows 10 version 1803, some features of file sharing over a network have changed, including the removal of HomeGroup.
Homegroup was just Microsoft's thinking that they could make networking safer and easier, which it did not. It ended up causing issues if you lost a computer that was holding a lease to the Home Group, then you could not reconnect it. Workgroup is taking a Domain style of networking and making it work without a Domain Controller, by using the SaMBa Maser Controller on any device on the network to handle how that device shares peripherals/files/folders.
Sharing a File, Folder or Peripheral in a workgroup is way easier. You just right click on the file, folder, peripheral and choose "Sharing", then choose to share and if you wish to password protect it, you can also do it that way. When you use the File/Sharing options in Network in the Control Panel, the advanced options are a one stop setup in making the Public folders and devices available on the network or not, and if you wish your personal folders available for sharing on the network.
Thanks for both your feedback. I experimented with this last year so my memory isn't fresh on this at all but I found some notes on setting up a Workgroup for Windows 7 - I don't know if this still applies to Windows 10?
1. In services.msc set all Homegroup & Peer settings to 'Automatic' & 'Running'.
2. In gpedit.msc set all unidentified and identifying networks to 'Private'.
3. To change folders which are accessed on your network you may have to go into shared folders in Computer Management (...Shared Folders > Shares) and change the path from e.g. C:\Users to C:\Users\Public in order to share only your publically available folders and not your private folders and data.
4. Map all network drives on each computer that is using them.
Maybe there are clearer instructions than this as I should at least repeat the test again either between 2 or 3 Windows 10 or 7 computers... Also I don't know if you can create a network between Windows 10 and Windows 7 computers or is it better to just use the same operating system?
If for example you had a company of 5 people would you need a server set up + clients i.e. 1 Windows Server operating system + multiple Windows 10 or 7 operating systems?
There is no test. Homegroup no longer exists with Windows 10 and standard Network Workgroup now applies as it always has before Homegroup ever existed. If you have a business, you use a AD. If you have a personal LAN, you do not use a AD.
OK. I guess the notes here sum up this procedure:
Share Files and Folders Over a Network in Windows 10
Older and newer operating systems can work together on the same network. Windows 3.11 ( Windows for Workgroups, released in 1992) can work with Windows 10 on the same network, and I am sure it is being done somewhere. Newer operating systems have stricter security requirements and this can cause some issues but they are usually not that difficult to solve.
As for the the need for a domain: Much depends on the details of the situation. I believe the general guideline was that a workgroup should not be larger than 10 computers but that is only a guideline. If working with mostly centralized data or central control is needed then a domain might be a better option, even with only a few computers. If the computers are used more or less independently with little need for sharing then that number could be stretched somewhat. There are many factors to be considered. If company management does not have the experience to make this decision they would do well to seek professional (paid) advice. Getting this wrong can be expensive.
Thanks a lot for this feedback. I will digest it...
Now moving on to cloud computing options, if I wanted to work remotely with other partners based all over the world, would it be viable to set up a cloud based system so we could share documents, spreadsheets and even databases (and work on them at the same time) but have the facility to back up our data on a local hard drive every night or at set intervals. I thought something like Office 365 or Azure could do all this (and are there any limitations?) but please advise...
Google Documents works great, there are also other options out there like box.com As for Databases, you can run into issues if you both are working with it at the same time. You are best to use a cloud based SQL server.
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