8. Manage network and storage resources
In this chapter
In the early days of Microsoft, Bill Gates envisioned a future with “a computer on every desk and in every home.” Today, the business world couldn’t function without computers, and terms such as “information worker” are commonly used to describe people who spend most of the day working on computers. Computers make it possible for an increasing number of people to successfully run small businesses with large presences, to maximize productivity by working from home, to have learning resources at their fingertips (literally), and to stay connected to information all the time, from any location.
As more apps and resources become available as online services, an internet connection is increasingly important to the computing experience. Your computer connects to the internet through a network that provides and safeguards the connection. Windows 10 uses network connection security profiles to govern the way your computer interacts with other computers and devices on the network. On a local network, you can connect directly to other computers or manage the connection through a homegroup—a password-protected security group that defines the sharing of specific information and devices with other homegroup member computers.
This chapter guides you through procedures related to managing network connections, managing homegroup connections, and sharing files on your network.
Manage network connections
A network is a group of computers that communicate with each other through a wired or wireless connection. A network can be as small as two computers or as large as the internet. In the context of this book, the term network refers primarily to the connection between computers in one physical location that are connected to each other, and to the internet, through a network router.
IMPORTANT This chapter assumes that you are connecting to an existing, functioning network. This chapter does not include instructions for setting up or configuring networking hardware. When setting up a network infrastructure, be sure to follow the instructions provided by the hardware manufacturer.
Connect to a network
If your computer is a desktop computer, you’ll probably connect it to only one network: your home or office network. However, you might connect a laptop or mobile device to networks in many locations for the purpose of connecting to the internet: at home, at work, at a friend’s or relative’s house, at a public library, at a coffee shop—some highway rest areas even offer free internet access! You can’t connect a device directly to the internet, so wherever you want to connect to the internet, you will first need to connect to a network.
Connecting your computer to a network requires two things:
Your computer must have an active network adapter. This is usually in the form of a network interface card that is part of the internal workings of the computer, but you can purchase external network adapters that connect to a USB port on your computer. A network adapter can be for a wired network or a wireless network. Many laptops and desktop computers have both. If a computer has a wired network adapter, it has an external Ethernet port that the cable connector fits into. This looks a bit like a wide telephone cable port.
The environment you’re in must have a network. This could be a wired network that you connect to directly or through a switch box, a wireless network that you connect to through a router, or a wireless network connection that you share from a phone or other device that connects to a cellular network.
If your computer has an enabled network adapter, whether or not it is actively connected to a network, a connection icon appears in the notification area at the right end of the Windows Taskbar. The connection icon indicates whether your network adapter is an Ethernet adapter or a wireless adapter and whether it is currently connected to a network.
The white arcs on the wireless connection icon indicate the strength of the wireless network signal that the computer is currently connected to. When the computer is configured for a connection but not connected to a network, different versions of the basic network connection icon indicate the network status, as follows:
A white starburst indicates that a connection is available.
A white X on a red background indicates that no network is available.
Selecting the network connection icon displays information about the current network connection status and any available wired networks, VPN connections, wireless networks, and Wi-Fi Direct devices.
Each network connection has a name; it might be a generic name provided by the network router or a specific name assigned by the network owner. The icon to the left of the network name indicates the connection type and, for wireless connections, the signal strength. The word or words below the network name provide additional information about the network.
Right-clicking the connection icon in the notification area displays a shortcut menu of commands that you can use to diagnose network connection problems and display the Network & Internet settings page.
When you physically connect your computer to a network by using an Ethernet cable, Windows 10 automatically creates the network connection. To connect to a wireless network for the first time, you need to make the connection.
The purpose of connecting a computer to a network is usually to connect beyond the network to the internet, but it might also be to access devices (such as printers) or information (such as files) on other computers that are connected to the same network. On a computer running Windows 10, connecting a computer to a network doesn’t automatically allow users to access folders on other computers on the network. If you want to do so, you must first turn on network discovery. The network discovery feature enables the computer to “see and be seen by” other computers on the network that also have this feature turned on. Simply turning on network discovery doesn’t automatically expose the information stored on your computer to other computers. You configure the sharing of specific folders individually on each computer. This helps to ensure that you don’t accidentally share information that you don’t want to.
SEE ALSO For information about sharing individual folders and Public folders, see “Share files on your network” later in this chapter.
To connect to an available wired network
Plug one end of an Ethernet cable into the port on the network router or a switch box that is connected to the router.
Plug the other end of the cable into the Ethernet port on your computer.
To connect to an available wireless network
In the notification area of the taskbar, select the wireless connection icon to display a list of available connections.
In the connection list, select the network you want to connect to, to display the connection options.
If you want the computer to automatically connect to this network when it’s available, select the Connect automatically check box.
TIP Automatic connection is appropriate when you are connecting to a home network or another network that you trust. It works less well when connecting to a public network that has a gateway access page. If your computer establishes a connection, it might appear that you have internet access when you don’t. And you might not realize that you don’t have a connection until you notice a dozen unsent messages in your email outbox.
Select Connect. If the network prompts you to enter credentials or a password (such as a WEP encryption key or WPA password), do so.
TIP Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), and Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) are security protocols that govern the credentials passed from a computer to a wireless network when establishing a connection. WPA2 is the most current of these.
To turn on network discovery
Open File Explorer.
In the Navigation pane, select the Network node. If network discovery is turned off, Windows displays an informative message. Select OK to dismiss the message window. The information remains visible on a banner below the ribbon, and the Network folder is empty.
Select the banner, and then select Turn on network discovery and file sharing to display the Network Discovery And File Sharing message box.
If your user account doesn’t have administrative permissions on the computer, a User Account Control window opens and requires the entry of administrative credentials. Do either of the following:
Enter the password for the displayed account, and then select Yes.
Select More choices, choose a different account, enter the password for that account, and then select Yes.
Because Windows 10 automatically designates new connections as Public networks, you must specify whether to permit network discovery on all Public networks.
IMPORTANT You almost certainly do NOT want to select the Yes option in this dialog box. Doing so would keep the network connection Public and allow computers on other Public network connections to gain access to your computer.
Unless you specifically want to allow computers on Public networks to connect to your computer, select No, make the network that I am connected to a private network to change the network connection type to Private, turn on network sharing, and display a list of the network resources you can now access.
To disconnect from a wired network
Remove the cable from the Ethernet port on your computer or from the network connection point.
Disable the network adapter.
SEE ALSO For information about disabling network adapters, see “Troubleshoot network connections” later in this topic.
To disconnect from a wireless network
In the notification area of the taskbar, select the wireless connection icon.
At the top of the list of network connections, select the network that is designated as Connected.
Select Disconnect.
TIP Unless you’re connecting to a wireless network that accesses the internet over a cellular network, moving out of range of the network broadcast will automatically disconnect you.
Display information about networks and connections
After you connect to a network, you can display information such as which computers, printers, and other devices are connected to it. In File Explorer, the Network window displays the devices on your network that the current Public or Private security profile settings allow the computer to detect, and the devices that support the network infrastructure, such as the network router.
TIP Your Network window will show the devices on your network rather than those shown in the images in this book.
From the Network window, you can access information and devices in different ways. For example:
The Computer section of the Network window displays other computers on the network. Double-click a computer to display the folders that are shared with you on that computer. Right-click a computer to display the shortcut menu, which has options for displaying content, creating shortcuts, or starting a Remote Desktop Connection session.
SEE ALSO For information about sharing files and folders on a network, see “Share files on your network” later in this chapter.
The Displays section shows network display devices that are available through a Miracast connection.
SEE ALSO For information about connecting to wireless displays, see “Display your desktop on multiple screens” in Chapter 7, “Manage peripheral devices.”
The Media Devices section displays media servers on the network. Double-click a device to display its default media interface, which might be Windows Media Player or a proprietary app for the operating system that is installed on the device.
The Network Infrastructure section displays wired and wireless routers on the network. Double-click a router to display its web management interface in your default web browser.
The Printers and Scanners sections display devices that support printing and scanning; if a device supports both, it appears in both sections. Double-click a device to display its web management interface, if it has one, in your default web browser.
Most of the device shortcut menus include options for displaying device webpages or properties. You can change the display of devices in the Network window from the View tab. In Details view, you can display properties such as the discovery method, MAC address, and IP address.
SEE ALSO For more information about working with File Explorer views, see “Change the File Explorer display options” in Chapter 5, “Explore files and folders.”
Information about your current network connection is available in the Status pane of the Network & Internet settings page.
Similar information is available in the Network And Sharing Center. Some settings can be accessed more directly from this window.
Beyond the general network connection information, you can also display useful information about the connection speed and data transfer to and from the computer from the status dialog box of each adapter. (The speed varies with the signal quality, but also depends on other factors.) Each connection is linked to a network adapter; the connection information is available from the adapter information.
If you’re interested in the details of your network activity, that information is available to you from the Data Usage and Usage Details panes. Windows 10 provides you with information about the amount of data transfer by connection type and by app in the past 30 days.
To display network device information in the Network window
Open File Explorer.
In the Navigation pane, select Network.
TIP If network discovery is off, an error message appears when you select Network. For information about this, see “Connect to a network” earlier in this topic.
To display network connection information in Settings
Right-click the Start button and then on the Quick Links menu, select Network Connections.
Open the Settings window, select Network & Internet, and then select Status.
In the notification area of the taskbar, select the network icon, and then select Network & Internet settings.
In the notification area of the taskbar, right-click the network icon, and then select Open Network & Internet settings.
To display network connection information in the Network And Sharing Center
Display the Status pane of the Network & Internet settings page. Near the bottom of the pane, select Network and Sharing Center.
Open Control Panel in Category view. In the Network and Internet category, select View network status and tasks.
Open Control Panel in an Icons view, and then select Network and Sharing Center.
To display detailed information about the current network connection
Display the Status pane of the Network & Internet settings page. Near the bottom of the pane, select View your network properties.
To display network connection speed and data transfer information
Open the Network and Sharing Center.
In the View your active networks section, to the right of Connections, select the network adapter name.
To display data usage by app
In the Settings window, select Network & Internet.
Select Data usage to display the total amount of data transferred in the past 30 days, broken down by connection type.
In the Data usage pane, select View usage details to display the amount of data transferred by each app over the current type of connection.
On the Usage details page, to show app usage for a different connection type, select the Show usage from list, and then select Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
To display the status of all installed network adapters
Display the Status pane of the Network & Internet settings page. In the Change your network settings section, select Change adapter options.
Open the Network and Sharing Center. In the left pane, select Change adapter settings.
To display details of a specific network adapter
Open the Network Connections window.
Do one of the following:
Double-click the network adapter you want to display information for.
Select the network adapter to activate the toolbar buttons. Then, on the toolbar, select View status of this connection.
IMPORTANT If the Network Connections window isn’t wide enough to display all the buttons related to a selected adapter on the toolbar, chevrons (>>) appear at the right end of the toolbar. Select the chevrons to display the remaining commands.
Configure network connection security
Each time you connect your computer to a network that you haven’t previously connected to, Windows 10 associates the network connection with one of two security profiles, Private or Public, and then assigns the security settings configured for that profile to the network connection.
TIP Previous versions of Windows prompted you to designate whether the network was at work, at home, or in a public place for the purpose of configuring appropriate security settings for the environment. Windows 10 has only Private and Public network security profiles.
The network security profiles include the following settings:
Network discovery Determines whether the computer can see and be seen by other computers connected to the network.
File and printer sharing Determines whether network users can access folders and printers that you configure for sharing from the computer.
HomeGroup connections Determines whether user account credentials are necessary to connect to computers that are joined to your homegroup. Available only for the Private network security profile.
Public folder sharing Determines whether network users can access files that are stored in the Public account folders on your computer.
Media streaming Determines whether network users can access music, videos, and pictures that are stored in your media library.
File sharing connections Determines the security requirements for devices that connect to your computer’s file sharing connections.
Password protected sharing Determines whether shared files are available to any network user or only to those users with user accounts on your computer.
You can review and configure the settings for the individual security profiles and the security settings that apply to all network connections in the Advanced Sharing Settings window. The window has three sections of settings: Private, Guest Or Public, and All Networks. You can expand or hide each section separately.
The settings that are applied to all network connections are available in the All Networks section at the bottom of the window. These include settings for sharing Public folders, streaming media, protecting file-sharing connections, and specifying the type of credentials that are required to access the computer from another computer on the network.
The settings that are applied to Guest or Public networks are intended for the types of networks that you might connect to in a public place, such as an airport or coffee shop, only for the purpose of connecting your computer to the internet. You don’t have a need to access information on other computers that are connected to a Public network, and it isn’t a good idea to allow those other computers to access information on your computer. When you connect to any network that you don’t explicitly trust, configure the connection as a Public network to protect your privacy. The Public network profile connects your computer to the network without exposing it to other network users.
Windows 10 assumes that every network you connect to is Public until you tell it otherwise. Before you can access network resources you must either change the network connection type (from Public to Private) and turn on network discovery, or create a homegroup.
SEE ALSO For more information about homegroups, see “Manage homegroup connections” later in this chapter.
The settings that are applied to Private networks are intended for networks such as the network in your home or small business. If you connect computers and devices that only you use and control to the network and want to share information among the computers (for example, if you want to insert a picture stored on one computer into a document you’re creating on a different computer), the Private network security profile is the one for you.
If you share your network credentials with people who visit your home so that they can connect their laptops or other devices to the internet through your network, be aware that assigning the Private network security profile to a computer will expose any information you choose to share from that computer with anyone you provide the network credentials to, should they choose to look for it.
SEE ALSO For more information about sharing network resources with other people, see the sidebar “Wireless network security” later in this topic.
The Private network security profile connects your computer to the network and configures the network profile to include network discovery, file and printer sharing, Public folder sharing, media streaming, and password-protected sharing. Your computer is visible to other computers and devices on the network. You don’t necessarily have permission to access these computers or devices, but you know they’re connected to the network, and other network members know that your computer is also connected.
TIP If you’re running Windows 10 on a computer in an enterprise environment, the computer and its network settings are likely managed by the IT department, and you won’t have to concern yourself with these settings. You’re more likely to encounter this situation when connecting a laptop or mobile device to a network, or if you have multiple computers on a home network.
You can change the settings for the Private security profile, the Public security profile, or all networks. When you do so, Windows automatically applies the new settings to all network connections.
Network discovery is controlled by the network security profile—it is off for Public networks and on for Private networks. You can change the security profile for a specific network that you’re connected to. For example, if you connect to a wireless network at a friend’s house and want to allow your friend to copy files from your computer over the network, you can change the network connection from Public to Private. (And when you finish, you can change it back so that the next time you connect to the network, your shared folders are protected.)
To open the Advanced Sharing Settings window
Open the Network and Sharing Center.
In the left pane, select Change advanced sharing settings.
Or
Display the Network & Internet settings page, and then select the connection type (either Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
In the Related settings section of the pane, select Change advanced sharing options.
To identify the security profile assigned to the current connection
Open the Advanced Sharing Settings window.
Review the three security profile headings. The phrase current profile appears in parentheses after the name of the active security profile.
To display or hide settings for a specific security profile
Select the circled v or ^ at the right end of the security profile heading.
To modify the settings for a network security profile
Open the Advanced sharing settings window.
Expand the security profile that you want to change.
Make your changes and then, at the bottom of the window, select Save changes. If you’re signed in with a standard user account, Windows prompts you to provide administrative credentials.
If the User Account Control dialog box opens, select an administrative user account and enter its password, or have the person who owns the account do it for you.
To change the security profile assigned to a network connection
Display the Network & Internet settings page.
Display the settings pane that applies to the adapter you want to configure (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and then at the top of the pane, select the specific connection to display its information.
In the Network profile section of the adapter page, select Public to hide the computer from other network devices, or Private to make the computer discoverable.
TIP Computers running Windows 10 can easily coexist on a network with computers running earlier versions of Windows. Other computers and devices on the network do not affect the available network security profiles or their settings. However, network security profiles and homegroups aren’t available on a computer running a version of Windows earlier than Windows 7.
Troubleshoot network connections
A network of any size includes several components that affect the network connection. Your network might include one or more wired routers, wireless routers, hubs, or switches. These hardware devices, the cables that connect them, and the external connection to your internet service provider (ISP) can all develop problems or entirely quit functioning. A large organization usually has one or more network technicians (if not an entire IT department) who maintain the organization’s hardware and keep the internal and external network connections running smoothly. In a small to medium organization, or in a household, it helps if you know enough about your network to be able to function as your own network technician. This book provides information specifically about managing the network connections on a Windows 10 computer.
As mentioned earlier in this topic, the network adapter is the hardware on your computer’s end of a network connection. A computer typically has one or two network adapters. You can monitor and manage network adapters and their current connections from the Network Connections window of Control Panel. This window displays connectivity information for each network adapter and for each dial-up or virtual private network (VPN) connection on your computer. A red X on an adapter icon indicates that the adapter is disabled or disconnected.
When you experience a network or internet connection problem, first determine whether the problem occurs only on your computer, or also on other computers on your network. You can frequently resolve connection issues by taking one of these simple actions:
If the problem occurs on only one computer, reset the network adapter or restart the computer.
If computers can connect to the network but not to the internet, restart the router that connects your network to your ISP.
When you experience a connection problem beyond these simple issues, either when connecting to the internet or when connecting to another computer on your network, you can use one of the handy troubleshooting tools included with Windows 10. These troubleshooting tools (referred to as Troubleshooters) can help you identify and resolve problems. Individual troubleshooters are available from the relevant settings panes. The entire collection of Troubleshooters (for Programs, Hardware and Sound, Network and Internet, and System and Security) is available from Control Panel.
IMPORTANT The following procedures require administrative permission.
To disable a network adapter
Open the Network Connections window.
Select the adapter you want to disable.
On the toolbar, select Disable this network device. The icon and words that represent the disabled adapter change from color to gray, and the word Disabled appears below the adapter name.
To enable a network adapter
In the Network Connections window, select the adapter you want to enable.
On the toolbar, select Enable this network device. The icon and words that represent the disabled adapter change from gray to color. If the adapter is configured to automatically connect to a network, it does so.
To reset a network adapter
In the Network Connections window, disable the adapter.
After the process of disabling the adapter completes, enable the adapter.
To display network troubleshooting tools
In the Settings window, select Update & Security, and then select Troubleshoot.
To run a Troubleshooter
In the Troubleshoot settings pane, select the Troubleshooter you want to run, and then select Run the Troubleshooter. The Troubleshooter starts, scans your system, and then leads you through a diagnostic process.
If the Troubleshooter finds an issue, it prompts you to apply or skip the recommended fix. When the troubleshooter completes, it reports its progress.
If the Troubleshooter doesn’t identify any specific issues, it offers you the option to explore additional options.
Select Close the troubleshooter to quit the process, View detailed information to display more information about the applied fix, or Explore additional options to display a list of pertinent resources.
Manage homegroup connections
When your computer is connected to a Private network, network computer users can connect to resources on other computers either through the network or through a homegroup. You can think of a homegroup as a private network that allows secure access to specific resources, such as files that are stored on the computers that are joined to it. Only one homegroup can exist on a local network; it exists as long as it has at least one member. (If your environment has multiple networks, each can have one homegroup.) The homegroup doesn’t have a name, a designated administrator, or a management interface.
TIP Homegroups were introduced in Windows 7 and are not accessible to computers running earlier versions of Windows or a non-Windows operating system.
When a homegroup exists on a Private network, other computers on that network can join the homegroup. The only information you need to join the homegroup is the homegroup password, which Windows generates randomly when the homegroup is created. If the homegroup password isn’t readily available, it’s quite simple to locate.
The randomly generated homegroup passwords aren’t easy to remember. If you want to, you can change the password. It’s best to do so immediately after you create the homegroup because changing the password disconnects any computers that joined by using the original password. Alternatively, you can have Windows validate your identity when joining multiple computers to the homegroup by using your user account credentials.
You can create and manage homegroup connections from two separate places:
The HomeGroup window of Control Panel, which displays commands as links
The Homegroup node in File Explorer, which displays commands on a ribbon and sends you to Control Panel to manage homegroup settings
You can create or join a computer to a homegroup when you are signed in with a Standard or Administrator user account. When you start the process of connecting a computer to a homegroup, Windows 10 tells you whether a homegroup already exists on the network.
Homegroup membership is on a per-computer basis, not a per-user basis. (In other words, the computer joins the homegroup, not the user.) When any user of a computer that has multiple user accounts joins the computer to a homegroup, the computer is joined to the homegroup on behalf of all its users. However, each user has control over the resources that he or she shares with other homegroup members. By default, all libraries other than the Documents library are selected for sharing.
SEE ALSO For information about libraries, see “Understand files, folders, and libraries” in Chapter 5, “Explore files and folders.” For information about changing the resources shared with your homegroup, see “Share files on your network” later in this chapter.
On a multiple-user computer, if another user joins your computer to a homegroup, it doesn’t share any of your user account folders. You can specify your homegroup resource sharing settings at any time from either homegroup window. When another user has shared the computer, a message appears in the homegroup window. Each user sets individual sharing settings.
The only resource sharing setting that is common to all user accounts of a homegroup member computer is the Printers & Devices setting, which controls access to the Devices And Printers folder. When any user shares or excludes this folder from the shared homegroup resources, the printer is shared or excluded on behalf of the computer rather than the user.
If at any time you decide that you no longer want to share resources with other homegroup members, you can remove your computer from the homegroup with no adverse effects. It is not necessary to disconnect from the network. If you have any problems with the homegroup, Windows 10 has a built-in troubleshooting tool that can help you to diagnose and fix homegroup problems.
SEE ALSO For more information about Troubleshooters, see “Troubleshoot network connections” earlier in this chapter.
To open the Homegroup window in File Explorer
In the Navigation pane of File Explorer, select the Homegroup node. If a homegroup already exists on the network, the window contains a Join Now button. If no homegroup exists, the window contains a Create A Homegroup button.
To open the HomeGroup window of Control Panel
In Category view of Control Panel, under Network and Internet, select Choose homegroup and sharing options.
In Large Icons view or Small Icons view of Control Panel, select HomeGroup.
In File Explorer, right-click the Homegroup node, and then select Change HomeGroup settings.
In File Explorer, open the Homegroup window. Then on the HomeGroup tab, select Change homegroup settings.
If a homegroup already exists on the network, the window contains a Join Now button. If no homegroup exists, the window contains a Create A Homegroup button.
To create a homegroup
Open the HomeGroup window of Control Panel or the Homegroup window in File Explorer.
Select Create a homegroup to start the Create a Homegroup wizard. On the first page of the wizard, select Next.
On the Share with other homegroup members page of the wizard, do the following for each folder or library:
To share the resource, select Shared in the adjacent Permissions list.
To keep the resource private, select Not shared in the adjacent Permissions list.
SEE ALSO For information about changing the resources you’ve shared through a homegroup, see “Share files on your network” later in this chapter.
Select Next to create the homegroup and display the homegroup password.
If you want to print the password, do the following:
On the Use this password to add other computers to your homegroup page of the wizard, select Print password and instructions.
On the View and print your homegroup password page of the wizard, select Print this page.
In the Print dialog box, select a printer, and then select Print.
If you don’t want to print the password, manually record it in a convenient location (write it down or save a screen clipping in Microsoft OneNote).
Select Finish to display your homegroup sharing settings and options for working with the homegroup.
To display the password for an existing homegroup
Sign in to any computer that is joined to the homegroup, and then do any of the following:
Open the HomeGroup window of Control Panel, and then select View or print the homegroup password.
In File Explorer, right-click the Homegroup node, and then select View the HomeGroup password.
In File Explorer, display the Homegroup node. Then on the HomeGroup tab, select View password.
TIP If you don’t have an account on another network computer, you might have to ask another person to sign in to a computer that is connected to the homegroup and retrieve the password for you.
To change a homegroup password
Make sure that any computer that has already joined the homegroup is active (turned on and not asleep).
Display the HomeGroup window of Control Panel. In the Other homegroup actions section, select Change the password to start the Change your Homegroup Password wizard. If you’re logged in as a Standard user, provide the credentials of an Administrator account when prompted to do so.
TIP You can’t change the password from the Homegroup window in File Explorer.
On the Changing the homegroup password will disconnect everyone page of the wizard, read and heed the warning. Then when you’ve prepared the homegroup-joined computers, select Change the password.
On the Type a new password for your homegroup page of the wizard, do one of the following, and then select Next:
Accept the new randomly generated password.
Select the Refresh button (labeled with circling arrows) to generate a new random password.
Enter the password that you want to use.
If necessary, record the new password somewhere. Then on the Your homegroup password was successfully changed page of the wizard, select Finish.
To discard the password requirement for a homegroup
Open the Network and Sharing Center.
In the left pane, select Change advanced sharing settings.
In the Advanced sharing settings window, expand the Private security profile.
In the HomeGroup connections section of the profile, select Use user accounts and passwords to connect to other computers.
Select Save changes, and then sign out of Windows to apply your changes to the homegroup.
To join a computer to an existing homegroup
If you haven’t already joined a computer to the homegroup when logged in with the current user account, obtain the homegroup password.
TIP The homegroup doesn’t require an existing user to enter the password when joining additional computers to the homegroup.
Do either of the following:
Open the HomeGroup window of Control Panel.
Open the Homegroup window in File Explorer.
Select Join now to start the Join a Homegroup wizard. On the first page of the wizard, select Next.
On the Share with other homegroup members page, designate each folder or library as Shared or Not shared, and then select Next.
SEE ALSO For information about changing the resources you’ve shared through a homegroup, see “Share files on your network” later in this chapter.
If the wizard displays the Type the homegroup password page, enter the password you obtained in step 1, and then select Next.
On the You have joined the homegroup page of the wizard, select Finish.
To connect to homegroup resources
In the Navigation pane of File Explorer, expand the Homegroup node to display the user accounts that have shared resources through the homegroup.
Expand each user account to display the computers or devices the user has shared resources from.
Expand each computer or device to display the specific shared folders, libraries, and devices. Devices that are offline or sleeping aren’t shown.
Select any user account, device, or shared item to display its contents in File Explorer.
To disconnect all other computers from a homegroup
Change the homegroup password.
To reconnect computers to a homegroup after changing the password
On each computer, display the HomeGroup window of Control Panel.
Select Type new password to start the Update Your Homegroup Password wizard.
Enter the new password, select Next, and then select Finish.
To remove a computer from a homegroup
Display the HomeGroup window of Control Panel.
Select Leave the homegroup to start the Leave The Homegroup wizard.
On the first page of the wizard, select Leave the homegroup.
When the wizard confirms that the computer has successfully been removed from the homegroup, select Finish.
TIP Changing the network security profile for a connection from Private to Public also removes a computer from a homegroup. If you use this method and then later change the connection type back to Private, your computer will automatically rejoin the homegroup.
To delete a homegroup
Remove each member computer from the homegroup.
To run the HomeGroup troubleshooter
Open the HomeGroup window of Control Panel and then, in the Other homegroup actions section, select Start the HomeGroup troubleshooter.
In File Explorer, right-click the Homegroup node, and then select Start the HomeGroup troubleshooter.
In File Explorer, open the Homegroup window. Then on the HomeGroup tab, select Start troubleshooter.
Share files on your network
If you have more than one computer in your organization, you might find it convenient to share files and file storage locations with other people on your network. And if you have more than one computer in your household, you might want to share resources with family members, whether or not your computer is joined to a homegroup. For example, you might:
Share project-related files with specific team members.
From your laptop, work on a file that is stored on your desktop computer.
Share household management documents with your family members.
Collect all your family photos in one place by having all your family members save their digital photos to a shared external hard drive.
Change the computer name
When your computer was initially set up by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) it was assigned a default name, probably based on its make or model. The name might be one that helps you to identify the computer, such as ACER or DELL, or something less obvious such as FVPAD89. When network discovery is turned on, the computer name is displayed in the Network node of File Explorer and to other network users.
The name isn’t really important, as long as it is unique within your local network. However, you might want to assign a name that makes it easier for you and other network users to identify it—such as OfficePC, GuestLaptop, or GamingPC—or that follows a themed naming convention you have for your network—such as Hibiscus, Plumeria, and Sunset on a network named Paradise.
IMPORTANT You must be signed in with an Administrator account to rename your computer.
To rename your computer, follow these steps:
In the Settings window, select System, and then About. The About pane displays your current computer name, operating system version and product ID, and hardware information.
In the About pane, below your current computer name, select Rename this PC to open the Rename Your PC dialog box.
In the input box below your current computer name, enter the new name. The name can include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers (0-9), and hyphens, but no other symbols. Then select Next.
IMPORTANT Selecting Next commits you to the selected name. You can’t change the name again until after you restart the computer.
After a short process, the dialog box displays a restart notice. You can restart the computer now or later; the name change takes effect after the restart. Until then, the PC name in the About pane of the Settings window reflects the planned change.
There are several ways to share files with users (including yourself) who are logged on to other computers in your network. To share files by using any of these methods, you must first make sure network discovery and file and printer sharing are turned on so that your computer and any resources you choose to share are visible to other network computers and devices. Network discovery and file and printer sharing are turned on by default for Private network connections.
TIP When network discovery is on, your computer is visible in the Navigation pane of File Explorer and in the Network window. When file and printer sharing is on, any resources you choose to share from the computer are also visible in the Network window.
When you share a folder, you can specify the people (in the form of user accounts or groups of users) you are sharing the folder with and what each person (or group) can do with the folder contents. The permission level options are:
Read The user can open a file from the shared folder but cannot save any changes to the file in the shared folder.
Read/Write The user can open and edit a file and save changes to the file in the shared folder.
The default permission level is Read. If you want to allow a network user or group of users to modify shared files, you must explicitly assign the Read/Write permission level.
IMPORTANT Files and printers that you share are available only when your computer is on, and not when it is in Sleep mode.
Files that you store in the Public folders (Public Documents, Public Downloads, Public Music, Public Pictures, and Public Videos) are accessible to any user logged on to your computer. If you choose to share the Public folders on your computer with other computers on your network, their contents are visible to any user connected to your network. Public folder sharing with other network computer users is turned on by default for Private and Public network connections.
If you frequently connect to public networks, consider carefully whether you want to share the contents of your computer’s Public folders with strangers. If not, you can easily turn off this feature to safeguard your privacy.
SEE ALSO For more information about Public folders, see Chapter 5, “Explore files and folders.” For information about the Network And Sharing Center, see the “Connect to a network” section in the topic “Manage network connections” earlier in this chapter.
When your computer is a member of a homegroup, you can share files with other homegroup members while still keeping the files hidden from computers that aren’t homegroup members. (Remember that computers, rather than users, are the homegroup members.) When you first create or join your computer to a homegroup, you have the option of sharing the built-in Documents, Pictures, Music, and/or Videos libraries. The choices you make at that time are not binding; you can change the library selections at any time. You can add or remove libraries from the shared homegroup resources at any time. Files that you store in a library that you share with your homegroup, whether in your personal folders or the Public folders, are accessible to any user logged on to a computer that is a member of the homegroup.
Regardless of whether your computer is a member of a homegroup, you can share a folder or library with users of other computers on your network. You can control access to the shared folder or library by specifying the user accounts or groups of users that can access the shared resource and assigning a specific level of access for each user account or group.
You can share an entire storage drive—either a disc drive that is built in to your computer, or an external storage device such as a freestanding hard drive or a USB flash drive. For example, you might share an internal hard drive on which you store only project-related resources with all the computers on your work network so that your coworkers have access to them, or you might share an external hard drive with all the computers on your home network so that all your family members can save digital photos in one place for safekeeping.
To configure your computer to share files with other network computer users
Open the Network and Sharing Center.
In the left pane, select Change advanced sharing settings.
In the Advanced sharing settings window, expand the Private profile, and then do the following:
In the Network discovery section, select Turn on network discovery.
In the File and printer sharing section, select Turn on file and printer sharing.
At the bottom of the Advanced sharing settings window, select Save changes. (If you didn’t make any changes, select Cancel.)
To prevent network users from accessing your Public folders
Open the Advanced sharing settings window.
Expand the All Networks profile.
In the Public folder sharing section of the profile, select Turn off Public folder sharing. With this setting off, the Public account folders on your computer can be accessed only from your computer, and not from the network.
At the bottom of the Advanced sharing settings window, select Save changes.
To change the resources that you’re sharing with a homegroup
Do either of the following to start the Change Homegroup Sharing Settings wizard:
Display the HomeGroup window of Control Panel, and then select Change what you’re sharing with the homegroup.
Display the Homegroup window in File Explorer. On the HomeGroup tab, select Share libraries and devices.
On the Share with other homegroup members page of the wizard, do the following for each folder or library, and then select Next:
To share the resource, select Shared in the adjacent Permissions list.
To keep the resource private, select Not shared in the adjacent Permissions list.
On the Your sharing settings have been updated page of the wizard, select Finish.
TIP Custom libraries that you create on your computer aren’t among those listed in the wizard. You can share a custom library by following the procedure for sharing individual folders and libraries.
SEE ALSO For more information about homegroups, see “Manage homegroup connections” earlier in this chapter.
To share a folder or library through a homegroup
Do one of the following to display a menu of user accounts on network-connected computers, and other sharing options:
In File Explorer, right-click the folder or library you want to share, and then select Give access to.
In File Explorer, display the folder or library you want to share. On the Share tab, select the More button at the bottom of the Share with gallery scroll bar.
TIP If the computer is not joined to a homegroup, the Give Access To menu and Share With gallery have Create Or Join A Homegroup options instead of Homegroup options. When a folder is shared, the menu and gallery include a Remove Access option.
On the Give access to menu or in the Share with gallery, select the level of access that users of homegroup-joined computers will have to the folder:
To allow homegroup users to display the folder and open (but not edit) files stored in the folder, select Homegroup (view).
To allow homegroup users to edit files stored in the folder, select Homegroup (view and edit).
To share a folder or library with one person
Display the Give access to menu or Share with gallery for the folder, and then select the user account name or email address of the person you want to share the folder with.
To share a folder or library with everyone on your network
Display the Give access to menu or Share with gallery for the folder, and then select Specific people... to start the Network Access wizard.
In the Network access wizard, select the v at the right end of the empty box to display a list that includes people and groups you can share the folder with.
In the list, select Everyone. Then select Add.
If you want to allow network users to edit files stored in the folder, select the arrow in the Permission Level column adjacent to Everyone, and then select Read/Write.
In the Network access wizard, select Share. After sharing the folder, the window displays the shared folder’s information. You can quickly share a link to the folder with other people by selecting the e-mail link.
To close the Network access wizard, select Done.
TIP When you select a shared file or folder in File Explorer, the Details pane displays a list of the people or groups the folder is shared with.
If you collaborate with a team of people on a document, working with the document in a shared folder entails the risk of one person overwriting another person’s changes, even if you restrict access to the folder. To eliminate this risk, you need to use a system with version control. If your organization uses Microsoft SharePoint, you can store the document in a document library so that only one person at a time can check out and work on the document.
To stop sharing a folder or library
In File Explorer, right-click the folder, select Give access to, and then select Remove access.
In File Explorer, display the folder or library you want to stop sharing. On the Share tab, in the Share with group, select Remove access.
To make shared resources available without user account access
Display the Advanced sharing settings window.
Expand the All Networks profile.
In the Password protected sharing section, select Turn off password protected sharing.
At the bottom of the Advanced Sharing Settings window, select Save changes.
To share a drive
In File Explorer, do one of the following to open the drive Properties dialog box:
Display the drive you want to share. On the Share tab, in the Share with gallery, select Advanced sharing....
Right-click the drive you want to share, and then select Properties.
Right-click the drive you want to share, select Give access to, and then select Advanced sharing....
TIP Remember that if the shared drive is removable, it is shared only until it is removed.
In the Properties dialog box for the drive, select the Sharing tab, and then select Advanced Sharing. If Windows prompts you to enter administrator credentials, do so.
In the Advanced Sharing dialog box, select the Share this folder check box.
The Share name box displays the drive letter of the drive you’re sharing. If you want to replace the drive letter with a more user-friendly name to distinguish it from other network drives, enter the name in this box.
Select Permissions to display the share permissions for the drive.
If the group or user you want to share with is not listed in the Group or user names box, select Add, and then do the following:
In the Select Users or Groups dialog box, enter the name of the user, group, or computer you want to share the drive with, and then select Check Names. You can enter multiple names, separated by semicolons.
Tip To display a list of users and groups you can share with, select Advanced and then, in the secondary Select Users Or Groups dialog box that opens, select Find Now.
After Windows indicates a valid name by underlining it, select OK to return to the Permissions dialog box.
In the Group or user names box, select the user account or group you want to share the drive with.
In the Permissions for list, select the check boxes of the permission levels you want to grant to the user account or group.
Select OK in the Permissions dialog box and in the Advanced Sharing dialog box. Then close the drive’s Properties dialog box.
Key points
A network consists of two or more computers that communicate with each other through a wired or wireless connection. Network connections are made by network adapters installed in or connected to your computer. You can view detailed information about the adapters, the active network connections, and the data being transferred through the connections.
You can change the name of your computer to make it more easily identifiable on your network.
You can share files that are stored in libraries among computers on your network by creating a password-protected homegroup from one computer and joining other computers to it. Each computer user can select the libraries she or he wants to share with other homegroup users.
You can share folders outside of libraries with your homegroup, with everyone on your network, or with specific users.
Practice tasks
Before you can complete these practice tasks, you need to copy the book’s practice file folder to your computer. The practice file folder for these tasks is the Win10SBSCh08 folder. The introduction includes a complete list of practice files.
Manage network connections
Complete the following tasks:
In the notification area of the taskbar, point to the network icon to display information about your current network connection status.
Select the network icon to display a list of available networks.
If your computer is not currently connected to a network and one is available, select that network name, and connect to it.
Near the bottom of the network pane, select Network & Internet settings.
In the Status pane of the Network & Internet settings page, review the information about your active network connection.
In the Change your network settings section, select Network and Sharing Center. To the right of Connections, select the connection name to display its status. Notice the information about the connection speed, duration, and activity. Then close the Status dialog box and Network and Sharing Center.
In the Change your network settings section, select Change adapter options to display the network adapters available on your computer. Notice the adapter types that are available and whether each is enabled, disabled, or connected.
Select any adapter, and then if necessary, display additional commands that don’t fit on the toolbar. Notice that you can enable or disable the adapters and diagnose, rename, or change the settings of the current connection.
Return to the Network and Sharing Center. In the left pane, select Change advanced sharing settings to display the sharing options for the different network profiles.
Note the type of network that your computer is currently connected to. Review the settings for that network security profile.
Display the network troubleshooting tools. Review the available troubleshooters, and run one that interests you.
Open the Settings window. Select the Network & Internet category, and then display the Data usage pane.
Review the historical information about data transfers by connection type.
In the Data usage pane, select View usage details and then the individual connections to display the amount of data transferred by each app.
When you finish, close the open windows.
Manage homegroup connections
Complete the following tasks:
Open the HomeGroup window of Control Panel.
Determine whether your computer is currently part of a homegroup. If it isn’t, determine whether a homegroup is available to join.
If your computer is not connected to a homegroup, do either of the following:
If no homegroup is available, create a homegroup.
If a homegroup is available, join the homegroup.
Or
If your computer is connected to a homegroup, do any of the following that interest you:
Display the homegroup password.
Display the homegroup resources in File Explorer.
Disconnect from the homegroup.
Share files on your network
Complete the following tasks:
Open the Advanced sharing settings window.
Review the Private network security profile settings, and verify that network discovery and file and printer sharing are turned on, so that your computer can detect and connect to other computers on private networks.
In the Advanced sharing settings window, expand the All Networks profile.
In the Public folder sharing section of the profile, turn on or off the sharing of Public folders from your computer. (Choose the option you want.)
Save your changes and close the Advanced sharing settings window.
Open File Explorer and locate the practice file folder for this book.
Select the Ch08 folder to select it. On the Share tab, notice your options for sharing the folder with other people. If you want to, follow the procedure for sharing the folder with everyone on your network.
If you have access to another computer on the network, verify that the folder is available from that computer.
On your computer, stop sharing the Ch08 folder.
When you’re done, close File Explorer.