Problem adding Win 8 PC to existing Win 7-XP workgroup
When setting up a new Win 8 notebook, I happened to click on Network and,
amazingly, there were icons listed for my three Win 7 PCs without me setting anything
up. (My sole XP machine wasn’t listed, however.)
I was able to use these mysterious Win 7 connections to copy setup stuff to the Win
8.
My enthusiasm quickly subsided when I found that my Win 7 machines were
barred from entering the Win 8 machine despite each listing an icon for the Win
8 when Network was pressed in Explorer.
I noted that my wireless connection was listed as the 'network', so I set
about adding the Win 8 to my workgroup (I can’t use a homegroup as an XP is
involved) and then turned off wireless. On my Win 7s and the XP this forces
communication via my wired connections. When the Win 8 was connected via an Ethernet
plug, it could still see the Win 7s but not the XP and stubbornly continued to
list the wireless network as the connection and that the connection was now via
Ethernet. That didn't make sense. Clearly there is a difference between how Win 7 and XP recognise a workgroup and how my Win 8 PC is going about it.
I should add that a humble XP netbook can be added on an ad hoc basis to
my wired network. I want to do the same with the Win 8 notebook.
My wireless ‘network’ that the Win 8 PC is so enamoured with is only there
so that phones and tablets can get online. It is not supposed to be my preferred
way of networking PCs.
Any suggestions as to how to successfully set up a workgroup with the Win 8 as a proper member will be very gratefully received.
When setting up a new Win 8 notebook, I happened to click on Network and,
amazingly, there were icons listed for my three Win 7 PCs without me setting anything
up. (My sole XP machine wasn’t listed, however.)
I was able to use these mysterious Win 7 connections to copy setup stuff to the Win
8.
My enthusiasm quickly subsided when I found that my Win 7 machines were
barred from entering the Win 8 machine despite each listing an icon for the Win
8 when Network was pressed in Explorer.
I noted that my wireless connection was listed as the 'network', so I set
about adding the Win 8 to my workgroup (I can’t use a homegroup as an XP is
involved) and then turned off wireless. On my Win 7s and the XP this forces
communication via my wired connections. When the Win 8 was connected via an Ethernet
plug, it could still see the Win 7s but not the XP and stubbornly continued to
list the wireless network as the connection and that the connection was now via
Ethernet. That didn't make sense. Clearly there is a difference between how Win 7 and XP recognise a workgroup and how my Win 8 PC is going about it.
I should add that a humble XP netbook can be added on an ad hoc basis to
my wired network. I want to do the same with the Win 8 notebook.
My wireless ‘network’ that the Win 8 PC is so enamoured with is only there
so that phones and tablets can get online. It is not supposed to be my preferred
way of networking PCs.
Any suggestions as to how to successfully set up a workgroup with the Win 8 as a proper member will be very gratefully received.
My Computer
System One
-
- OS
- win 8.1
- Computer type
- Laptop
- System Manufacturer/Model
- Medion E6234
- CPU
- i3-3120M
- Memory
- 4 GB
- Browser
- IE 11
- Antivirus
- Norton IS