There are several methods we can use to share folders and files with others on the network. But before that first make sure that in your network all machines are connected to the router and also all the machines at your network are in the same workgroup WORKGROUP to check the workgroup of your machine. To check the workgroup in the windows Machine, just open up the 'My Computer' and look at the left bottom side of window and in windows 10 right click on 'My Computer' and then Properties.
You can also do it with command prompt. just run the following command in command prompt
net config wrokstation
If its not WORKGROUP then change it to WORKGROUP. To do that right click on "My Computer" or "This PC" icon and go to properties then click on "Change settings" which is in the right side of the window.
Now click on the Change button
Now at the "Computer Name/Domain Changes" change the workgroup name, save it and re-start the computer. In my case I have three windows machine and i want to share Windows 10 drives to other two windows 7 machines.
1. Folder Sharing :
Right click on the folder and then click on Properties which you want to share within your network. In my case i want to share shared folder located at D:\
At here click on the sharing tab
Now at sharing tab click on the Share... button under the Network File and Folder Sharing section.
And the above window will popped up, which will ask you to choose a username to share the folder with. Now at the box you can see the user name user of system, now at this time when we click on share button then, in order access the Shared Folder we have to provide the username and password of the user, which is in this case akshay. And in order to access the Shared folder without password we have to add new user Everyone by which you can access Shared folder from every device in your network without password, and also make sure that your network is safe and secure, because everyone can access your Shared files who is in your network. To add Everyone click on the drop down menu and select Everyone then click on Add button
After that change the permission of Everyone from Read to Read/Write, which enables others to read and write on the shared folder.
Now click on the 'Share' button at the bottom of the file sharing window, and the new share will be created with the appropriate access level we specified.
Now we have successfully shared a folder, the last window will show the link to share folder, by which we can access the share folder among other PCs on network. and at last, click on the 'Done' button and share will be active across the network.
2. Hard Drive Sharing
Right click on the Hard drive which you want to share and click on Properties.
Then click on the Sharing tab
Now at Sharing tab click on the Advanced Sharing... button under the Advanced Sharing section.
Now at Advanced Sharing tab first Check the Share this folder box
Then Click on the Permissions button below the comments section.
Now to give everyone on your home network read and write access to the share you’ll need to make sure that the Full Control tick box is selected under the Allow column for the user Everyone. This way every device will be able to read and write and access the drive’s contents without restrictions.
And also click OK on Advanced Sharing tab
Now in the Properties, Click on security tab
In security tab click on the Edit button, and the Permissions window will pop up
At permissions window click on Add.. button, the new window "Select Users ot Groups" will popup, at here in the text box type 'Everyone' and click on OK button.
And at the Permissions tab click OK. And at the Properties window make sure that in 'Groups and user names' box Everyone is included, then press OK button
And that's it. We have can successfully share our drive.
Removing The Password Protection :
When we setup Share folder or drive in windows 7 or 8 by the above method, then you can access the Shared Drives or folder without any password, but in windows the the password protection is enabled by default. So we need to turn it off. And to do that just right click on Network Connection Icon at left side of your task bar and click on Open Network and Sharing Center,
Now at right side of the 'Network and Sharing Center' window click on the 'Change advanced sharing settings'
Now at here expand the All Networks tab and at the bottom "Turn off password-protected sharing" by clicking the radio button next to it, then click on the Save Changes button,
And we are done. We can We have can successfully share our Folder and drives. Now to access it, just go to 'My Computer > Networks' and simply click on Shared Host names and you can access Shared Files from here.
Conclusion :
By applying the above method we can easily share our files or drive in a Home network and/or local network, like small offices etc. But make sure that your network is secure and protected from outside access. Because in the above method we share our files with Everyone who are connected with our network.
Checkout our next post : How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 7/8/10
Now at Sharing tab click on the Advanced Sharing... button under the Advanced Sharing section.
Now at Advanced Sharing tab first Check the Share this folder box
Then Click on the Permissions button below the comments section.
Now to give everyone on your home network read and write access to the share you’ll need to make sure that the Full Control tick box is selected under the Allow column for the user Everyone. This way every device will be able to read and write and access the drive’s contents without restrictions.
And also click OK on Advanced Sharing tab
Now in the Properties, Click on security tab
In security tab click on the Edit button, and the Permissions window will pop up
At permissions window click on Add.. button, the new window "Select Users ot Groups" will popup, at here in the text box type 'Everyone' and click on OK button.
And at the Permissions tab click OK. And at the Properties window make sure that in 'Groups and user names' box Everyone is included, then press OK button
And that's it. We have can successfully share our drive.
Removing The Password Protection :
When we setup Share folder or drive in windows 7 or 8 by the above method, then you can access the Shared Drives or folder without any password, but in windows the the password protection is enabled by default. So we need to turn it off. And to do that just right click on Network Connection Icon at left side of your task bar and click on Open Network and Sharing Center,
Now at right side of the 'Network and Sharing Center' window click on the 'Change advanced sharing settings'
Now at here expand the All Networks tab and at the bottom "Turn off password-protected sharing" by clicking the radio button next to it, then click on the Save Changes button,
And we are done. We can We have can successfully share our Folder and drives. Now to access it, just go to 'My Computer > Networks' and simply click on Shared Host names and you can access Shared Files from here.
Conclusion :
By applying the above method we can easily share our files or drive in a Home network and/or local network, like small offices etc. But make sure that your network is secure and protected from outside access. Because in the above method we share our files with Everyone who are connected with our network.
Checkout our next post : How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 7/8/10