How to set up a Windows 7 network/homegroup with a basic ethernet switch?

[Joseph F]

I am using a standard 5-port 10/100 ethernet switch and am having difficulties setting up my network using Windows 7 as the (more or less) server.
What I could previously do with XP was set my 56k connection to "Shared" and the PC that was sharing the connection would start a DHCP server and give out IP addresses to all of the computers on my network and everything worked fine. Now with Windows 7, It won't do that and I cannot set my network location to Home and therefor cannot create a Homegroup.

Here's what I'm looking to accomplish:
Make the Windows 7 PC start a DHCP server like the XP one did.
Set my network location to Home and create a Homegroup. (So I can share other folders than the "Public" folder.)
Share my 56k connection.

Sorry if there were grammatical errors in this post as I just drank eight cups of coffee.

 

[JackMDS]

Homegroup works only between Win 7 computers.

If you have mixed OS' network use Work Network on Win 7, and the regular Home network on the other computers.

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I do not know what you are using as a DHCP server so i cam not comment on it.

In any case with such arrangement you are better off configuring the network past the Software Router with Static IP.

If you use Win 7 as the Host the subnet is, 192.168.137.x

More here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Connection_Sharing

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Maybe this can further Help.

Win7 when configured on peer-to-peer Network has three types of Sharing configurations.

HomeGroup = Works only between Win 7 computers. This type of configuration makes it very easy to Entry Level Users to start Network sharing.

Home Network or Work Network = Basically similar(and better) to the previous methods of Work Group sharing that let you control what, how, and to whom folders would be shared with.

Public Sharing = Public Network (like Internet cafe) to reduce security risks.

For best results log to each computer's System Screen and set all the computers to be on a with the same Work Group name while each computer has its own unique name.
http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/net_name.jpg

Make sure that the Software Firewall, AV, or other components of Security allow free local traffic on all Networked computers. If you use 3rd party Security On, Vista/XP Native Firewall should be Off, and the active Firewall has to adjusted to your Network IP numbers on what is some time called the Trusted Zone (consult your 3rd Party Firewall instructions

General example, http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#trusted

Please Note that some 3rd party Software Firewalls/AV/Security suits keep blocking aspects of Local Traffic even it they are turned Off (disabled). If possible configure the Firewall correctly, or totally uninstall it to allow clean flow of local network traffic.
If end up with the 3rd party software uninstalled or disabled, make sure that Windows native Firewall is On .
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Networking Win 7 with other version of Windows as Work Network (works very well if all computers are Win 7 too).
In the Network Center, clicking on the Network type opens the window to the right.

Choose your type of Network. Notice the check mark at the bottom, and check/uncheck it according to your needs.

http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/net_type.jpg

Win 7 - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Networking-home-computers-running-different-versions-of-Windows

Win 7 Work Network specific folder sharing -

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/windows7/windows7_sharing.htm

Vista File and Printer Sharing- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

Windows XP File Sharing - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040

In Win XP Pro with simple sharing Off, you can Visually see the

Permission/Security setting , and configure them to your liking.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/learnmore/accesscontrol.mspx#securityTab

Printer Sharing XP - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/honeycutt_july2.mspx

Windows Native Firewall setting for Sharing XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357

Windows XP patch for Sharing with Vista (Not need for XP-SP3) - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922120

When finished with the setting of the system it is advisable to Reboot all the hardware including the Router and all computers involved.
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If you have Permission and Security issues with Vista/Win7, check the following settings.
Point to the a Folder that meant to to be share. Right click and choose properties.
In the properties
Click on the Security tab shown in the pic bellow to the right) and check that the users and their permission (shown in the pic bellow center and left) are correctly configured. Then do the same to the Permission tab.

This screen shot is from Win 7, Vista's menus are similar.

http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/Permission-Security.jpg

In both the Security panel, and the Permission panel you have to highlight each User/Group and examine that the Permission Controls are checked correctly.
When everything is OK, Reboot the Network (Router, and computer).

* Note . The Groups and Users shown in the screen-shoot are just an example. Your list will look the way your system is configured.

**Note . All users that are allowed to share need to have account onall the computers that they are allowed to connect to.

Everyone is an account, it means a group of all of the users that already have an account and been established as users. It is available to avoid the need of configuring permission to each on its own, it does not mean

Everyone that feel that they would like to login.

 

[Joseph F]

Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, I am not able to set my network location as it comes up as "Unidentified Network" and I cannot change it. As for my DHCP server, what I did previously was simply enable ICS on XP and it would start a DHCP server within XP. I think the only solution at this point is for me to buy a router with an integrated DHCP server.

 

[JackMDS]

Router is always better if you have broadband connetion.

The topology might be a problem if you use dialUp.

Win 7 can do the same ICS.

The IP subnet is different but it is the same principle.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Using-ICS-Internet-Connection-Sharing

 

[FishAk]

I'd like to hijack this thread, since I'm having trouble getting Windows 7 through my Windows firewall also. I must sign in through a proxy, so please forgive the bad editing, as my editing tools don't work, and that will make this post hard to read. In Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, I have set my outbound connections to block any connection without a rule. Windows Firewall won't notify, log, or otherwise help in determining the path to a program or function it blocks, but by using a 3rd party program- “Windows7FirewallControl”, I was able to make a proper outbound rule set. The only thing I am having trouble with is the network. All the rules in the “HomeGroup and Firewall Interaction” document available from the MS Download Center are present and active, but a connection cannot be established. I made an outbound rule that allows any program to use any port, address, or service, and if I activate this rule, the network can be mounted normally. Once the network is mounted, I can disable my “Allow All” rule, and the network still functions normally. However, if the network is broken, (computer powered off, put to sleep, or otherwise removed from the network) the network cannot be mounted again without re-enabling the “Allow All” outbound rule, and then remounting the network. I created an Outbound rule to allow svchost.exe, and restricting the Scope to the IPV6 addresses (both the one that starts with “2001”, and the one that starts with “fe80”) for both the local and remote machines, and that worked fine- untill I reset the router. I must connect to my ISP with a dynamic address, so when the router changes, all the addresses change also, and the svchost rule doesn't work any more. How can I make a rule that will make svchost allow my network to be mounted, without allowing other processes use svchost to “phone home”? If I make a rule that allows the IPV4 address range from 192.186.1.1 to 192.186.1.10, will that work, or will it allow other processes an outbound avenue? Should I scrap Windows Firewall altogether, and just use a third party one instead? If so, what free firewall is a good replacement?

 

[Joseph F]

Router is always better if you have broadband connetion.

The topology might be a problem if you use dialUp.

Win 7 can do the same ICS.

The IP subnet is different but it is the same principle.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Using-ICS-Internet-Connection-Sharing

I had this enabled when I started the thread but it wasn't working for some reason. Now, I have re-enabled it and everything works! (Save for the homegroup but I don't need it as I can share any folder I want now.) Thank you for your time and help!

 

[JackMDS]

@ FishAk

Try to disable Win 7 Firewall and use this free firewall.

It has very small foot print and it works well with Win 7.

http://www.pctools.com/firewall/

It can be set to alert you to any outbound call so you can at the spot makes a decision.

If it does not work, clean it out and No harm done.

 

[FishAk]

Hey Jack, I just wanted to thank you for your suggestion. I tried the PCTools firewall, and it worked good. In the end, I installed the free Comodo firewall with HIPS, and I couldn't be happier. I'm not sure why I didn't realize I needed a third party tool to replace a Microsoft feature just like most any other MS component.

 

[JackMDS]

Hey Jack, I just wanted to thank you for your suggestion. I tried the PCTools firewall, and it worked good. In the end, I installed the free Comodo firewall with HIPS, and I couldn't be happier. I'm not sure why I didn't realize I needed a third party tool to replace a Microsoft feature just like most any other MS component.

It can be done with Windows Firewall but it needs more work to learn how to configure the advanced rules.

It easier with the PCTools firewall.

I tried most of the available Firewalls and found the PCTools the least intrusive in cases that there is a reason not to use the Win 7 native firewall.

In any case I am glad that everything is working for you now. :thumbsup: