I am trying to network my friends two computers. His old computer is XP, new one is 7. i did everything it said in the microsoft windows - networking different versions. The old xp computer can currently see the new one; and print with printer that is hooked up on the new pc. The windows 7 pc did see the old one, but couldn't access it - we had rebooted the windows 7 pc, and then all of a sudden it cannot see the xp one anymore. i set them up under the same workgroup (WORKGROUP); for some reason the 7 pc says it's 'network 2' in the map. i have shared folders on both to everyone/? I do not know what i am missing. the xp pc can access all files i shard on the 7 pc. any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

Aside from seeing the computers in the Network Gui discover/network Neighborhood, can you access each other by simply using the UNC path.. for example from the RUN command.. type \\computer1 or \\computer2 Replace computer1 and computer2 with the actual computer names. Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.

To set up printer sharing in your home network, you need to configure printer options in the control panel of Windows XP Operating System. You could get a menu while right clicking the printer icon in the Control Panel. From this, you need to select the sharing option. You also need to make sure that you have enabled printer sharing option in the network card properties. To connect a printer in the network you need to set an IP address for your printer. If you have any troubles with printing with your printer in the network it might due to the errors in the network. So, you need to make sure the network connection. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itpronetworking/thread/6b337a96-a077-4af1-a1a1-e3ced3c45067Printer Support

The printer sharing works. The XP machine sees the printer i hooked up on the 7 pc. So, oddly that's fine.

I will try to see if i see them tomorrow when I go to my friends house to try 'yet again'. Thank you.