How to Network Windows XP Home & XP Professional

Connect Windows XP Home and Professional together.

In 2001, Microsoft released two different versions of Windows XP: Home, which was designed as a replacement for the Windows 9x line (95, 98, Me), and Professional, which was designed as a replacement for Windows NT and 2000. Though the two versions of Windows XP share the same code base, Professional contains a superset of features over Home that are designed for connecting computers in corporate network domains. The Home edition connects only to workgroups.

Instructions

1. Right-click the "My Computer" icon on XP Home. If the icon is not on your desktop, it is located in the "Start" menu. Click "Properties." Click the "Computer Name" tab and then click the "Change..." button. The "Computer Name" can be changed if you wish (as long as it is different from the XP Professional computer), but the workgroup name must be changed from "MSHOME" to "WORKGROUP." Click "OK" and restart the computer.

2. Right-click the folder or folders you wish to share on both computers and choose "Sharing and security." Click the "Share This Folder" button and enter a share name. Click the "Permissions" button. If closed, protected access is desired, choose the username and permissions for this share. If full, open access is desired, add the group "Guests" to the permissions and choose "Allow Full Control" for both "Everyone" and "Guests."

3. Open "My Network Places." If this icon is not on the desktop or the "Start" menu, it is accessible by pressing the Windows logo key and "E" at the same time. Click "View Workgroup Computers." If the other computer does not appear by name, press the Windows logo key and "R" at the same time. Enter "\\computer-name" without quotes, and replace computer-name with the actual name of the computer from step 1. Press the "Enter" key.

4. Open the Control Panel and choose "Printers and Faxes." Right-click the printer you wish to share and choose "Sharing..." Click "Share this printer" and enter a share name. From the other computer, go to "Printers and Faxes" under the Control Panel and click "Add a Printer." Choose "network printer" and browse for the shared printer on the other computer. Click "OK" to install the printer.

Tips & Warnings

• Since they were designed with different markets in mind, XP Home defaults to the "MSHOME" workgroup, whereas XP Professional defaults to the "WORKGROUP" workgroup.