Solved Network Computer/Device Name

EDIT . . . It just started working all by itself. Maybe it just needed to be left alone a few minutes. But it's still showing Win-10 as the network path

After updating to Windows 11, I went in and changed the device name to Win-11 but it's still showing up on the network as Win-10.
Also, I can access shared folders on Win-11 from Win-7-64BIT but not the other way around. I do have file and printer sharing on both Win-7-64 and Win-10(11) and I do have a folder set to share on both devices so I dont know why the Win-10 and my Vostro laptop cannot access Win-7-64 computer. I guess I'm just a little rusty. I must be missing one step. The Win-7-64 shows there's "

They can all see each other but no access to Win-7-64

Back in the day, 7 sharing never played nicely with 10 and it surely doesn't with 11.

I have simplified things by having the same username on all the computers. They are all type Administrator.

The network names are the ones you have given them in the computer settings:
EVENTHORIZON - Windows 10 Pro Laptop
DARKMATTER - Windows 10 Pro Desktop
LIGHTNING7- Windows 7 Home Desktop
STARSHIP- Windows 11 Pro Laptop



To change the computer name in Windows 11:
Open Settings
Select System > About
Select Rename this PC



Enter new name for your computer
Select Next



To access the shares on the Windows 7 computer I double-click on it in File Explorer




I can then access the shared folders on it

MisterEd said:

I have simplified things by having the same username on all the computers. They are all type Administrator.

The network names are the ones you have given them in the computer settings:
EVENTHORIZON - Windows 10 Pro Laptop
DARKMATTER - Windows 10 Pro Desktop
LIGHTNING7- Windows 7 Home Desktop
STARSHIP- Windows 11 Pro Laptop



To change the computer name in Windows 11:
Open Settings
Select System > About
Select Rename this PC


Enter new name for your computer
Select Next

View attachment 59560

Click to expand...

Thanks MisterEd

This is exactly how I tried to change the computername but I did it again this morning and it said I needed to reboot so I must have stopped short of one step yesterday.
Ive always had the same username on all my computers but not for any network reasons but because I'm not that creative.
I love your computer names. Maybe I should be a little more creative. My neighbor names his wireless networks things like "FBISurvailenceVan" and "IveSeenYouNaked" and I always get a kick out of it. He changes them once every few years

One more thing . . . I have a Homegroup password but none of them were were required to use it. And on the Win-7-64BIT computer it says "Windows detected another home group . . . " but I cannot access it as it requires a password and the ones I have dont work. I have not found the homegroup password on Windows 11 but this was there before I even had a homegroup on windows 11 so I'm assuming it's not that one and I'm connected to Win-11 now so I'm a little confused . . .

Two computers are on the wireless and one is on the wire so I wonder if that creates an issue(?)

Windows 10 and 11 don't even support the Homegroup that Windows 7 uses. That means you can ignore it.
You can check to see that all your computers are in the same Workgroup.

For Windows 11 you can check/change the Workgroup by

Select Domain or Workgroup
Select Change



Check or change the Workgroup name. The default name is Workgroup. Make sure this name is the same for all your computers.

MisterEd said:

Windows 10 and 11 don't even support the Homegroup that Windows 7 uses. That means you can ignore it.
You can check to see that all your computers are in the same Workgroup.

For Windows 11 you can check/change the Workgroup by

Select Domain or Workgroup
Select Change



Check or change the Workgroup name. The default name is Workgroup. Make sure this name is the same for all your computers.

Click to expand...

Thanks. It's all good there.
Everything works but I cannot get Printer Sharing to work from my Windows 7-64 desktop. I have it all set to share but Win-11 and my Win-7 laptop cannot connect even though they see it.

It's not important, I don't need to share the printer but I thought I would at least give it a try while I'm at it. When I print from AutoCad it's always to a PDF printer. I dont think I've use up one package of paper in the last 8 years

john1955 said:

Thanks. It's all good there.
Everything works but I cannot get Printer Sharing to work from my Windows 7-64 desktop. I have it all set to share but Win-11 and my Win-7 laptop cannot connect even though they see it.

It's not important, I don't need to share the printer but I thought I would at least give it a try while I'm at it. When I print from AutoCad it's always to a PDF printer. I dont think I've use up one package of paper in the last 8 years

Click to expand...

I don't print as much as I used to either. I bought a box of printer paper at least ten years ago. I think I am finally down to the last ream of paper.
Now I usually use the Microsoft Print to PDF option.

How is your printer shared with the network?

My printer has a WiFi connection to my router. That greatly simplifies the connection of it to all my computers.

Did you run the printer setup program on the Windows 7 computer that you downloaded from the printer manufacturers website?

Here is a screenshot taken on my Windows 7 desktop showing my HP OfficeJet Pro 6975 printer.

MisterEd said:

I don't print as much as I used to either. I bought a box of printer paper at least ten years ago. I think I am finally down to the last ream of paper.
Now I usually use the Microsoft Print to PDF option.

How is your printer shared with the network?

My printer has a WiFi connection to my router. That greatly simplifies the connection of it to all my computers.

Did you run the printer setup program on the Windows 7 computer that you downloaded from the printer manufacturers website?

Here is a screenshot taken on my Windows 7 desktop showing my HP OfficeJet Pro 6975 printer.

View attachment 59618

Click to expand...

Mine looks like that as well except my PDF printer is the default. All computers see it on the network, they just cannot print to it. I even made the driver available to the network. It's a puzzle. I'm thinking I might have to quit using the USB cable and make the printer itself wireless (as you did) but I dont have a wireless receiver on my Win-11 computer. It's on an ethernet cable which gives it twice the internet speed as the wifi.

OK . . . that fixed it. I unplugged the printer's USB cable from the Win-7 computer and turned on the printers own WiFi so Win-11 connects directly to the printer thru the router so I dont have to share it through Win-7.

john1955 said:

Mine looks like that as well except my PDF printer is the default. All computers see it on the network, they just cannot print to it. I even made the driver available to the network. It's a puzzle. I'm thinking I might have to quit using the USB cable and make the printer itself wireless but I dont have a wireless receiver on my Win-11 computer. It's on an ethernet cable which gives it twice the internet speed as the wifi.

Click to expand...

The Windows 7 computer in my last post connects to my router with an Ethernet cable. In fact all three of my desktop computers are using an Ethernet cable and print fine. My printer has a WiFi connection to my router. That means any computer that connects to my router whether it is wired or wireless can use the printer.

I don't understand what you mean by "I even made the driver available to the network." You have to copy the appropriate driver to each computer and install it on them. Note that for my printer there are different drivers for Windows 7 and Windows 10/11.

Ten years ago I had printer that connected to my main desktop computer with a USB cable. I could use any other computer to print to that printer but that required the main desktop to be booted up. I am glad I switched over to using a printer that connected with WiFi. That made things much easier. BTW, I could have connected my current printer to one of the computers using either a USB or Ethernet cable but WiFi works great so I didn't even bother.

MisterEd said:

I don't understand what you mean by "I even made the driver available to the network." You have to copy the appropriate driver to each computer and install it on them. Note that for my printer there are different drivers for Windows 7 and Windows 10/11.

Click to expand...

It was a setting in the printers wireless setup utility but I cannot get to that page now. Well I could but it want's me to plug in the USB cable in order to select "next" and since that did nothing and it's working now I would rather not mess with it. I almost took a screenshot of it when I was in there the first time but I didn't. But that's what it said it was for, to make it so the other computers on the network can install drivers.

You have an HP OfficeJet 4620? I see that is similar to the printer I have.

Once you learn to use a WiFi setup you will never bother with a wired setup again.

The first step with a Wireless printer setup is to connect it to the router. The easiest way to do that is to use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS).
You can find that in the manual for your printer. Once you select WPS on the printer screen then go over to the router and hold down the WPS button until it activates. It might indicate that with a flashing light. After a minute or so the printer will be connected to the router. That's easy compared to doing it manually where you had to enter in a lot of information.

Once the printer is connected to the router you run the setup program on each computer. During the initial setup the printer should be detected. (Of course this assumes the computer is powered on and not asleep).

john1955 said:

EDIT . . . It just started working all by itself. Maybe it just needed to be left alone a few minutes. But it's still showing Win-10 as the network path

After updating to Windows 11, I went in and changed the device name to Win-11 but it's still showing up on the network as Win-10.
Also, I can access shared folders on Win-11 from Win-7-64BIT but not the other way around. I do have file and printer sharing on both Win-7-64 and Win-10(11) and I do have a folder set to share on both devices so I dont know why the Win-10 and my Vostro laptop cannot access Win-7-64 computer. I guess I'm just a little rusty. I must be missing one step. The Win-7-64 shows there's "

They can all see each other but no access to Win-7-64

View attachment 59551

Click to expand...

Win 7 needs SMBV1 AFAIK. Also I assume you've allowed remote access to that comp[uter from the W7 control panel and uncheck the Only allow computers using NLS autenthentication in the remote desktop section.

If you've done those already try and ping to the actual IP address from another machine and ping the W1/W11 machines from W7.

If those fail then ??? I just don't know. I've no problem in accessing a W7 VM machine from W11, W10, Linux or whatever. Same as I have no problem accessing an XP VM too. (And both the other way around as well).

Filezilla is also an excellent file transfer program -- see if that works.

cheers
jimbo