Olga Weis
Last updated Dec 29, 2020
What is HomeGroup? The HomeGroup feature allows both beginners and experienced system administrators to easily create networks of Windows-based computers connected via a local area network. These networks can operate without domain controllers (DC) and provide the ability to share resources such as printers and files. This option is primarily aimed at the mass consumer, but it can also be used by employees of small enterprises who do not have the support of IT specialists.
The HomeGroup setup program is designed to enable users to share files and devices. Using the "Share with" option in Windows Explorer provides a more flexible configuration. You can designate specific folders to have read, read and write access, or to be restricted from sharing altogether.
The default setting is to assign read-only access to library items shared by home group members. Keep in mind that enabling read and write permissions also gives the user full control including the ability to delete files.
Now let’s see how to share printer with HomeGroup on Windows 7 with other users.
Before you start, make sure that the printer is attached to one of your local computers and is configured properly.
The first step is creating a homegroup, launch the HomeGroup control panel app, Start -> type "homegroup" -> Enter.
Your next steps will depend on what will be shown in the HomeGroup window.
Scenario 1. The computer where the printer is connected physically is already added to a HomeGroup but the printer isn’t shared yet:
Scenario 2. There’s a HomeGroup on your local network but the computer with the printer attached to it is not a member of this group:
Scenario 3. You need to create a new HomeGroup:
Once, you've set up your new HomeGroup and shared your printer over LAN, other users can access the device remotely.
In case you share your printer using the HomeGroup feature, connecting to this device from other computers will be super easy. You just need to make sure that remote computers have joined your HomeGroup, all the rest will be done by Windows. Once a PC becomes a member of a HomeGroup, it automatically gets access to all devices shared from other PCs. That means your shared printer will just appear in the Devices and Printers windows of client computers.So the further work with shared printer will be the same as it was plugged in directly. But you can’t share printer with HomeGroup on Windows 10, so you should use the third-party software solution - FlexiHub. It will connect remote printer to your local machine just like it is located right next to you.
FlexiHub