Networking & wireless forum: Networking permission for file sharing

Hi, I am all out of hair to pull out of my head. I know a whole lot about networking. Computer are my life. Done it for years. Why Vista and win 7 changed all the rules I have no idea, but i just want something simple.

I had a massive TBI an admit some of my cognetive function took a big hit and may never come back, but this stuff is networking 101, and I can't get it to work, either because of he brain injury, or M$'s incessant tinkering with menus systems and key words <g> who is at fault matters not. I just want to get there from here.


Here is important details I will be asked.

I have a home network, called WORKGROUP, (in win7 I am in home, not public )built on my comast Cable modem with a wireless router. I don't care about security (wireless is encrypted) I don't care about top secret file locking and other details. I can deal with those things and know the price to pay.

I am the only person in the house. Every PC I ever set up is made for me. When I install, I never use a system password, Just my name as the user. JOHN. There is no other account on any computer. Just John as the adminstrator

Auto logon is enabled. The name of the computers on the Workgroup PC are DESKTOP and LAPTOP.


LAPTOP is Vista
DESKTOP is windows 7

I swear I could do all this in minutes with all my time spent on XP, but things have changed. I will leave out the rant, and just beg for help

I know how to set up file sharing. It is enabled on both machines, and when, for testing purposes, I put another computer on the workgroup network, I can easily share files with both laptop and desktop, using Windows XP. Piece of cake.

Laptop and desktop see and share with the XP computer as well.

Laptop cannot share with Desktop, and Desktop has no idea how to share with Laptop.

No firewalls, on anything. I can ping any and all computers. Search network for machines and they all show up as visible. Click on either machine, from either machine, and it brings up the shared folders. All permissions seem enabled, but........

I can see the shared folders on each machine but access is denied until I tell the machine who I am.. name and password.


In all other setups, I never gave a username or password, I just set permission to full for everyone.

Quite simply, who am I? What do I have to tell Vista in order to have it let Win 7 see its shared files? and vice versa

What do I tell windows 7 about me, in order for it to share files with Vista.

Tons of info on the web, none of it works because it all says "click on blah blah blah" and choose yada yada yada" Folks, there is no blah blah blah, and yada yada yada does not appear as it is reputed to be.

I just don't know what to say when the message say, enter name and password.

There are no passwords, I never gave one when I installed the Operating systems. Its blank and autologs on.



This is likely very simple, as I sit in front of a windows 7 PC and attempt to send files to the vista machine. The vista machine wants verification, Where do I enter it, how do I enter it, what is it???

Frustrated

It was so easy with XP. I know is the same processes, but M$ changed all the menus, and altered the words that used to make sense.

I have even tried remote desktop into the vista machine, that I an ping, but it is not even on the network by name or IP address. Never mind that, I would settle for sharing files at this point. I am missing a key ingredient but don't know how to insert it, or find out what it is

Its simple. Anyone want to embarrass me and show me how stupid I am?

Thank you and happy new year to all!