Step 1: Getting started Step 2: What you'll need Step 3: Create a workgroup Step 4: Allow file sharing		Step 5: Share a network printer Step 6: Share a standalone printer Step 7: Add the printer to other PCs

Though sharing broadband is the primary purpose of a home network, sharing files and printers is equally useful. Even if you have more than one printer for different purposes--say, a laser for fast text printing and an inkjet for photos--all of your computers can have access to any one of them. Best of all, it doesn't matter which operating system the computers are running, and you don't need a network printer. Here's how to set it all up.

• Home network
• Printer server (if your printer is network-capable)
• Printer

	Each computer in a workgroup must have a unique name, but the workgroup name must remain consistent.

• 1. Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Network Connections > "Set up a home or small office network."
• 2. When asked for a connection method, choose "This computer connects to the Internet through another computer on my network or through a residential gateway."
• 3. Unless you're networking only Windows XP systems, choose "Create a network setup disk" when prompted. This creates a floppy you can use to run the wizard on non-XP systems if you have any on your network.

Now run the wizard on each additional system on your network. On non-XP systems, browse the floppy and run the file netsetup.exe. When configuring each system, assign each computer a different name, but use the same workgroup name. It can be any name you desire. Now that you've created a workgroup, you can begin sharing files and folders among the computers.

Step 4: Allow file sharing