Network same as Workgroup??

Question

Simple question: Is a Home Network the same as a Workgroup?   Also... along the same lines.... is the network you set up with your desktop through your eithernet connection and the wireless network you set up on a remote laptop (as an example) the same or are they different networks? Reason I ask..... my wireless network that I hookup to on my laptop has a different name than my home network.... even though they are the only two computers in my home... on the home network.....

doctah · Answer

In the Microsoft world - you have 2 kinds of networks. One is Peer to Peer (aka work group). The other is client/server. In most cases, a "home network" is going to be peer to peer (aka work group). If you right click on "my computer", goto properties, and click on "computer name", you'll see the name of your workgroup. This makes life easier when it comes to file and printer sharing.

Your wireless network has what's called an SSID (...no clue what it stands for, but I'm sure you can find it on www.wikipedia.org.) While not technically accurate, you can basically think of the SSID as the name your wireless router uses to identify itself.

So while your laptop might be connecting to an SSID of netgear (or linksys or 2wire3903 or FBICentral - all names of SSID's I can pick up from my bedroom), your workgroup name is probably MSHome or Workgroup (or whatever you call it).

jmwills · Answer

They are the same.

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Network same as Workgroup??

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