Can I have a home network including both Vista and XP machines?

Yes, but you will need to make a few name changes.

1. If you are on the Vista machine, go to Start, then Control Panel. Open the Network and Sharing Center.

2. The following settings must be made:

• Network Discovery must be On
• File Sharing must be On
• Public folder sharing must be On
• Printer sharing may be On or Off, depending on the Home Network
• Password protected sharing must be Off
• Media sharing may be On or Off, depending on whether you intend to share music, video, or pictures

3. You must provide the same workgroup name for both operating systems. Remember, Windows XP uses the default “MSHOME” and Vista uses the default “WORKGROUP.” You may use either, or make up your own.

4. Likewise the two operating systems have a different name for the default shared folder. XP uses “Shared Docs” and Vista uses “Public.” You do not need to create a shared folder with the identical name.

In the Help and Support section of the computer you will find additional information pertaining to networking.

NOTE: At times some firewalls can interfere with network access. If you are having issues, please turn off any third party firewalls.