Homegroup
The homegroup is a function for creating ad hoc networks in Windows 7 (from Home Premium) up to and including Windows 10 version 1709.
With the homegroup, Microsoft wanted to simplify the set-up of file and printer sharing in typical home networks and relieve the user of tasks such as creating accounts, setting up shares and user rights. Instead, one computer creates a homegroup that other computers on the network can join by entering a password ( pre-shared key ). By default, files and printers are shared within the entire homegroup, but can also only be shared with individual users ( Microsoft account ). Files within a homegroup are indexed by Windows Search by default .
The disadvantage of a homegroup is that the feature is not compatible with older versions of Windows; Windows 7 cannot access shares of older Windows operating systems such as Windows Vista or Windows XP and vice versa under the default settings. The homegroup was considered obsolete in Windows 10 and was removed from the operating system with version 1803.