Windows 7: Computer and Media Devices - Network Categories

Does anyone know why in my Network screen, my actual machine is noted as a Media Device, whereas the other machines on my network comes under Computer?

The other machines's Workgroup is WORKGROUP, amd the actual machine's workgroup is Unidentified Network.

Does your computer show up as a Computer as well as a Media Device?

It's showing up as a Media Device as you have media sharing switched on. I'm not a Media expert, but would imagine this is through Media Player or Windows Media Centre.

If it is showing up as a Media Centre but not as a Computer, I would imagine that you have either got Network Discovery set not to auto-discover, apart from media devices. Or, a software firewall installed that is blocking browsing computers, but allowing media sharing.

IIRC media sharing is a Homegroup setting.

Yes it is

Nope, it's just under Media Devices. All my media streaming was set to Allow. I tested setting them to All disabled and the machine is not listed at all.

What location have you got your network connection set to? i.e. Public, Work, or Home?

Tom

Also, as another thought - have you got iTunes or something similar installed on your machine?

I've known the iTunes service to cause a machine to display as a media device in network browsing before.

Tom

I hate testing settings, now my machine is show in both categories.

Home - Pictures, Music, Videos and Printers ticket.

itunes removed.

Showing in both categories is normal. This isn't a problem.

Your machine is acting as a computer for sharing files etc accross the network, but also has media device sharing capability - hence it is showing under both categories. I wouldn't worry too much about this.

Both of my Windows 7 machines show up under both categories and it doesn't bother me even though I don't use them at all for any media work.