HomeGroup? Workgroup? How's this possible?

Hello: My first post as a new member concerns a networking question.

I have a desktop machine at home running XP MCE 2005. It is connected to a Belkin My Essentials wireless router.

Two nights ago, I brought a friend's new Win 7 Home Premium laptop to my house, to mess around and explore Win 7 for the first time.

The laptop found my wireless network immediately. When it "asked," I selected Home as the network type.

I was then able to access my desktop's shared folders on the XP machine instantly.

My questions are:

1. How is that possible, since they have two DIFFERENT workgroup names? Or does the new HomeGroup feature override that somehow? (the Network and Sharing Center said I had joined a HomeGroup).

2. If it somehow did override those two different workgroup settings, how is THAT possible? With my LIMITED understanding of Win 7 and HomeGroup, I thought that HomeGroup only works with Win 7 machines, not machines with different O/S.

What am I missing here?

Thanks very much!!


Lucky

Thanks for your reply! Yes and Yes, to the questions you asked.

I am interested in learning about Win 7 and why/how this "event" is even possible!? Everything I have read about 7 so far (and the LITTLE I know about networking) led me to think that computers in different workgroups could not access each other (and that HomeGroups ONLY work for networked Win 7 PCs)?

Not a huge issue - I just like to understand things : - )

Thanks again,

Lucky

P.S. heading out for a few hours......

Thanks again. With my limited understanding, I didn't think ANYONE could get to the shares unless they were part of the same workgroup. I'm not too concerned about the security, because I am the only one in the house using the network. I have my XP laptop set up to get to the desktop shares, but I was shocked when the new computer of the group (friend's borrowed Win 7 laptop) was able to "sneak" right in so easily....