networking to a windows 10 machine from my windows 7 machine, and back

ok, so a couple of weeks back Windows 7 and 10 did a large update. Since then my network between my windows 7 machine ( primary ), Windows 10 Laptop and my Kdlinks Media player has basically disappeared. Under Networks in Windows 7 it showed up as officepc\my name, traveler for the laptop plus Saturn for the media player. All gone. Very odd. All I see now is officepc which goes nowhere.

So, I hear that this file sharing can be done without a homegroup at all. True??? if so , how please.

Homegroup has been removed from Windows 10 so it can't be used you have to use workgroups. So all of need to be in the same workgroups NetBIOS needs to be installed disable ipv6 as it's not used. Make sure network is set to private and discovery is on. It can take 30 mins for all devices to show up

samuria said:

It can take 30 mins for all devices to show up

That would explain a lot. Very helpful information.

So, what you are saying is that when I heat up my equipment in the late morning, I cant network for 1/2 hour. Well done Microsoft!! Yikes.
Are there instructions from Microsoft how to do this; and where is NetBIOS and ipv6 located.

ok, been trying. Checked NETBIOS on both machines ; 7 machine turned on but not the 10 machine. Fixed that. ipv6 disables on both machines now.
Also went and made sure that the workgroup names were the same. they weren't. fixed that and rebooted. Now waiting for something to happen.

It's only NetBIOS that takes time to register with the master browser you can map drives etc by using IP straight away and just mapping a drive can force the update

Ok; here is some good news; came home from a short outing and checked both machines. The windows 7 machine was the same until I did a page refresh. Now I see the laptop and the media player and see into both.

Windows 10 laptop is the same. Tried to open officepc which was always there but it wants me to enter network credentials which I don't want to do plus I am not sure of the password it wants. Getting better though. Still cant see the media player from the laptop at all.