How to leave a workgroup?

[Bill_Bright]

Removing yourself from a Workgroup or changing what Workgroup you are in will not limit anyone's ability to access the shared resources on your computer.

Right. But it could limit what other computers can access on your computer. And that's a good thing.

 

[newtekie1]

Right. But it could limit what other computers can access on your computer. And that's a good thing.

No it won't. It will not limit what anyone can access in your computer. The Workgroup does not control that.

 

[eidairaman1]

You cant. A workgroup is not the same as a home group. workgroup has been around since like windows 98. Home group is what allowed you to share random things with other machines on your network more easily. Workgroup has always existed.

EDIT:: In your case it appears that the underlying services and corresponding registry entries are damaged (this is probably WMI). This is not a good thing, and does not mean you are "ridding yourself of a workgroup" Issues like the one imaged above can cause adverse issues with your machine.

EDIT 2:: you booted into audit mode it seems in which multiple services are disabled so the system can sysprep. That is the reason.



This is also total misinformation.

It has been around since 3.1

 

[johnspack]

He does know that Workgroup is just the default name, and it can be changed right? Also nothing can be shared unless you set up shares and set up passwords right? And this can be used between
windows, linux and macosx right? And unless you set anything up, nothing is accessible on your computer? Networking 101. Sorry....

 

[Regeneration]

You can't disable Workgroups in Windows. Its part of the network stack since Windows 3.11.

Workgroup is used for LAN (computers on the same local network by subnet).

You can disable network discovery and file sharing to remain hidden from other PCs in the local network.

Workgroups isn't used for WAN (computers on the Internet).

If you worry about network security, enable the modem/router firewall and use a 3rd party software firewall.

If you're paranoid, you can disable the entire SMB protocol and NetBIOS from the network adapter settings.

 

[dorsetknob]

Just drop this into the water that flows under the Troll Bridge

Jesus this is all he wanted to know and now its turned into a dogging spot

 

[Frick]

Just drop this into the water that flows under the Troll Bridge

Jesus this is all he wanted to know and now its turned into a dogging spot

Unfortunately it is not that simple. If you read the OP (and the other thread) there is some serious confusion going on regarding, well many things. He basically said they replaced Homegroups with Workgroups.

People, this OP is either a troll, a moron, or a paranoid schizo. Please stop entertaining his drivel.

I already called this out in the previous thread but my post got deleted, because apparently calling a spade a spade is considered rude nowadays.

If by calling someone a spade means seriously suggesting they are schizofrenic or psychotic because they have misunderstood some things, well yes that is pretty hecked rude. I mean I could call you a shitwreck and make the same claim.

I'm learning a lot from the threads, thankd to solaris.

 

[Bill_Bright]

No it won't. It will not limit what anyone can access in your computer. The Workgroup does not control that.

Now you are saying again that any user of any computer on the same network can access your computer even if not in the same workgroup? How?

@dorsetknob - remember, Homegroup and Workgroup are not the same thing.

 

[MrGenius]

FYI there is no Homegroup in Windows 10 since version 1803.
https://www.howtogeek.com/fyi/microsoft-just-removed-homegroups-from-windows-10/

So they did essentially replace Homegroup with Workgroup. Why? Because Homegroup and Workgroup are pretty much the same thing. And having both would be unnecessarily redundant.

 

[newtekie1]

Now you are saying again that any user of any computer on the same network can access your computer even if not in the same workgroup? How?

Because the Workgroup system has no control over sharing. It is just there to group computers to make larger networks easier to navigate, not to control sharing of resources. Windows network sharing permissions are Username and Password based, the Workgroup has nothing to do with permissions.

I'll give you an example using two computers.

Computer1
Computer Name: Computer1
WorkGroup: Workgroup1
IP Address: 192.168.1.100
Username: User1
Password: Password1

Computer2
Computer Name: Computer2
Workgroup: Workgroup2
IP Address: 192.168.1.101
Username: HLJOIJKMOMIOJ
Password: HOJMKOMHOMKIHOIH

Now, we'll say Computer1 is sharing resources, say a printer and a folder containing some files. Computer2 can access all of those shared resources. Type \\192.168.1.100 into Explorer, it will ask you for the username and password of Computer1, after you enter those you get access to the shared resources. The Workgroup has nothing to do with that. You can also type \\Computer1 and get the same thing, again the Workgroup doesn't matter here. This is seriously Windows networking 101. Even if Computer1 has network discovery turned off, it will still show up this way.

Sure, you can say "but you have to know the other computer's IP address or computer name". Yep, and there are an insane number of free network scanners that will give you that information.

 

[Bill_Bright]

The problem with your scenario is you are assuming User 1 on Computer 1 opened up sharing to everyone. When I open up sharing to a fold on my computer, it is only to specific users. But that's me.

Sure, you can say "but you have to know...

Yeah, if you say "if" this and "if" that and "if" this other thing is set up here and that is set up there. But that is a convoluted set of circumstances that must be in place. Entirely possible? Sure. But automatic such that your computer is left wide open to any other computer on that network? No.

In any case, this just demonstrates all the confusion out there.

FYI there is no Homegroup in Windows 10 since version 1803.

As mentioned multiple times in this thread (1) Homegroups and Workgroups are NOT the same thing and (2) yes, we already know W10 no longer supports them. Even adding to your post to say they are "pretty much" the same thing is a stretch. They use totally separate technologies and different network protocols. Homegroups require passwords, workgroups don't. There are many other differences.

But of course and right along with Microsoft's horrible tradition of using similar (or even the exact same) names for different features and programs, it just further confuses the issue with their similar names.

 

[newtekie1]

The problem with your scenario is you are assuming User 1 on Computer 1 opened up sharing to everyone. When I open up sharing to a fold on my computer, it is only to specific users. But that's me.

No, I didn't. Read it again, I'm very clear about the user name being required. Again, like I explained, sharing permissions is username/password based, not Workgroup based.

Again, your original statement was that simply changing the Workgroup you are in somehow limits what a person can access on your computer. That is what is not true and what I'm correcting. Anyone with the necessary user credentials to your computer can access it if they are on the same network regardless of what Workgroup each computer is in.

Yeah, if you say "if" this and "if" that and "if" this other thing is set up here and that is set up there. But that is a convoluted set of circumstances that must be in place. Entirely possible? Sure. But automatic such that your computer is left wide open to any other computer on that network? No.

I never said it was left wide open. Again, I'm only correcting the misinformation, that you posted as well as others, that changing your Workgroup somehow limits access to your computer. It does not in any way. If they have access to your computer when it is in the same Workgroup, they will have the same access to your computer when it is in a different Workgroup.

 

[Regeneration]

Workgroup is just a friendly name for network grouping. PCs from one workgroup can view and access another. It is user/password based.

Every Windows PC must have a unique name and membership for domain OR workgroup.

 

[MrGenius]

This

Even adding to your post to say they are "pretty much" the same thing is a stretch. They use totally separate technologies and different network protocols. Homegroups require passwords, workgroups don't. There are many other differences.

You need one or the other to do the same things = they are pretty much the same thing.

Differences? Yeah...so what? Flour tortillas are different than corn tortillas. But you can put the same shit in either one and get the job done. There's equally no point in getting all hyper-technical about the differences between a homegroup and a workgroup. And IS WHY homegroup is history.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Anyone with the necessary user credentials to your computer can access it if they are on the same network

I agree with this completely and just think we are barking up different sides of the same tree (mostly my fault). In any case, I would not and don't use homegroups or workgroups. There are better, more secure ways to share resources.

This is seriously Windows networking 101. Even if Computer1 has network discovery turned off, it will still show up this way.

I agree but showing up, or being able to see other computers on the network is totally different than gaining access (even Read only access) to the files on that computer. As you noted, you would still have to have the necessary credentials.

Differences? Yeah...so what? Flour tortillas are different than corn tortillas.

So what? Because flour tortillas are totally different than corn. Stuff meat in a rolled up flour tortilla, smother in sauce and cheese and you got a burrito. Stuff it in a corn tortilla and smother in sauce and cheese and you got an enchilada. Surely you see the difference?

 

[newtekie1]

As you noted, you would still have to have the necessary credentials.

Yep, and that is the main point I'm making, access to shared resources is governed by credentials, not Workgroups in any way.

 

[R-T-B]

Now you are saying again that any user of any computer on the same network can access your computer even if not in the same workgroup? How?

by ip with a valid username and password?

Workgroup is really just a logical grouping. That's all.

Because Homegroup and Workgroup are pretty much the same thing.

No, they aren't.

You need one or the other to do the same things

No, you don't. I can share files to another system without being a member of the same workgroup or a homegroup.

I can be in a workgroup and have no file shares.

I can't do that with a homegroup as the whole idea is different.

Homegroups were introduced for small file sharing scenarios. NASes killed them, not redundancy.

 

[Frick]

Homegroups were introduced for small file sharing scenarios. NASes killed them, not redundancy.

I always had a vague idea it had to do with the SMB 1.0 deprecition. Is NASes really used as a substitute for networking these days? I mean it makes sense, but I never thought about it up to now.

 

[R-T-B]

I always had a vague idea it had to do with the SMB 1.0 deprecition. Is NASes really used as a substitute for networking these days? I mean it makes sense, but I never thought about it up to now.

Not for networking but for small office/home sharing people will go NAS way before trying homegroup.

Technically homegroup can work with SMB2+. MS had no interest though.