I have two computers both running Win7sp1. Both are connected via ethernet through an unmanaged 1gbit switch. Each computer also connects via wifi to the internet. The WIFI ROUTER is setup to serve DHCP but I assign static IPs to each machine for port forwarding purposes. The internet works fine, no problems there. The WIFI internet settings for machine #1 is 192.168.1.220 and #2 is 192.168.1.210 subnet is 255.255.255.0 gateway is 192.168.1.1 DNS settings are the ones from my ISP. The goal is to have ALL LOCAL TRAFFIC flow through the "homegroup" through the 1gbit switch. The biggest question I have I guess is, what should my network settings be for the two nic cards. Obviously they have to have separate IP addresses in a different octave (IE 192.168.55.110 -- 192.168.55.120) What should the subnet mask be? Should there be a gateway? and I don't need DNS settings for it I wouldn't think? I can setup the two ethernet cards to connect and ping and even map directly to the IP and share files, but in Network and Sharing Center they always show up as Public. I want to share files between the two machines and have ALL TRAFFIC between the two, routed through the NIC cards. I obviously can do it if I map directly to the IP, but it seems like this "homegroup" thing should let me choose to route through the ethernet connection, but it always tries to setup the homegroup on the wifi adapters, which btw acts funny too. It seems they don't see each other because it never gives me an option on either machine to "join" a homegroup, only to create one. I create a homegroup on one machine and get a password, then the other machine wants to do the same thing, there is no join feature. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

Hi, Before you setting up the Homegroup on both the Windows 7, you need to change the type of the Network to Home. The following link for your reference. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ee431714 http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/features/homegroup.aspx http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/homegroup Follow the Video and article in the link above to set up the Homegroup Thanks.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.