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What Is 'My Network Places' in Microsoft Windows?
Browse network resources such as printers, shared files, and weblinks
By Bradley Mitchell Bradley Mitchell Writer Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Illinois An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 17, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Find 'My Network Places' Search for Network Resources Add a Network Place Remove Network Places View Network Connections Summary My Network Places is a feature of Windows XP and older versions of Microsoft Windows that's used to browse network resources. Network resources in Windows include shared file folders on other computers, networked local printers, and URLs. Windows XP has been discontinued since April 2014. Update to Windows 10 to ensure that you receive the most up-to-date security and feature updates. We retain this historical content for people who cannot upgrade Windows. Where to Find My Network Places
My Network Places in Windows XP can be accessed from the Windows Start menu (or through My Computer). Launching My Network Places opens a new window on the screen. Through this window, you can add, search for, and remotely access these network resources. My Network Places replaced the Network Neighborhood utility found in Windows 98 and older Windows operating systems. My Network Places also offers additional functionality not available through Network Neighborhood. Search for Network Resources
Through My Network Places, Windows searches for shared network files, printers, and other resources present on your local network. For example, use My Network Places to confirm that each computer set up on a home network can see the other computers. To browse the list of available network resources, choose the Entire Network option in the left pane of My Network Places. Then, in the right pane, several options may appear for the kinds of networks available to browse. Choose the Microsoft Windows Network option to browse resources available locally. Each local computer found in My Network Places is listed under its Windows workgroup name. In home networks, all computers should be set to use the same Windows workgroup, otherwise, they will not be accessible through My Network Places. Add a Network Place
The Add a network place option can be found on the left side of the My Network Places control window. Selecting this option starts a Windows wizard that guides you through the steps to define a network resource. Here you can specify the location of the resource by entering a URL or a remote computer or folder name in the Windows UNC format. The Add a Network Place wizard allows you to give descriptive names to the resources you add. When the wizard completes its setup, an icon similar to a Windows shortcut icon appears in the resource list. Along with the resources you manually add to My Network Places, Windows sometimes automatically adds other resources to the list. These are places on the local network you frequently access. Remove Network Places
Removing a network resource from the My Network Places list works as in Windows Explorer. The icon representing any network resource can be deleted as if it were a local shortcut. During a delete operation, no action is taken on the resource. View Network Connections
The My Network Places task pane contains an option to view network connections. Choosing this option launches the Windows Network Connections window. This is technically a separate feature from My Network Places. Summary
My Network Places is a standard feature of Windows XP and Windows 2000. My Network Places finds network resources. It also supports creating descriptively named shortcuts for network resources. My Network Places can be a useful troubleshooting tool in situations where two local networked devices cannot communicate with each other. Resources that don't appear in the Microsoft Windows Network may be networked improperly. Resources will not appear in My Network Places for any of the following reasons: Firewall interferenceWorkgroup namingTCP/IP address settingsOther Windows software settings Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Is a Mapped Drive? Sharing OS X 10.5 Files With Windows XP How to Install the Client for Microsoft Networks Connecting a PC to a Wireless Home Network Using Workgroups in Computer Networking A Brief History of Microsoft Windows How to Share Internet Access How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 11 Task Manager (What It Is & How to Use It) Windows 7: Editions, Service Packs, Licenses, and More What to Do When Windows 11 Can't Connect to a Network Network File Sharing in Microsoft Windows Fixing Network Path Not Found Errors in Windows How to Find Your Default Gateway IP Address How to Add a Printer to Windows 10 How to Disable the Windows Firewall in Windows Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies