network username and password

I have never established a networking username and password for my home computers that I know of. I want to share files between my laptop and my new tablet. I have a desktop running Vista, a laptop running Windows 7, and a tablet running Windows 8.1. All this Homegroup and Workgroup stuff has me flummoxed! The desktop running Vista is the computer that the modem and wireless router are connected to. Please help me learn how to import files from my laptop to my tablet. Thanks.

What you are wanting to do is fairly straightforward, but like anything new, seems daunting until you've done it once.

I suggest that you have a read here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/file-sharing-essentials#1TC=windows-7 and here: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/digital-home/3490789/how-share-files-over-network/

Then come back and ask specific questions you might have.

_{I read the articles. I'm not sure file sharing is what I want to do. I just want to import a 3GB folder into my tablet, which has a micro USB port, so I can't use my flash drive. When I open the Network and Sharing Center, then View network computers and devices, I see the tablet. When I try to open the tablet, I am prompted for a Username and Password, which I don't have (or have forgotten). At that point I am stopped.}

It asks for a user name and password, because that is what you have your sharing set as.

Let's see if I can walk you through this.

First, on the computer with the folder that you want to move… right click on the folder and click on Properties.

Now select the sharing tab and click on the Share button.

Type everyone and click add.

Click on the little arrow by everyone and change to read/write and click the Share button at bottom of window.

Click on the Done button at bottom of window.

This will take you back to the properties page.  At the bottom of the page, click on the link to Network and Sharing Center.

Scroll down the page until you get to Password Protected Sharing and click on Turn off password protected sharing.

Click the Save Changes button.

All done.  That should allow you to connect to this computer from your other computer on your network and copy the folder.

It worked! Thanks! The username and password that it kept asking for was the name of the wi-fi network and password. I appreciate the help.

I'm glad you got what you needed.

The username and password would not be the username and password for the wi-fi, unless they just happened to be the same as the username and password of the user that "owns" the share on the computer where the folder existed.  If you read the information where you turned off password and protection sharing, you will see that it says

"When password protection and sharing is on, only people who have a user account and password on this computer can access shared files, printers attached to this computer, and the Public folders."