My Network Places
Encyclopedia
In the Microsoft Windows
operating systems, My Network Places is the network browser
feature in Windows Explorer
from Windows XP
, Windows Server 2003
, Windows 2000
, and Windows Me
onwards. It superseded Network Neighborhood in Windows 95
, Windows NT 4.0
and Windows 98
.
Users are frequently confused by the differences between My Network Places, Workgroup Computers (the former Network Neighborhood) and Network Connections. Windows Vista
fixes this ambiguity by introducing a redesigned network browser, which was named simply on the desktop as Network.
It shows shortcuts
to servers that the user has been to before, which by default is placed in a folder called NetHood, found in the user's user profile
. This default location can be changed by modifying the pair of NetHood registry
entries found under the registry keys HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders.
In a workgroup of fewer than 32 computers, the list of network destinations in My Network Places is generated by one of the computers on the network, which has been designated "browse master
" (sometimes called "master browser"). The browse-master is elected by system strength. Sometimes when similar systems are connected to a network, there might be a conflict between browse-masters with unexpected consequences, such as the disappearance of the list altogether or some system becoming unreachable. A system can be forced to decline browse-master status by disabling the Computer Browser service and rebooting.
In a workgroup of 32 computers or more, the shortcuts are created automatically when the user opens a shared network resource, such as a printer or shared folder.
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
operating systems, My Network Places is the network browser
Network browser
A network browser is a tool used to browse a computer network. An example of this is My Network Places . An actual program called Network Browser is offered in Mac OS 9....
feature in Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer
This article is about the Windows file system browser. For the similarly named web browser, see Internet ExplorerWindows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface...
from Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft, introduced on 24 April 2003. An updated version, Windows Server 2003 R2, was released to manufacturing on 6 December 2005...
, Windows 2000
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
, and Windows Me
Windows Me
Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows Me , is a graphical operating system released on September 14, 2000 by Microsoft, and was the last operating system released in the Windows 9x series. Support for Windows Me ended on July 11, 2006....
onwards. It superseded Network Neighborhood in Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
, Windows NT 4.0
Windows NT 4.0
Windows NT 4.0 is a preemptive, graphical and business-oriented operating system designed to work with either uniprocessor or symmetric multi-processor computers. It was the next release of Microsoft's Windows NT line of operating systems and was released to manufacturing on 31 July 1996...
and Windows 98
Windows 98
Windows 98 is a graphical operating system by Microsoft. It is the second major release in the Windows 9x line of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on 15 May 1998 and to retail on 25 June 1998. Windows 98 is the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid...
.
Users are frequently confused by the differences between My Network Places, Workgroup Computers (the former Network Neighborhood) and Network Connections. Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
fixes this ambiguity by introducing a redesigned network browser, which was named simply on the desktop as Network.
It shows shortcuts
Computer shortcut
A file shortcut in Microsoft Windows is a small file containing a target URI or GUID to an object, or the name of a target program file that the shortcut represents. The shortcut might additionally specify parameters to be passed to the target program when it is run. Each shortcut can have its own...
to servers that the user has been to before, which by default is placed in a folder called NetHood, found in the user's user profile
User profile
A user profile is a collection of personal data associated to a specific user. A profile refers therefore to the explicit digital representation of a person's identity...
. This default location can be changed by modifying the pair of NetHood registry
Windows registry
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user...
entries found under the registry keys HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders.
In a workgroup of fewer than 32 computers, the list of network destinations in My Network Places is generated by one of the computers on the network, which has been designated "browse master
Browser service
Browser service or Computer Browser Service is a feature of Microsoft Windows to let users easily browse and locate shared resources in neighboring computers. This is done by aggregating the information in a single computer 'Browse Master'...
" (sometimes called "master browser"). The browse-master is elected by system strength. Sometimes when similar systems are connected to a network, there might be a conflict between browse-masters with unexpected consequences, such as the disappearance of the list altogether or some system becoming unreachable. A system can be forced to decline browse-master status by disabling the Computer Browser service and rebooting.
In a workgroup of 32 computers or more, the shortcuts are created automatically when the user opens a shared network resource, such as a printer or shared folder.