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Javier

I am trying to add a shared folder on my Mac server to be accessible to my Windows PCs. I see that it is only possible, according to your blog post, if the PCs are in the same workgroup domain. Will changing the workgroup domain on my Mac server disrupt any other settings on my Mac network? Also- I plan on doing this because I want to get rid of my Windows server completely, how will getting rid of the Windows Server affect the connectivity to the shared folder on the Mac?

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

There is no such thing as a workgroup domain. You have either a workgroup or a network domain (like those used in Enterprise networks).

If you remove a Windows Server why should it impact your Mac server? I really don’t see any reason why your Mac server setup will stop functioning after you remove the Windows Server.

Fuxian Gong

Hi,
I want my Mac to get access to shared folders in domain. So when setting with the name of my workgroup on Mac, what is that with respect to domain? Using domain’s name to fill in my Mac’s workgroup name?

Lyn

Setting up a network from Window 7 comuter to MacBook Air 11 did not work using your guidance.

DB

This does not work. If you go back and check the Workgroup name reverts back to Workgroup. Sharing works without changing the Worgroup name.

Lam Huynh

Thank you for your instruction. I managed to have my Macbook share folder to my Windows PC. The problem is, I only select one folder in Shared Folders area, but it shared everything, that folder, the entired Macintosh HD and the attached drive. How can I limited it to share only the one I chose?

Christopher Panny

I know this is an old post, but I wanted to share something that works to solve this problem of getting the workgroup name to stick in the Network preferences. I have an iMac 2019 running Mojave and a Dell pc with Windows 10. Both have the latest updates installed. On the mac, go into the sys preferences > network > advanced> wins. Enter the new workgroup name. Down under the WINS Servers, click the + sign and enter the IP address of the Windows 10 machine. Click OK to close the Advanced window. In the bottom right of the Network window, click the Apply button. That should get it to accept the new workgroup name and also make the Mac show up in Windows Explorer under Network. On my Windows machine, I now see both computers.

Gwyneth Llewelyn

Fantastic! It’s *so* weird, but it works for macOS Catalina 10.15.3 as well!

Julia Truchsess

Thank you so much, I spent 2-1/2 hours today rebooting everything and this solved the problem immediately.

Gwyneth Llewelyn

… and it’s still working under Big Sur (I’m currently running 11.3 Beta (20E5186d)).

It’s so stupid that you have to resort to these kinds of ‘tricks’ to allow macOS to save your workgroup. One would think that they’d fixed that behaviour by now!

Then again, I suppose that this only makes sense if you have at least one machine in your network which is not running macOS/iOS/iPadOS — it would be pointless to configure it otherwise.

On the other hand, I wonder if I could hack /etc/nsmb.conf to make those settings permanent…

Ahky

OMG Thank You!

Tomatowave

Thanks for the article! Is there a way to remove a workgroup? Somehow a workgroup formed in my computer and I cannot get rid of it. Any information is greatly appreciated!