If the Windows 7 HomeGroup feature is having difficulty connecting to other users, your ESET Smart Security Perasonal firewall may be blocking the connection. To allow HomeGroup connectivity, you will need to create rules on every computer protected by the ESET Smart Security firewall on the network.

1. Open the main program window by clicking the ESET icon next to the system clock or by clicking Start → All Programs → ESET → ESET Smart Security.


2. If you see Display: Standard mode in the lower left corner, switch to Advanced mode by clicking Change… or by pressing CTRL + M on your keyboard.


3. Click Setup → Personal firewall in the main menu on the left and then click Switch to interactive filtering mode in the Personal firewall area.
   

   

   Fig. 1-1



4. Attempt to connect to other computers in your HomeGroup. Your ESET Personal firewall will prompt you to allow or deny each connection that is not defined by an existing rule. To create the rules you need, select the Remember action (create rule) option in the dialog window.
   

   

   Fig. 1-2



5. When you have created the rules you need, set the Personal firewall to Automatic mode with exceptions: While in the Advanced mode display, click Setup → Personal firewall (see steps 1-3) and then click Switch to automatic filtering mode with exceptions.
   

   

   Fig. 1-3

The Personal firewall will now function as it would in Automatic mode, while maintaining the specific exceptions (rules) that you defined for problematic applications in Interactive mode. For advanced troubleshooting information on blocked connections in the Personal firewall, click here.

Related:

ESET Smart Security Personal firewall behavior and user interaction (4.0)

ESET Smart Security Personal firewall behavior and user interaction (3.0)

How to activate special logging of the Personal firewall

Why is my application not working correctly with the Automatic Firewall mode set? (3.0)