network win7 starter PC to to existing network containing 3 win XP PC's

sorry about the long post but i don't know of any other way to get these questions answered. i have had for some time a home network consisting of 3 desktops(all with win XP) and they share a common printer. i just recently got a laptop with win 7 starter with wireless internet con. i would like to network the new laptop with win7 starter to my existing win XP network but windows 7 starter says i can't without spending some more $$ with microsoft.
in win 7, to to control panel > homegroup > introducing homegroup. it says, "you can't create your own homegroup with this edition but you can join one created by someone on your network who is running win 7 home premium, . . . ."

questions: (1) does this statement mean that if i bought the full-blown ver (home premium), i could then install it on one of the three computers and create a homegroup and then be able to share files and printer with the laptop that contains win7 starter ? ? (2) (keeping in mind i need to network all 4 computers and the printer) would i have to install the win 7 home premium on all three of the computers or could i just install it on one and leave the other two with XP. (3) to install home premium on all three, would i have to puchase a license for each pc or would i be able to install it on all three for the same nickel. (4) i also notice i could upgrade the win7 starter to home prem for about $65 depending on where i buy it. if i bought the upgrade and installed it on the laptop, could i then create a homegroup that would allow sharing of all 4 pc's and the printer ?

i did do a forum search, found several that were close, but nothing that would help

i'm just looking for the cheapest way to network everything together - if anyone can think of a better way than what i'm considering, i'm all ears.


any help app

 

Homegroup is a Win 7 specific networking feature. Only computers running Win 7 can be included in a homegroup.
To allow your Win 7 netbook in your existing "network", you need to match the workgroup name, allow specific folders to be accessed by the netbook and possibly have the same username and password as an account on the netbook.
The printer would have to be added to the netbook also. (Essentially everything done to get the XP machines to share would need to be done to the netbook.)

Unless you want to upgrade all machines to Win 7 at the same time, don't upgrade the netbook to a higher level of Win 7.

 

tks 4 reply, while the info does help, i've made some progress but am not out of the woods yet. i'm to this point:
if i go to any one of the xp computers on my existing network, and view all the computers on the network, i can see all the other xp computers on the network INCLUDING THE LAPTOP WITH WIN 7. This was possible only after i changed workgroup name so they were alll the same. the issue now is i can't see the xp network FROM THE WIN 7 LAPTOP. when i go to and open up "network", all i can see is the win 7 laptop itself and some other things (media devices, network infrastructure, and "other devices"
[none of which shows the other 3 xp pc's on the network).
some points of note:
1. from the windows 7 laptop - when i open network and sharing center > change adapter settings > there are two options i can select:
a. local area connection - this is a rectangular box and within the box it has a big red X and says
"network cable unplugged. i don't understand why this would be significant since the laptop is on a wireless connection
b. wireless network connection- shows the name of my wireless connection and if i click on this box it simply shows my wireless connection status.
2. when i open the troubleshooter an select shared folders - there is a message box which says "your broadband modem is experiencing connectivity issues. it suggests to reset my modem. i have done this several times- THIS DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM (i dont believe there's a problem with my modem, or the other three pc's would not be online.
network discovery is turned on
file and print sharing is on
public folder sharing is on
enable file sharing. . . 4o or 56 bit encryption (is selected)
password protected sharing is off
allow win to manage homegroup connection (is checked)
one last observation - there was one time early on, when i first began this endeavor, that i was able to see the network system (3 computers + printer) from the win 7 laptop. i had to leave, turned the pc off and have never seen the xp network again. i've exhausted everything in the old trick bag.
ANY help (from anyone) would be most app

 

got er done. can now see entire network from the win7 laptop. was just a matter of assigning the same workgroup name to all computers and to the win7 laptop.
many thanks
5string