Homegroup file and printer sharing

Hi

I am very green about all this side of things. I have created a homegroup in windows 7 which works both ways (between laptop and desktop) if I turn off strict protection in ESS on my laptop.

I have also marked some folders in windows on my desktop PC to be shared with the homegroup (both read and write).

Is this safe? Or should I configure it a different way.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

It is fine to allow sharing/disable strict protection on your own network.

 

OK thanks but another stupid question. What does 'on my own network' mean?

Does that mean any computer attached to the internet through my own router? The internet is obviously very public and I connect to that. Does ESS apply different rules to that external connection?