How to Set Up a Network Between Computers

Article

How to connect two computers to each other using a network cable with RJ-45 connectors? In a particular case, this question may sound like this: how to configure a local network between a laptop and a desktop computer?

How to Set Up a Network Between Computers

The reasons for connecting computers to a network can be very different. The need for access from one PC to the files and folders of another computer, the desire to combine a laptop and an old stationary device or just for network games. Consider the situation for various operating systems. In this case, we need to have both computers installed network cards (in the vast majority of devices they are by default), as well as network cable with RJ-45 connectors at the ends.

How to set up a local area network between two Windows XP computers through an RJ-45 network cable

Make sure that you are logged into Windows with administrator rights, the computers have network cards, and they are connected by cable. If everything is OK, go to configure the network card.

  • Open Start Control Panel Network connections.
  • We find LAN connection and right-click open Properties.
  • In the list, select Internet Protocol TCP / IP and open again Properties.
  • In the window that opens, select Use the following IP address and enter the local address of our computer 192.168.1.1 (the last number can be any from 0 to 255). Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0.

We do the same procedure on the second computer, indicating the IP address, for example, 192.168.1.2. Then you need to make sure that the devices are in the same workgroup.

  • On the desktop, right-click on the shortcut My computer and choose Properties (WinBreak or WinPause key combination).
  • In the window that opens System properties select the tab Computer name and Edit. Computers must have the same workgroup, for example WORKGROUP, but different names on the network.
  • We save the changes and restart the computers.

You can check if a connection has been established between two PCs using the ping command. Open the command line: Start Run cmd and click OK. Enter the command ping 192.168.1.2 (here we indicate the IP of the second computer). If packets are successfully transmitted, the network is configured.

Setting up a LAN between two Windows 7 PCs

When working with Windows 7 on two computers, you must immediately specify the same workgroup, as is the case with XP.

  • On the desktop, right-click on the shortcut My computer and choose Properties (WinBreak or WinPause key combination).
  • In the window that opens System properties select the tab Computer name and Edit. Computers must have the same workgroup, for example WORKGROUP, but different names on the network.
  • We save the changes and restart the computers.

After that, the operating system itself must make all the add-ons and identify the network, if this does not happen, you will have to perform several more steps. Open Start Control Panel Network and Internet Network Management Center Change adapter settings and in the necessary connection settings, set the IP address of the computer similarly to the previous instructions for Win XP.

Configuring a network between computers running Windows 7 and Windows XP

Above we examined the network setup between computers with the same operating systems, but what if, for example, you need to connect a laptop with Windows 7 to a desktop PC with Windows XP? First, we carry out actions already familiar to us: we set the same work groups and indicate the names of computers (always in Latin characters and without spaces).

To open access to the files and folders of one PC to another, you need to right-click on the desired folder (or logical drive) and select General access. In section Specific users open access.

To log in from Win XP to Win 7 you will need to accept a user account “sevens”. If the account does not have a password, you will have to set it.

You may also need to do the following: Network and Sharing Center go to advanced sharing options, where to set “the right ones” setting values.

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Good day!

Oh, if in the 90s of the last century a computer was a luxury, now many people have not only one, but several computers / laptops.

If you connect computers to a local network (in which there will even be only 2 devices), you can get undeniable advantages:

  • The ability to open files located on another PC, work with them, etc. Now you do not need to run back and forth with a flash drive or disk;
  • The ability to make a network printer (scanner, CD / DVD drive, etc.), and use it from all PCs on the local network;
  • The ability to play network games (this is a separate and most interesting opportunity, which can be talked about for a long time).

In this article I wanted to consider building a home local network (and its settings), which will be useful to all novice users.

I’ll go along the path of step-by-step analysis, I’ll start with the question of connecting one PC to another, then I will consider setting up Windows, and how, in fact, to share (make available for the local network) folders, printers, etc.

Home LAN options

When creating a home local network, most often, two options are used:

  1. Connect two computers (PC with laptop, PC with PC, etc.) using a cable (it is often called a twisted pair cable);
  2. Acquire special. “A box”called a Wi-Fi router (# 128526;). Using a network cable, they connect PCs to the router, and laptops, phones, tablets and other devices get Internet access via Wi-Fi (the most popular option today).

Option No. 1: connection of 2 PCs using twisted pair

Pros : simplicity and cheapness (you need 2 things: a network card, and a network cable); providing a sufficiently high speed that not every router is able to give out a smaller number of radio waves in the room.

Minuses : excess wires create confusion, get in the way; after reinstalling the Windows OS. You need to configure the network again; so that Internet access is on the second PC (2), the first PC (1). Must be included.

What is necessary : so that each PC has a network card, network cable. If you plan to connect more than 2 PCs to a local network (or to have one PC connected to the Internet, and simultaneously be on the local network). One of the PC should have 2-3 or more network cards.

In general, if both PCs have network cards, and you have a network cable (also called an Ethernet cable), then connecting them using it is not difficult. I think there is nothing special to consider here.

Two laptops connected by cable

Another important point!

Network cables for sale are different: not only in color and length # 128076 ;. The fact is that there are cables for connecting the computer to the computer, but there are those that are used to connect the PC to the router.

For our task you need a cross-over network cable (or a cable that has been cross-crimped. Who calls it here).

Twisted pair / network cable

In general, if two PCs are turned on, they are working, you connected them with a cable (the LEDs on the network cards blinked), the network icon next to the clock stopped displaying a red X. It means the PC found the network and is waiting for its settings. This is what we will do in the second section of this article.

Option No. 2: connecting 2-3 or more PCs using a router

Pros : most devices: phones, tablets, laptops, etc. Will gain access to a Wi-Fi network; fewer wires “underfoot”after reinstalling Windows. Internet will work.

Minuses : purchase of a router (after all, some models are far from cheap); “complex” device setup; The radio waves of the router can affect health, higher ping and hangs (if the router does not cope with the load).

What is necessary : router (usually comes with a network cable to connect one PC to it).

With connection Routers, as a rule, also have no big problems: the cable coming from the Internet provider is connected to the special. Router connector (it is often called. “Internet”), and to other connectors (“LAN ports”) local PCs are connected.

How to connect and configure a new Wi-Fi router yourself. Instructions with pictures

Those. The router becomes an intermediary (an approximate diagram is shown in the screenshot below. By the way, the modem on the right may not be in this diagram, it all depends on your Internet connection).

The scheme of connecting to the Internet through a router

By the way, pay attention to the LEDs on the router case: when you connect the Internet cable from the provider, from the local PC. They should light up and blink.

In general, setting up a Wi-Fi router is a separate big topic, and for each router, the instructions will be slightly different. Therefore, it is hardly possible to give universal recommendations in a single article.

The main task after that is to set up a Wi-Fi connection and access to the Internet. But since this article is about a local network, I’m not focusing on this.

LAN settings (Windows 7, 8, 10)

Note: all settings are relevant for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10.

Name of computer and workgroup

It is relevant for connecting through a router, and directly.

Allegory: each person has his own name, surname, middle name, date of birth, city, etc. There are absolutely no two identical people. Also in the network. There should not be computers with the same name.

The first thing to do when setting up your local network is to check and configure workgroup name and computer name. Over, you need to do this on each computer on the local network!

To find the computer name, open # 128073; Windows Control Panel at:

Next, make sure of the following:

  1. PC name and slave. The group must be in Latin;
  2. Each PC / laptop in the local network must have its own unique name (for example: PC1, PC2, PC3);
  3. Each pc / laptop should have same working group (e.G. WORKGROUP).

To change the name and workgroup. Click “Change Settings”.

Computer Name, Workgroup

Next click “Edit” , enter the new computer name and workgroup. Save the settings and restart the computer (see the screen below with tips).

Change workgroup and PC name

In general, when you bring all the names in accordance with the requirements above, you can proceed to the next configuration step.

Enabling printer and folder sharing

It is relevant for connecting through a router, and directly.

This innovation appeared in Windows 7, supposedly provides greater security for the OS (purely in my opinion, only creates the need for additional configuration of the local network).

The bottom line is that by default, Windows blocks and does not allow access to open and share folders, a printer, etc., until it “softened” Security policy.

To remove this lock and enable sharing, you need to:

    First open the Windows Control Panel: Control Panel \ Network and Internet \ Network and Sharing Center. Next, open the link in the menu on the left “Change add. Sharing options”.

Change add. Sharing options

  • Then, in turn, go to three tabs: private, guest and all networks. In each of them you need to set certain parameters. Let’s go through each.
  • In the tab private , you need to put the sliders in front of the items: enable network discovery, enable file and printer sharing, allow Windows to manage home group connections (as in the screenshot below).

    • Next, open the tab guest room , in it you need: enable network discovery, enable file and printer sharing (example in the screenshot below # 128071;).

    Next, open the tab all networks , there you need to: disable sharing, use 128-bit encryption, disable sharing with password protection. Next, save the settings and restart the PC.

    Configure IP addresses, DNS, masks, gateways

    1) For a network organized using a router

    In general, for PCs connected to the local network using a router, you usually do not need to configure anything (everything works by default). If something is wrong, just in case, I recommend going in and checking the connection properties.

    To do this, you must first open “network connections”. This is done simply:

    1. First open the window “Run”. Combination of buttons Winr ;
    2. Then enter the command ncpa.Cpl and press Enter (works in all versions of Windows 7, 8, 10).

    Ncpa.Cpl. View all network connections

    Next open LAN connection properties. (for this, simply click on the connection with the right mouse button. In the pop-up menu select the required one, see the screen below).

    LAN Connection Properties

    Next open IP Version 4 Properties (TCP / IPv4) and check if it is worth getting the IP and DNS addresses automatically. If this is not the case, set it to automatic, save the settings.

    Setting IP, DNS, gateway

    2) To connect a PC to a PC via a network cable

    PC 1

    By PC 1, I mean a computer that has two network cards: the provider’s Internet cable is connected to one of them, and the local network cable to PC 2 is connected to the second.

    And so, open the properties of the network connection on the local network (how to do this. See a little higher in the article).

    Next, open IP Version 4 Properties (TCP / IPv4) and enter:

    1. IP Address: 192.168.0.1;
    2. Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 (see screen below);
    3. Save the settings.

    Pc 2

    AT IP Version 4 Properties (TCP / IPv4) second PC, you need to set the following parameters:

    1. IP Address: 192.168.0.2,
    2. Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0;
    3. Main gateway: 192.168.0.1;
    4. Preferred DNS server: 192.168.0.1 (see screen below);
    5. Save the settings.

    # 128073; Actually Direct LAN setup is complete. Now you can start the most interesting thing. Sharing and using shared resources of the local network. Actually, to what we were going.

    Sharing Internet access on a second PC

    Actual for PCs connected directly to a LAN cable.

    You need to configure PC 1 (i.E., the one to which we have connected the provider’s Internet cable).

    First open network connections : click the combination Winr , introduce ncpa.Cpl , Further Enter.

    Ncpa.Cpl. View all network connections

    Next, go to internet connection properties (to do this, right-click on it).

    Internet connection properties

    Next, open the tab “Access” , and check the box next to “Allow other network users to use the Internet connection of this computer”. Save the settings.

    Allow other users to access the Internet

    If everything is done correctly. The Internet will be on both computers.

    Sharing folders / files for sharing

    1) Immediately get down to business: open the explorer, and right-click on the folder you want to share (that is, give access to it to all users on the local network). Next, in the menu, select: share / individuals.

    2) Next, choose “All” users, and press the add button.

    3) Set the resolution: read or read and write.

    • Reading is allowed: users will only be able to copy your files to themselves (neither delete nor modify. They will not!);
    • Reading and writing are allowed: LAN users will have full control over files in folders: they can delete all files, change any of them, etc. # 128073; In general, I would not recommend providing such access to important and large folders (for transferring files, it is better to have a separate folder to which you give full access).

    Read or write

    4) Next, check the user rights again and press the button “Share this” (need administrator rights).

    5) After a few seconds, Windows will inform you that the folder has been opened for public access. So everything went well.

    6) To access the folder:

    1. Open the conductor;
    2. Then open the tab “Network” (left, bottom of window);
    3. Open computer name , on which the folder was shared. As you can see, in the screenshot below. It is shared, you can go into it and start copying (reading) any files.

    Check / folder is shared / now everyone can copy files from it

    Sharing a printer (shared network printer)

    1) The first thing to do is open the control panel:

    2) Next, right-click on the printer to which you want to give access and make a network. In the popup context menu. Open the properties.

    3) Then open the tab “Access” and check “Sharing this printer”. Save the settings (see screen below).

    Actually, the printer is now shared and it can be used by other PCs / laptops / tablets and other devices on the local network.

    How to share a printer

    4) To connect a network printer, open conductor , select computer name , on which the printer is shared. Next you should see it: click on it right click and select the option in the menu connecting.

    How to connect a network printer

    5) Then you can open any document, press CtrlP (Fay / Print), and try to print a page to a friend.

    Regarding the setup of a local network printer. I recommend that you read one of my previous articles

    Source

    Microsoft Corporation, starting with Windows Vista, has greatly changed the security policy of its systems relative to the local network. The operating system seemed new, some too complicated, and therefore many could not figure out how to open access to files on the computer. Today we will analyze how this is done using the example of Windows 8.1, but in Vista and 7 there is a similar system, and the difference is not fundamental. The local network can also be used for the subsequent creation of a DLNA network, which will combine all the multimedia devices of a house or apartment, or a WebDAV server for exchanging files with a phone or tablet.

    In my opinion, this is very convenient when without additional movements you can play a movie from a computer, laptop or even a phone on a large TV screen or listen to your favorite music from your phone, on the speaker system without connecting additional wires, although a Wi-Fi router is already needed here. But let’s move on to setting up the local network.

    instruction is available here.

    Step-by-step instruction

    1. For the normal functioning of the local network, all computers on this network must be in the same workgroup; for the home network, take MSHOME. To install it, we need to go along the following path: open the “Control Panel”. “System and Security”. “System” (you can also right-click on the “Computer” icon on the desktop and select “Properties” or the key combination “Win” Pause / Break “). In the window that opens, in the left column, select “Advanced system settings.”

    In the window that opens, go to the “Computer Name” tab and click the “Change” button. A dialog box opens in which we need to record a new working group. We register MSHOME (all in capital letters) and click OK. Close the system parameters by pressing the OK button and restart the computer.

    Further it is desirable to configure a permanent IP for both computers. To do this, go to “Control Panel”. “Network and Internet”. “Network and Sharing Center”. In the left part of the “Change adapter settings” window. Select a network card, right-click and click “Properties”.

    Before completing this item, read the notes below the screenshot. Select “Internet Protocol Version 4” and click “Properties”, fill as shown in the picture.

    P.S. If your local network is organized through a router with the DHCP server turned on. The IP address, the Main gateway and DNS servers can be left in automatic mode. This action must be done if you have two computers connected directly or DHCP is disabled on the router.

    P.P.S. The IP address must be different on computers within the same LAN. That is, for this computer we specify IP 192.168.0.7, and for the next one it is already 192.168.0.8.

    Next, we need to configure the visibility of the computer within the local network. To do this, go to “Control Panel”. “Network and Internet”. “Network and Sharing Center”. In the left part of the window, select “Change additional sharing options” and we will see profiles of shared settings. Here your task is that in all profiles you must enable “network discovery”, and “file and printer sharing”, and “sharing so that network users can read and write files in shared folders”, as well as “Disable sharing with password protection.” Click save changes.

    At this point, we start working with the folders that we will share with the network. I will tell you by the example of one folder, but you can open access to the entire local disk in a similar scenario.
    First we need to share the folder. It should be borne in mind that if the network is not limited to two computers (for example, some providers (Beeline) conduct Internet to apartments based on one large local network), it makes sense not to give the right to change the contents of the folder; if you are confident in computers included in the local network, feel free to give “Full access”. So, open the properties of the folder we need, for this, right-click on the folder and select “Properties”, open the “Access” tab and click on the “Advanced Settings.” button.

    In the window that opens, check the box “Share this folder”, press the “Permissions” button and give the necessary rights to the folder; Since this is an example, I give full access to the folder, but you put it at your discretion. That’s what I did:

    Click OK to accept the changes, just click OK in the “Advanced sharing settings” window, then in the folder properties go to the “Security” section and click the “Change” button.

    Click the “Add” button, in the window that opens, write “Everything” (without quotes) and click OK.

    We select our new group in the window and give it full access at the bottom of the window.

  • Click OK, in the properties of the folder it’s also OK, and for reliability we restart the computer again.

    • That’s all. I hope this article was useful to you, click one of the buttons below to tell friends about it. Also subscribe to site updates by entering your e-mail in the field on the right or by subscribing to the group in Vkontakte.

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