Create a network connection between two computers. How to create a local network between two computers - step-by-step instructions

Today we’ll look at how to set up a home local network on devices with the Windows 7 operating system. A home local network is an association of several devices, usually computers, laptops and printers, for the purpose of seamless data exchange, organizing a gaming area, obtaining shared access to the Internet and shared devices (printers). Creating a home network in recent years has been an integral part of spending time on the Internet for users who have more than one device that allows them to use the computer web (laptop, smartphone, computer, TV). Such procedures are easy to perform, even if the person is not a computer hardware specialist.

Types of home networks

Depending on the interface used to create a local network, they are divided into wireless and wired.

Wired network

When formatting a wired home network, a cable is used as a data transfer interface without any intermediaries - computers are connected with a twisted pair cable. Due to the many shortcomings and limitations of such a local network (inability to organize general access to the Internet without an additional network card, you can connect only two devices) this method of forming a connection is practically not used.

More common is to use a switch (switch) as an intermediary. The advantage of a local network is the ability to connect more than two computers and organize shared access to network devices and global web. But setting up and specifying IP addresses in Windows 7 is done manually, which is not very convenient, especially if you have a significant number of devices.

Wireless network

The most popular method of forming a home network is to use a router as a connecting device. The advantage over other options is support for wireless data transfer interfaces (via radio, support for a significant number of computers, ease of setup).

Configuration process

First of all, it is necessary to connect two or more devices, for example, using a twisted pair network cable (we will consider the configuration of a local network using this example).

• Go to the local home web settings on all Windows computers. This is done through the “Control Panel” or the “Start” search bar.
• Open the “Control Panel” and call the one responsible for the configuration network connection option as in the screenshot.

• Enter “center” into the Start search bar and select the same option in the search result.

• The window shown below will then be displayed.

• To configure your home network, click on “Change adapter settings” located in the left frame of the window that opens.

• Double-click on the required connection (often it is the only one and is marked as unidentified).
• In the “Connection Status…” dialog that opens, click on the “Properties” button to configure the network connection.

• Double-click on the protocol (TCP/IPv4) or select the name of the item and click “Properties” to begin manual setting network connection.

• We set the first trigger switch to “Use the following IP”.
• Enter the computer's IP address and subnet mask, as in the screenshot.

• We leave the remaining fields untouched, since they are not needed for connection during the formation of a home local network, and click “OK”.
• For the first time, you will have to specify the type of network location, which determines the firewall and connection security settings recommended by Windows 7 by default.

In total, Microsoft offers three types of network placement:

Home network - used to create a local network that includes devices you know and can trust. For such a connection, the network discovery function is activated, which allows you to see other devices, connect to them and use files that are open for general use with the specified privileges.

Working - suitable for a small office, office, computer class or club. As with home group, discovery, file and device sharing is active between Windows computers.

Public – used in public places. The settings of such a web hide the computers connected to it in order to increase security and reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of hackers.

• We check whether all devices are members of the home network and have different names and IP addresses.
• Computer names are checked and, if necessary, changed by going to the menu Windows configuration. Calling context menu“My Computer” and select “Properties” or click on the “System” item located in the “Control Panel”.
• In the “Computer” field we check the names, below, in the “Workgroup”, we look at whether they belong to the same local network. Remember that the names of devices running Windows 7 do not have to be the same, but they must be connected to the same network.

Briefly about the purpose of computer networks

This article is not intended to make you great. system administrators, but here I will try to explain in simple human language what, why and why and, in general, why you need all this.
And now about the purpose of networks. Here we will look directly at home networks for 2-3 computers and their mission.
In the old days, when televisions were so rare that neighboring families gathered at the lucky owner of a television to watch programs on the miracle monster of that time with a small screen and a magnifying lens. (By the way, these TVs were called KVN - a joke from the old master of the TV studio - “Bought - Turned on - Doesn’t work” - author’s note.) In the sixties, under Nikita Khrushchev, computers appeared in the USSR, which, in particular, made a fairly large contribution to space research and made it possible to send Yuri Gagarin forward to the stars. There, although the flight took place in such a condition that the Hero of the Soviet Union, test pilot Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin miraculously remained alive, it still went through and ended successfully. In those days, no one even thought about having a computer at home. I couldn’t even imagine why he would need it. But time passed, KVN brand televisions moved to polytechnic museums, and computers significantly decreased in size, became cheaper and began to appear in every home. Today, in many apartments, these miracles of technology began to appear in multiple copies (one for oneself, another for the wife, a third for the mother-in-law, etc.), so that each member of the household could freely surf the Internet, play solitaire, work remotely, etc. . And here we come close to the topic of our article. After all, willy-nilly, people begin to think that there are many computer users in the house (as well as computers themselves), but there is only one Internet! Connecting each household individually is a bit expensive and not relevant. Isn’t it easier to unite all computers into a local network and organize shared access to the Internet (and you can also play network games together using your home local network). This is, perhaps, when the network comes to the house.

Is it so difficult to create your own network or do you need to call a specialist?

A small home network does not require any extraordinary knowledge and skills. Requires only one active network device- a router, which will form the basis of our home network, and at the same time connect all home computers with each other and with the Internet. At the same time, I strongly recommend reading the article about securing your home network. Some readers may ask, why bother with wires when Wi-Fi has been “in trend” for a long time and there are many portable devices in use that support this communication technology? I answer. At the moment, the most secure type of network, to which it is very difficult to connect unauthorizedly, is still wired! This is a gift for paraonists. Plus, as before, the speed of a wired network with a large number of devices is higher than Wi-Fi networks. The currently popular torrents also work better over a wire, because... Wi-Fi provides half-duplex network operation, while wires allow full duplex. I hope I answered all the questions.

Often, users have problems connecting two or more computers. Such a network may be needed for various reasons. Let's look at creating a local network in more detail.

Connecting computers to a local network can be useful for organizing a workspace at home or for playing games together over the network. For example, a designer may need two monitors (desktop PC and laptop), and dividing one monitor into two parts is not very convenient. A local network may also be needed to quickly transfer all data from one computer to another. One way or another, there are a huge number of situations when you need to connect two computers. The connection can be made using a wireless network or using a cable. Let's look at both methods.

Wireless connection

Creating a local network via wi-fi requires the presence of a router. Let's look at setting up such a connection using Windows 7 and a TP-Link router as an example. In the indicated diagram, it is assumed that PC No. 1 is connected to the router by cable, and PC No. 2 is connected to the router via a wireless channel.

First, let's configure the router. To do this:

1. Go to the router interface at 192.168.0.1.

2. Go to the DHCP tab and find the IP address assigned to the second PC.

3. Ping this IP address.

To do this, go to command line and type the command ping "IP" and press Enter.

If the packet exchange was successful, we proceed to setting up the local network.

Change the Computer name and group name on both PCs. The group name must be the same. Reboot both computers.

Now go to the “Network and Sharing Center” through the control panel. Here we transfer the existing connection to Home network(if this has not been done before).

After that, change the sharing settings and restart both computers.

If you need to open access to drive D, go to the section and click advanced settings. Next, check the boxes indicated in the figure.

Cable connection

This is a traditional and stable way to connect 2 or more computers to each other.

To connect computers we need a cable. You can buy it in a store or make it yourself. To do this we purchase:

1. Cable (RJ45 2 or 4 pairs)

2. A couple of connectors

3. Crimping (special tool for crimping the finished cable)

We crimp the cable according to the following diagram.

After crimping, we connect the ends of the cable to both PCs.

If the cable begins to be detected, then everything is done correctly. Now let’s look at setting up the connection using the same Windows 7 as an example.

All actions are performed on both computers.

1. Open the control panel and go to connection management.

2. Select version 4 of the protocol and click the properties button

3. On the first PC we indicate 192.168.1.1, and on the second 192.168.1.2, respectively.

4. Save everything and go to the network control center. The network must be private. If this is not specified, then go to the “Settings” section.

Select "Private" and close the window.

Let's share files.

• It would be best to purchase a ready-made (crimped) cable for the local network, since if you do not plan to do such things in the future, the crimping tool will simply gather dust on the shelf.
• The router setup discussed using TP Link as an example is also suitable for other models. All parameters are the same.
• In the case of wireless network, do not forget to restrict access to it with a password after setup. Otherwise, a third party may gain access to both computers.

Our company also repairs tablets. Our masters service center Your tablet will be repaired in a timely manner.

And if your ultrabook is damaged, we provide a laptop repair service.

Still have questions? - We will answer them for FREE

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 set up a local network between a laptop and a desktop computer?

The reasons for connecting computers into a network can be very different - the need to access files and folders of another computer from one PC, the desire to combine a laptop and an old stationary computer, or simply for online games. Let's consider situations for different operating systems. In this case, we will need to have installed on both computers network cards(the vast majority of devices have them by default), as well as network cable with RJ-45 connectors at the ends.

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

Make sure that you are logged into Windows with administrator rights, that the computers have network cards, and that they are connected to each other by cable. If everything is OK, move on to setting up the network card.

• Opening Start > Control Panel > Network connections.
• We find Local network connection And right click mouse open Properties.
• Select from the list Internet Protocol TCP/IP and open again Properties.
• In the window that opens, select the item Use the following IP address and enter the local address of our computer 192.168.1.1 (the last number can be anything from 0 to 255). Subnet mask 255.255.255.0.

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

• My computer and choose Properties
• In the window that opens System properties select a tab Computer name And Change. .

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

Setting up a local network 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(key combination Win+Break or Win+Pause).
• In the window that opens System properties select a tab Computer name And Change. Computers must have the same workgroup, for example WORKGROUP, but different network names.
• Save the changes and reboot the computers.

After that operating system must itself make all the add-ons and recognize the network; if this does not happen, you will have to perform a few more steps. Opening Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network Sharing Center > Changing adapter settings and in the settings of the required connection, set the computer’s IP address similarly to the previous instructions for Win XP.

Setting up a network between computers running Windows 7 and Windows XP

Above, we looked at setting up a network 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 perform the actions that are already familiar to us: we set the same workgroups and indicate the computer names (necessarily in Latin characters and without spaces).

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

To log in from Win XP to Win 7 you will need to accept the "seven" user account. If your account does not have a password, you will have to set one.

You may also need to do the following: Network and Sharing Center go to additional options public access, where you need to set the “correct” settings.

If you want to play on two PCs without using the Internet, instantly transfer files from different devices without USB drives, then you need to know how to create a local network between two computers. This technology of connecting two PCs has been used for quite a long time, and even today it has not lost its relevance.

Local network example

A local network is a group of interconnected devices: PCs, televisions, printers, usually located no further than one room. The devices use shared memory and servers, thus complementing each other. This connection allows you to create a gaming area for several PCs, easily and fairly quickly transfer any data, print documents if one common printer is installed, and do much more. Connecting devices today most often occurs using a router, but other connections can also be used, which you can read about below.

Creating a connection

Creating a connection is quite easy, and in different ways: via a router or cable. Setting up devices for both methods is quite similar. The difference lies mainly in the connection method: via cable or via Wi-Fi.

Communication via Wi-Fi, which is used much more often today, can be much more convenient, but connecting two PCs with a cable will cost less if you have not yet installed a router for some reason.

Connection via cable

The oldest type of communication between two machines. All you need to do is connect an RJ45 network cable. The cable must be crossed, although for modern computers Often regular straight cables will do. Still, when purchasing, it is better to check the type of cable with the seller. When you add the ends of the crossover cable, the colors of the ends of the wires will differ - this is its main difference. Also, the connection requires network cards on both devices, but today they are already installed. It is only worth noting that if network card is already busy connecting to the Internet, you won’t be able to use it.

This connection was just used before to play. But it may be convenient for some today, especially if you still have an operating room Windows system XP, which struggles to support wireless connections.

After connecting the cable itself, you need to know how to set up a local network between two computers:

• Control Panel, select the item related to network connections.
• We select what we created there, right-click on it, select “Properties”
• Next, depending on “Windows”: for Windows XP select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), for Windows 7/8/10 - Internet Protocol version 4.

• Manually enter the IP address: 192.168.xxx.xxx. You can enter the last six digits yourself, the main thing is that they are not repeated on different devices.

• On Windows 7, you will also need to go to the Network Control Center, there, through the “Settings” item, select “Private” for our network.
• Then in Control Center, enable file sharing, network discovery, and disable password access protection.

After this, you also need to set up sharing. This is done so that PCs can exchange any files. The methods vary on different OSes. On WindowsXP:

1. Section Network connections, go to “Tools”, select “Folder Options”.
2. “View” tab, check the box next to “Use simple file sharing”.
3. Next, go to the “System Properties” window: RMB on “My Computer” - select Computer Name.
4. Click “Change”, select “Is a member” of the working group. We come up with a common group name for both PCs.
5. My computer, right-click on hard drives(for example, Windows (C:)), in the “Access” tab, click on the link and set the public access permission.

That's it, access to the files on the selected disks is completely open. With Windows 7/8/10 we proceed as follows:

• Control Panel, then Folder Options.
• Check the “Use Sharing Wizard” checkbox.
• The following steps will be the same as for XP.

Connection via router

This is the most convenient method, since it allows you to connect not only two, but a larger number of computers or other devices that support Wi-Fi. You can play over this connection without lengthy settings.

IP addresses for such a connection will be set automatically. To use shared files, you will only need to share the files, and then add two computers to one workgroup, as described above.

Now, to transfer files, you just need to enter the computer name using the address bar: \\name\. You can also do this through the Network Connections section. It is also worth securing your personal or especially important files so that no one can access them from a nearby computer. To do this, it is best to specify drives that do not contain information important to you. For example, a disk containing data accounts users, it is better not to make it open to everyone, or, using the settings menu for files and folders, limit access to them: RMB on the desired folder, then select the sharing settings there.

Playing on a local network

So, we managed to connect two devices to the same network without the Internet, allowing them to exchange files. How to start playing on a local network?

For this, as a rule, no additional settings no need to do it. We just turn on the game and, if you can play over a local connection, select the appropriate item, and then play over the one we have already created.

Connection to a shared server may vary for different games. You will need to enter the IP or PC name somewhere. For Minecraft, Counter Strike, for example, you will need to create a server. But as a rule, everything is done quite simply.

Hamachi

This happens quite rarely, but sometimes a game does not allow you to play over the Internet, but allows you to play it over a local network. Don’t despair, even if it turns out that your friend lives far from you.

The Hamachi program allows you to emulate a local connection and thus connect a PC to it via the Internet. To do this, you just need to download the program, register, and then create a new connection, give it a name and, if necessary, a password. After this, you can easily use this network to play.

As you can see, connecting computers into a local network is a fairly easy process. It won’t take you much time, and you can connect two PCs, and then play with your friends, both being away from them and being in the same room with them.

The methods for creating a connection are suitable for all Windows, from XP to Ten.