How to connect a computer to a computer

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Transfer files from one device to another seamlessly.

1. Choosing a method

The best way to connect computers is through a router. You can collect all your devices on a single network to exchange files between them and use a shared printer.

If you do not have a router, you can connect a pair of computers directly using a LAN cable. This thing is inexpensive and can be purchased at any computer hardware store.

2. Connect computers

Using a router

It is possible that you already got the router from your provider. Or you can buy it yourself.

You can connect to the router either using cables or wirelessly. For example, connect a laptop via Wi-Fi, and a desktop computer via a cable.

Through cables

You will need LAN cables, also called Ethernet cables or network cables. They look like this:

To connect the device to a router, take a LAN cable and connect one end of it to the network connector on your computer. It looks like this:

Insert the other end of the cable into the same connector on the router.

Repeat this operation with the second computer.

The LAN cable has a special latch that prevents it from accidentally falling out of the port. When connected, a characteristic click is heard. If you need to remove the cable from the connector, first press the latch, then carefully remove the connector, otherwise it will not give in.

Important: do not confuse the LAN connector on the router with the WAN port. The latter may differ in color or be located away from the LAN-connectors. It connects to your ISP's cable.

Via Wi-Fi

If you do not want to pull cables, and computers are equipped with Wi-Fi-modules, you can connect them to the router and wirelessly. You only need a network name and password from it.

Do you have any idea what your Wi-Fi network is called, what is its password, and what this box is actually doing? Read our instructions.

Windows

Left-click on the network icon located in the lower right corner. A list of available Wi-Fi networks appears. Choose yours. Check the box "Connect automatically" and click "Connect". Enter your network password and click Next.

macOS

Click on the Wi-Fi icon in the upper right corner. Select your network from the list and click on its name. A window will appear asking you to enter your password. Do this and click "Connect".

Linux

Click on the Wi-Fi icon in the tray. Depending on the Linux shell, it can be located at the top or bottom of the screen, in the right corner.

Select your network from the list. A window will appear asking you to enter your password. Do this and click "Connect".

Via cable directly

Take a LAN cable and connect one end to the network connector of the first computer, and the other to the connector of the second.

3. Making folders public

Now that the computers are connected, it’s easy. You need to specify which folders should be available for public use.

Windows

Make sure sharing is enabled on the system. To do this, click Start → Settings → Network & Internet → Sharing Options.

In the Private section, check that Enable Network Discovery, Enable Automatic Configuration on Network Devices, and Enable File and Printer Sharing are enabled.

Click on "All networks" and activate the option "Turn on sharing so network users can read and write files to shared folders."

Please note: to access shared files and folders, by default you need an account on the computer where they are stored. When you try to connect, the system will ask you to enter a username and password. If you don't want to bother with this, select the "Turn off password protected sharing" option. Your files will still be safe: only those devices on your local network will be able to access them.

Click "Save Changes".

Now right click on the folder you want to share. Select Share To → Individuals.

In the window that opens, click on the arrow next to an empty field and select "All". Click Add.

In the "Permission Level" column, select "Read" to only view the contents of the folder from another computer, or "Read and Write" so you can also change it.

Click Share, then Done.

Finally, you need to find out the name under which your computer is listed on the network. Click Start → Settings → System → About. You will see the item "Device Name". You can change the name so that you can easily find the desired computer in the list of devices on the local network. To do this, click "Rename PC".

macOS

Open System Preferences → Sharing. Turn on the File Sharing option on the side.

Click the plus sign under the Shared Folders section. Select the one you want to share.

There is another field on the right. It indicates whether the contents of your folder can be changed from another computer. Click on the drop-down menu next to "All Users" and select the desired access level: "Read and Write", "Read Only" or "Write Only".

Click "Options" and check the "Share files and folders using SMB" checkbox. Then check your macOS account in the box below.

If you want to connect to shared folders on Mac without a password, go to System Preferences → Users & Groups. Click on the lock and enter your user password if needed. Then select the Guest account and activate the Allow guests to connect to shared folders option.

You can find out the name of your Mac on your local network by looking at the top of the window in Sharing preferences. To change it, click Change and enter a different name, then click OK.

Now you can close the window.

Linux

Select the desired folder and right-click on it. Click on Local Network Shared Folder.

Check the "Publish this folder" checkbox. For the first time, the system will prompt you to download the necessary applications for working with the local network. Click Install Service, then confirm Install and enter your user password. Wait a couple of minutes for the service to install.

Now click on "Allow other users to change the contents of the folder" and "Guest access" (so that you do not need to enter any passwords again). Click Apply and Set Rights Automatically. That's it, now the folder is open for public use.

Click Show Applications → Options → Sharing and make sure the toggle in the title bar is enabled.

Here you can also find out and change the name under which the computer is displayed on the local network.

4. Viewing files on another computer

Windows

Open "File Explorer" and select "Network" from the side menu on the left. All the devices you are connected to will appear in front of you. Select the computer you want. If you enabled guest access on it, all its shared folders will open in front of you. If not, the system will first ask you to enter the username and password for the account you use on that computer.

It happens that the computer you need is not displayed in the list, although you did everything right. Then connect to it by entering its name in the address bar of "Explorer".

For example, if our second computer is called iMac.local, enter a double backslash and a name in Explorer:

iMac.local

And all the common files open in front of us.

You can click on the computer name in the side menu and select "Pin to Quick Access Toolbar." It stays there and you don't have to manually enter anything else.

macOS

Open Finder and click Go → Network.

All computers on the local network will appear in front of you. Click on the one you want.

If you enabled guest access on it, then the connection will occur immediately. If not, the system will ask for credentials. Enter the name and password that you use on the computer to which you are connecting.

If your Mac doesn't display a computer on your local network, you can connect to it directly. To do this, click Finder → "Go" → "Connect to Server". Enter the name of the computer you are connecting to, along with the smb: // prefix, for example:

smb: // desktop-sd9hje9

Choose which folder you want to mount and click OK. Enter your name and password if required.

The connected computer will now remain in the Finder sidebar under Networking.

Linux

Open your file manager and click the Other Places button in the sidebar. You will see all computers that are connected to the local network. This will move Windows computers to a separate folder.

Click on the device you want, enter its account name and password if necessary, and you will see all the public folders.

If for some reason the computer is not displayed in the list, enter its name with the smb: // prefix in the "Connect to server" field, for example:

smb: // desktop-sd9hje9

And click "Connect".

Now you can share files between all computers on the local network.