Modern users often need to quickly transfer large amounts of information between devices located in the same room. Using external storage devices, such as flash cards or external hard drives, becomes inconvenient when regularly syncing work projects or transferring media files. Fortunately, wireless technologies allow for efficient data exchange without unnecessary wires, leveraging the full potential of your home or office network.
In this article, we'll take a detailed look at proven methods for setting up local networking between computers running Windows 10 and 11. You'll learn how to set up shared folders, change security settings, and troubleshoot common connection errors. Understanding the principles of operation local network (LAN) will open up opportunities for convenient video streaming, document collaboration, and real-time backup.
First, make sure both computers are connected to the same wireless access point. This is a fundamental requirement; ignoring it will prevent the devices from discovering each other. Transfer speed will directly depend on the signal quality and the standard of your router, but even with basic settings, this method is significantly faster than Bluetooth.
Basic requirements and equipment preparation
Before attempting complex operating system configurations, ensure the physical infrastructure is ready. Both computers must have working Wi-Fi adapters and be within range of a strong signal. If one device is connected via cable and the other via wireless, transfer is also possible, but requires both devices to be on the same subnet.
A critical factor is the network profile type assigned by Windows upon initial connection. For file sharing to work properly, the network must be set to "Private." In "Public" mode, the system blocks incoming connections for security purposes, hiding your computer from other users of the local network.
⚠️ Caution: When switching your network profile to "Private," make sure you're in a trusted environment (home or office). In public places (cafes, airports), this could make your PC visible to hackers.
It's also worth checking whether network discovery is enabled. Without this setting, your computer simply won't "see" your network neighbors, even if the passwords and usernames are entered correctly. In modern versions of Windows, these settings are often hidden deep within menus, but we'll look at how to enable them.
Setting up network discovery and sharing
The first step in software configuration is to enable device visibility. Open Control Panel and go to Network and Sharing Center. Here, you'll need to find "Change advanced sharing settings." This is where you'll find the key switches that determine how your PC interacts with the outside world.
In the window that opens, expand the "Private (current profile)" profile. You need to enable the "Turn on network discovery" option and check the "Turn on file and printer sharing" box. This allows the operating system to broadcast special data packets that notify other devices of your presence on the network.
Next, you need to configure encryption settings. Windows offers two options: access with or without password protection. For a home network where all users trust each other, it's more convenient to disable password protection to avoid having to enter credentials each time. However, in an office environment, it's better to leave it enabled to control access.
- 🔍 Open Settings from the Start menu and select Network & Internet.
- 🔍 Go to "Status" and click "Sharing Options".
- 🔍 Make sure Network Discovery and File Sharing are enabled.
- 🔍 In the "All Networks" section, find the "Password-protected sharing" option and select the desired status.
After making all changes, be sure to click "Save Changes." The system may prompt you to confirm administrator privileges. If you use a third-party antivirus or firewall, you may need to additionally allow data exchange in their settings, as they may block standard Windows ports.
☑️ Check network settings
Create a shared folder for file sharing
Once the network settings are enabled, you need to determine which resources you want to share. Simply enabling the features isn't enough—you need to explicitly tell the system which folder is being shared. This could be a specific directory on the C drive or an entire partition on an external drive.
To configure settings, select the desired folder, right-click it, and go to "Properties." The "Access" tab is the one you're interested in. Click "Advanced Settings" and check the "Share this folder" box. Here you can also set the name under which the folder will be visible on the network and limit the number of simultaneous connections.
Setting access rights (permissions) is an important step. By clicking the "Permissions" button, you can fine-tune what other users can do: read only files, modify them, or delete them completely. For maximum security, it's recommended to set "Read Only" permissions unless you need others to edit the content.
| Permission type | Full access | Change | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| User A | ✅ Allow | ✅ Allow | ✅ Allow |
| User B | ❌ Ban | ✅ Allow | ✅ Allow |
| Guest | ❌ Ban | ❌ Ban | ✅ Allow |
| Administrator | ✅ Allow | ✅ Allow | ✅ Allow |
There's also a simplified method via the "Sharing" tab (without the word "Advanced"). It allows you to quickly share a folder with a specific user group, such as "Everyone." This method is less flexible, but is ideal for quickly transferring files between devices without having to worry about deep permissions settings.
What is the SMB protocol?
SMB (Server Message Block) is an application-layer network protocol used to share files, printers, and other resources over a network. It is the foundation of Windows shared folders.
Searching for computers and connecting to shared resources
Once the settings on the sending computer are complete, move on to the receiving computer. Open File Explorer and find "Network" in the left navigation panel. If network discovery is configured correctly, you'll see the second computer's name in the list of available devices.
If the system prompts you for a username and password when accessing a network folder, enter the username and password of the receiving computer (the one where the folder was created). The username and password must match those used to log into Windows on the remote computer. If the account doesn't have a password, access may be blocked by security policies.
For ease of continuous use, we recommend mapping the shared folder as a network drive. This will assign the resource a letter (e.g., Z:), and it will appear in "My Computer" just like local hard drive partitions. To do this, right-click the shared folder and select "Map as network drive."
- 📂 Open "This PC" in File Explorer.
- 📂 In the top panel, select “Computer” → “Map network drive”.
- 📂 Select a free drive letter from the drop-down list.
- 📂 In the "Folder" field, enter the path to the resource or select it through the browser.
Sometimes computers don't recognize each other right away. In this case, entering the path directly helps. In the address bar of File Explorer, enter \\ComputerName or IP addressYou can find out the IP address by running the command ipconfig in the command line on the target device.
Using Nearby Sharing
Windows 10 and 11 introduce a modern alternative to classic shared folders: Nearby Share. It works similarly to AirDrop on Apple devices and allows you to instantly transfer files and links via the context menu, using Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth for searching.
To enable this feature, go to Settings → System → Sharing. Make sure the "Nearby Sharing" toggle is set to "On." Also, choose who can see your PC: "Just my devices" (requires signing in to a single Microsoft account) or "Everyone around me."
The transfer process is incredibly simple: right-click any file, select the "Share" icon, and select the target computer from the list of available devices. The receiving computer will receive a notification asking if they want to save the file. This is ideal for one-time transfers of documents or photos.
⚠️ Note: Nearby Sharing requires Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to be enabled on both computers, even if file transfers are done directly over Wi-Fi. Make sure your Bluetooth drivers are installed correctly.
Transfer speeds via this mechanism can vary. For small files, they're practically instantaneous, but when transferring gigabytes of data, the classic shared folder method can be more stable and faster, as it eliminates the overhead of constantly searching for devices.
Troubleshooting and diagnosing problems
Despite its apparent simplicity, users often encounter access errors. One of the most common problems is the error 0x80070035 ("Network path not found"). This is often caused by a disabled SMB 1.0 service or problems with the LLDP protocol.
To diagnose the problem, use the built-in troubleshooter. Go to Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot → Advanced troubleshooters → Network Adapter. The system will automatically attempt to reset your network settings and fix any configuration errors.
It's also worth checking the operation of the Discovery Resource Publishing service. Click Win + R, enter services.msc and find "Function Discovery Resource Publication" in the list. Set the startup type to "Automatic" and start the service if it's stopped. This is a critical component for making your PC visible on the network.
netsh winsock resetnetsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
Running these commands in the Command Prompt (as administrator) helps reset the TCP/IP stack and flush the DNS cache, which often resolves device visibility issues. Be sure to restart your computer after running the commands.
Alternative methods and specialized software
If built-in Windows tools are challenging or cross-platform solutions are required (for example, transferring between Windows and macOS or Linux), it's worth considering third-party software. Programs like Resilio Sync, SyncTrayzor (interface for Syncthing) or FileZilla (server mode) provide more flexible tools.
The utility deserves special attention Sharedrop or web-based alternatives that work via P2P in the browser. They don't require software installation or Windows permissions, working directly via WebRTC. However, for transferring truly large files (hundreds of gigabytes), the native Windows method remains the most performant, as it doesn't have browser limitations and utilizes the full potential of the network adapter.
For professional work with large data sets, you can use an FTP server. Windows has a built-in IIS component that allows you to deploy a full-fledged FTP server, or you can use lightweight solutions like FileZilla ServerThis allows for fine-tuning of users, quotas, and logging of all actions.
- 🚀 Resilio Sync: Ideal for keeping folders constantly synchronized between devices in real time.
- 🚀 FileZilla: The best choice for one-time transfer of huge files with the ability to resume downloading.
- 🚀 Snapdrop: A web-based analogue of AirDrop that works in a browser without installing any programs.
The choice of method depends on your specific needs. For home use, standard shared folders are often sufficient, while for regular team collaboration, it's better to set up a dedicated network-attached storage (NAS) or use specialized synchronization software.
Why can't my computer see another computer on the network?
Most often, the problem lies in the network profile. If Windows considers the network "Public," it hides the device. Also, check that the Device Manager service is enabled and that your antivirus isn't blocking local connections.
What is the maximum transfer speed for Wi-Fi?
Speed depends on the router standard and adapters. For Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), the actual speed is approximately 30-50 Mbps. Wi-Fi 5 (ac) allows for speeds of 100-400 Mbps, and Wi-Fi 6 (ax) can exceed 500 Mbps under ideal conditions.
Is it safe to transfer files through a shared folder?
Yes, if you're on a trusted home network. Traffic within a local network is typically not encrypted by default, so it's best to use a VPN or specialized transmission protocols on public Wi-Fi networks.
Is it possible to transfer files if one PC is on Windows and the other is on macOS?
Yes, this is possible. On a Mac, you need to enable "File Sharing" in System Preferences, and on Windows, map the network drive using the SMB protocol. Sometimes, you need to configure the SMB version on your Mac for compatibility with older Windows systems.