Establishing local data exchange between devices on a home network is a challenge every user faces sooner or later. Often, there's a need to transfer gigabytes of photos from a laptop to a desktop computer or play a game over a local network without using cables or flash drives. A wireless connection allows you to create a fully-fledged local network, where the resources of one computer become available to another, providing high speed and convenience.
Modern operating systems like Windows 10 and 11 have significantly simplified the setup process by burying complex settings in automatic profiles. However, if you want to ensure a stable connection without access errors, it's important to understand the basic principles of protocol operation. TCP/IP and network discovery rules. In this article, we'll cover all current connection methods, from standard Windows tools to specialized software.
The main advantage of this type of connection is the absence of physical restrictions. You can move around your apartment with your laptop while remaining connected to the file storage on your desktop PC. For this scenario to work, both devices must be on the same subnet, which is usually ensured by a router distributing the data. WiFi signal.
Checking network settings and preparing equipment
Before resorting to complex registry or command line manipulation, you need to ensure that the basic infrastructure is working correctly. Both computers must be connected to the same router. It doesn't matter whether you're using a wireless connection or an Ethernet cable, as long as the devices are on the same network segment.
The first step is to check your network profile type. Windows may assign new connections the "Public Network" profile by default, which prevents your device from being visible to others. You need to change this setting to "Private Network" to allow discovery.
- 🔌 Open the Start menu and go to Settings (gear).
- 📡 Select the "Network and Internet" section and find your active connection.
- 🏠 Change the network profile from "Public" to "Private".
After changing the profile, the system will apply the new firewall rules, allowing incoming connections for local resources. It's also worth checking that the WiFi module itself is enabled on the laptop, as in some models it can be disabled via a hardware button or software via airplane mode.
⚠️ Warning: If you are on a corporate network or public WiFi (such as a cafe or airport), changing your profile to "Private" may violate the organization's security policies. Only perform these actions in a trusted home environment.
Make sure both devices have up-to-date network adapter drivers installed. Outdated software can cause connection interruptions or incorrect discovery protocols. You can check the driver status in Device Manager under "Network Adapters."
Setting up shared access to files and folders
After changing the network profile, you need to enable the features that control computer visibility. In Windows, this setting is located in the Network and Sharing Center. Ignoring this step is the most common reason why computers "don't see" each other, even when they're on the same network.
Go to the Control Panel, select "Network and Internet," then "Network and Sharing Center." In the left menu, click "Change advanced sharing settings." This will open a list of profiles where you need to enable network discovery.
Path to settings: Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center → Change advanced sharing settingsIn the "Private (Current Profile)" section, do the following:
- 📡 Turn on network discovery.
- ✅ Enable file and printer sharing.
- 🔓 Allow Windows to manage HomeGroup connections.
Next, go to the "All Networks" section (at the bottom of the list) and enable "Password-protected sharing" only if you want to require a password to log in. For a home network, it's often more convenient to disable password protection so that access to shared folders is automatic.
After making all changes, be sure to click the "Save Changes" button. The system may require a reboot or network reconnection for the new traffic filtering rules to apply.
Creating a shared folder and granting access rights
Simply enabling sharing isn't enough—you need to tell the system which specific resources you want to make visible to other devices. This could be a specific folder of movies, an entire disk, or a specific document project.
Select the folder you want to share and right-click it. Select "Properties" from the context menu, then go to the "Sharing" tab. There are two options: a simple one (using the "Sharing" button) and an advanced one (using "Advanced Settings").
For reliable operation, it is recommended to use advanced settings:
- Click the "Advanced Setup" button.
- Check the box "Share this folder".
- Click the Permissions button and add the Everyone group (or a specific user), giving it read and write permissions.
It's also important to check the "Security" tab in the folder's properties. NTFS (file system) permissions take precedence over network permissions. If "Everyone" or "Users" isn't listed in the group list, add them and grant them the necessary permissions.
| Access type | Reading | Recording | Removal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full access | Allow | Allow | Allow |
| Read only | Allow | Ban | Ban |
| Change | Allow | Allow | Ban |
⚠️ Note: Granting "Full Control" permissions to the "Everyone" group means anyone who connects to your WiFi will be able to delete files. Only use this mode on fully trusted networks.
After setting permissions, the folder will be accessible via the network path. To find this path, copy the address from the File Explorer address bar (e.g., \\Desktop-PC\SharedFolder) or find out the computer's IP address through the command line.
Connecting via IP address and command line
Sometimes automatic discovery fails, and computers don't appear in the network neighborhood. In this case, the most reliable method is to connect directly by IP address. This rules out DNS and discovery errors.
First, you need to find out the IP address of the target computer (the one whose files you are connecting to). On this PC, open the command prompt (Win + R, enter cmd) and enter the command ipconfigFind the line "IPv4 address" - this is a set of numbers like 192.168.1.X.
To connect from a laptop:
- 🖥️ Press the key combination
Win + R. - 📝 Enter
\\192.168.1.X(where X is the address of the target PC). - 🔑 Enter the target PC account login and password if prompted.
If the connection is successful, you'll see a list of all shared folders. For convenience, you can right-click a folder and select "Mount as network drive." This will create a virtual drive (e.g., Z:) in "My Computer" that will function as a regular hard drive partition.
What should I do if I get the message "Incorrect username or password"?
Try entering the computer name in the login field, separated by a backslash, for example: DESKTOP-PC\Username. Also, make sure the target PC doesn't have a blank password—Windows default security policies prohibit network access with a blank password.
Using an IP address is especially useful when working with older devices or printers that don't support modern discovery protocols. This is a foolproof method that works even if Windows services crash.
Using third-party programs to transfer data
If you don't want to mess around with Windows settings, there are specialized utilities that create their own data transfer channel over the local network. They are often faster and more stable than standard tools, especially for one-time transfers of large files.
One of the most popular programs is Resilio Sync (formerly BitTorrent Sync) or SyncthingThese apps use P2P technology, allowing you to sync folders between devices without a central server. Simply install the program on both PCs and enter the sync key.
Another option is to use FTP servers. You can turn your PC into an FTP storage using the program FileZilla ServerThis provides flexible settings for access rights, speed limits, and action logging.
- 🚀 Speed: Third-party software often uses its own compression algorithms to speed up transmission.
- 🛡️ Safety: Many programs encrypt data streams even within a local network.
- 📱 Cross-platform: It's easy to connect not only Windows, but also Android, macOS or Linux.
For gaming purposes, such as playing over a local area network (LAN), Hamachi emulation or Radmin VPN is often required if a direct connection is blocked by an ISP, although this is overkill for home WiFi.
Solving common connection problems and errors
Even with proper configuration, errors can still occur. Most often, users encounter the message "Windows cannot access..." when the system detects the computer but blocks the login. This is often due to disabled services.
Check the following services (Win + R → services.msc):
- Function Discovery Resource Publication.
- Function Discovery Provider Host.
- SSDP Discovery Service.
Make sure these services are running and the startup type is set to "Automatic." The first service in the list is especially critical—without it, your computer may not be visible on the network.
⚠️ Note: Operating system interfaces and service names may vary slightly depending on the Windows version (Home, Pro, Enterprise) and installed updates. If you don't find an exact match, look for services with similar names related to Discovery or Network.
Another common issue is different time zones or time desynchronization between devices. Security protocols (Kerberos) can block the connection if the time on the computers differs by more than 5 minutes. Check the time settings in the system tray.
If all else fails, try temporarily disabling your antivirus and Windows Firewall. If the connection reappears after that, you'll need to add an exception to the firewall rules for the SMB protocol (ports 445 and 139).
☑️ Problem diagnosis
Why can't computers see each other on the network?
Most likely, your network profile is set to "Public" or the discovery service is disabled. Also, make sure both PCs are in the same workgroup (WORKGROUP by default).
How to find out the IP address of a computer on a local network?
Open command prompt (cmd) and enter the command ipconfigYour address will be listed in the IPv4 address line, which usually starts with 192.168.
Is it safe to share folders?
On a home network with a strong WiFi password, yes. On public networks, this is strictly prohibited. Always use complex passwords for your accounts.
Is it possible to connect a laptop to a PC without a router?
Yes, you can create a direct computer-to-computer connection via WiFi by configuring internet sharing from one of the laptops, but this is less stable and requires manual IP address configuration.
What is the maximum transfer speed for WiFi?
Speed depends on the WiFi standard (n, ac, ax) and distance. Under ideal conditions, 5 GHz can reach 50-100 MB/s, which is comparable to fast USB 2.0 but slower than a Gigabit Ethernet cable.