How to Connect Two Computers via Wi-Fi in Windows 10: 3 Working Methods

Connecting two computers via Wi-Fi Windows 10 You might need it for quickly sharing files, collaborating on documents, or playing online games. Many people mistakenly believe that a router or crossover cable is essential for this—but in reality, the system's built-in tools are sufficient. In this article, we'll look at three proven methods: creating a virtual access point, using Wi-Fi Direct and setting up a bridge over an existing network.

The main advantage of a wireless connection is the absence of wires and the ability to connect devices at a distance of up to 50 meters (depending on interference and the power of the adapters). However, it is important to keep in mind that the data transfer speed via Wi-Fi will be lower than via cable (usually 50-100 Mbps versus 1 Gbps Ethernet). It's also worth remembering security: open networks are vulnerable to traffic interception, so we'll show you how to set up encryption.

If you need to temporarily link two PCs to transfer files or test network applications, the method with access pointFor continuous use (for example, for printer or NAS sharing), it's better to set up a bridge through a router. And if both computers support Wi-Fi Direct, you will be able to connect them directly - like two smartphones.

Method 1: Creating a virtual access point (Hosted Network)

This method is suitable if one of the computers will distribute the Internet or simply serve as a bridge for the connection. Advantage: No router required and setup takes less than 5 minutes. Flaw: The second PC will not be able to connect to another Wi-Fi network at the same time.

To activate the virtual access point, use the built-in utility netsh. It allows you to turn a Wi-Fi adapter into softAP (software access point). Important: Not all network cards support this mode. If you receive an error after running the commands "Failed to place network", update the adapter driver or use another method.

Make sure the Wi-Fi adapter is enabled on both PCs.

Update your network card driver (especially for adapters Realtek And Broadcom)

Disable any antivirus firewalls (they may be blocking the connection)

Run Command Prompt as Administrator-->

Open Command line with administrator rights (click Win + X → Command Prompt (Administrator)) and enter the commands sequentially:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="MyWiFiNetwork" key="StrongPassword123" keyUsage=persistent
netsh wlan start hostednetwork

Where:

• 🔹 ssid="MyWiFiNetwork" — the name of your network (you can replace it with anything)
• 🔹 key="StrongPassword123" — password (minimum 8 characters, with numbers and letters)
• 🔹 keyUsage=persistent - saves settings after reboot

After executing the second command, you will see a message "The hosted network has started."Now you can connect to the created network on the second computer. MyWiFiNetwork through the standard Wi-Fi menu. If the connection fails, check that the first PC is Network and Control Center mode is on Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection.

2. Method: Using Wi-Fi Direct (direct connection)

Wi-Fi Direct — is a technology that allows devices to connect directly, without the intermediary of a router. It is similar Bluetooth, but works over longer distances and at higher speeds. Wi-Fi Direct support It depends on the adapter model: you can check it in the device specifications or through device Manager (chapter Network adapters).

The main advantage of this method is minimal delays (important for gaming or video streaming). The downside is that not all adapters support the mode. Wi-Fi Direct, and the settings may differ depending on the manufacturer (for example, for cards Intel And Qualcomm Atheros different utilities are used).

To connect PC via Wi-Fi Direct:

1. On the first computer, open Settings → Devices → Bluetooth & other devices.
2. Click Add Bluetooth or other device → Wireless display or dock.
3. On the second PC, enable the mode Wi-Fi Direct (usually through the notification panel or manufacturer software, for example, Intel PROSet/Wireless).
4. Select the displayed device and confirm the connection.

If the second PC does not appear in the list of available devices:

• 🔧 Check that both computers are enabled Wi-Fi and the mode is disabled On the plane.
• 🔧 Update your adapter drivers (especially if you use Realtek RTL8xxx or Broadcom).
• 🔧 Try using third-party utilities, for example, Connectify or Virtual Router Plus.

Get-NetAdapter | Select Name, NdisPhysicalMedium

Method 3: Connection via a router (bridge)

If you have a home router, the most reliable way to link two PCs is to connect them to the same Wi-Fi network. This will allow you to not only share files, but also share printers, network drives, and even play local games (for example, Minecraft or Counter-Strike 1.6). Advantages:

• 🌐 Stable connection without interruptions.
• 🔒 Possibility of traffic encryption (WPA2/WPA3).
• 📡 Support for multiple devices simultaneously.

To configure:

1. Connect both computers to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. On each PC, check that the mode is enabled. Network Discovery (Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Change advanced sharing settings).
3. In the section All networks select:
   • 🔘 Enable network discovery.
   • 🔘 Enable file and printer sharing.
   • 🔘 Allow Windows to manage connections.

After this, you will be able to access the shared folders by typing in File Explorer \\COMPUTER_NAME (For example, \\DESKTOP-ABC123). To find out the name of the PC, click Win + Pause/Break or run the command hostname V cmd.

Via router (Wi-Fi/cable)

Access Point (Hosted Network)

Wi-Fi Direct

Another method-->

4. Setting up static IP addresses (for stable operation)

If you plan to frequently use the connection between PCs (for example, for gaming or remote desktop), it is recommended to assign static IP addressesThis will prevent connection problems when changing dynamic addresses (DHCP).

To configure:

1. On the first PC, open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Change adapter settings.
2. Right-click on an active connection (e.g. Wireless Network) → Properties.
3. Select Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → Properties.
4. Please specify:
   • 📌 IP address: 192.168.1.100
   • 📌 Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
   • 📌 Default gateway: leave blank (if you don't need internet access)
   • 📌 DNS server: 8.8.8.8 (Google Public DNS)

After applying the settings, check the connection using the command ping:

ping 192.168.1.101

If the packets pass without loss (Reply from 192.168.1.101), the connection is configured correctly.

5. Sharing files and folders between PCs

Once the connection is established, you can set up shared folders. This is convenient for transferring large files (videos, archives, disk images) without using flash drives or cloud services.

To share a folder:

1. Right-click on the folder → Properties → Access.
2. Click "Shared access..." and select a user "All" (or a specific network user).
3. Set permission level: "Reading" or Reading and writing.
4. Click "Public Access" → "Ready".

Now on the second PC, open File Explorer and enter the following in the address bar:

• 🖥️ \\COMPUTER_NAME\folder_name (For example, \\DESKTOP-ABC123\Documents)
• 🖥️ Or \\IP-ADDRESS\folder_name (For example, \\192.168.1.100\Photo)

If access is not opened, check:

• ✅ Enabled on both PCs Network Discovery.
• ✅ Antivirus does not block network traffic (add an exception for the folder).
• ✅ The Windows account password on the first PC is not blank (otherwise access may be blocked).

6. Troubleshooting common errors

Common issues can arise when connecting a PC via Wi-Fi. We've compiled solutions for the most common ones:

Error	Cause	Solution
"Unable to connect to the network" (at access point)	The adapter driver does not support Hosted Network or blocked by antivirus	Please update your driver or use third-party software (Connectify, mHotspot)
"Network path not found" when accessing a folder	Disabled Network Discovery or blocked by a firewall	Turn on detection in Control Panel → Sharing Options
Low file transfer speed (<10 Mbps)	Interference from other networks or outdated Wi-Fi standard (802.11n)	Switch the router to a channel 5 GHz or change the standard to 802.11ac
IP conflict with static addresses	Two devices have the same IP	Change the last octet of the IP (for example, from 192.168.1.100 on 192.168.1.101)

If the problem persists, check the Windows Event Log (eventvwr.msc) for errors related to WLAN-AutoConfig or TCP/IPIt is also useful to test the connection using the utility ping And tracert to detect packet loss.

How to check the connection speed between PCs?

To test the data transfer speed between two computers, use the utility iPerf3Install it on both PCs, then start the server on the first one:

iperf3 -s

And on the second one is the client:

iperf3 -c 192.168.1.100 -t 30

Where 192.168.1.100 — IP of the first PC, and -t 30 — test time (30 seconds).

7. Connection security: how to protect data

When connecting directly to a PC via Wi-Fi, data is transmitted unencrypted, making it vulnerable to interception. To protect your traffic:

• 🔐 Use complex passwords for the access point (at least 12 characters, with numbers and special characters).
• 🔐 Enable encryption WPA2-AES (in the router settings or when creating Hosted Network).
• 🔐 Disable disk sharing C: And D: — open only the folders you need.
• 🔐 Use VPN to encrypt traffic (for example, WireGuard or OpenVPN).

Important: If you are transmitting sensitive data (documents, passwords, financial information), avoid public networks and use a wired connection or VPN. For additional protection, you can set up IPsec-policies in Windows, but this requires deep knowledge of network security.

If you need to temporarily block access to shared folders, run the command:

net share folder_name /delete

Where folder_name — network name of the resource (you can view the list with the command net share).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about connecting a PC via Wi-Fi

Is it possible to connect a PC via Wi-Fi without a router?

Yes, the method with will work for this virtual access point (Hosted Network) or Wi-Fi DirectBoth options do not require additional hardware, but have limitations in speed and stability.

Why is file transfer speed low (~1-5 MB/s)?

The reasons may be different:

• 📶 Interference from other Wi-Fi networks (switch the channel 5 GHz or change the channel manually).
• 🖥️ Outdated Wi-Fi standard (802.11n instead of 802.11ac).
• 🛠️ Packet fragmentation (use file archiving before transfer).

For speed test use iPerf3 (see spoiler above).

How to transfer files between PCs if file sharing isn't working?

Alternative methods:

• 📁 Use FTP server (For example, FileZilla Server).
• 🌐 Run locally HTTP server (through Python -m http.server 8000).
• ☁️ Temporary cloud service (eg. LocalSend or Snapdrop).

Is it possible to play online games through such a connection?
Yes, but with some reservations:
• ✅ For old games (Counter-Strike 1.6, Warcraft III) enough Wi-Fi Direct or router.
• ❌ For modern games (Call of Duty, Fortnite) it is better to use Ethernet — Wi-Fi delays can reach 50-100 ms.
• 🎮 To emulate a local network in games over the Internet, use Hamachi or ZeroTier.