Creating a local area network (LAN) between devices within the same room is a fundamental skill necessary for comfortable work in the modern digital world. When multiple computers are connected to the same router, whether via cable or wireless connection, they are automatically placed on the same LAN, but access to each other's resources is often blocked by default for security reasons.
To start sharing data, you don't need to install additional cables or purchase specialized server hardware. All you need is for all devices to be on the same subnet and have the correct TCP/IP settings, which usually happens automatically when connecting to your home router. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of setting up sharing so you can transfer files, use network printers, and play multimedia on other screens without the need for external drives.
First, you need to ensure that your devices can physically see each other. Check whether your computers are connected to the same WiFi access point, and make sure the network status in the operating system is set to "Private Network" rather than "Public," as this setting is what the basic Windows Firewall rules depend on.
Checking basic network settings and naming
Before tackling complex access settings, it's important to properly identify your devices. Each computer on the network must have a unique name so the system can distinguish them when requesting data. If you attempt to connect two computers with the same name, an addressing conflict will occur, and the connection will be impossible.
To check and change your name, go to Settings → System → About and click "Rename this PC." Use Latin characters to avoid encoding issues with older network protocols, although modern versions of Windows can usually handle Cyrillic characters.
A critical point is that the devices belong to the same workgroup. By default, Windows systems use the name WORKGROUP, and you shouldn't change it unless absolutely necessary. Make sure that all computers you plan to connect have this value set, otherwise they may not appear in the network environment.
⚠️ Important: Changing the workgroup name requires a computer restart. If you change the setting on one PC but not the other, they won't recognize each other until the system restarts.
It's also worth checking the IP addresses of the devices. They should be in the same range, for example, 192.168.0.x, where x is a unique number for each device. If one computer has an address of 192.168.0.5 and another has an address of 192.168.1.5, they will be isolated from each other without routing.
Setting up a network profile and discovery
By default, the Windows operating system treats new connections as "Public," which provides maximum security and conceals the device from prying eyes. To create a shared network, you must manually switch the profile to "Private," thereby allowing the computer to be visible to other devices within the trusted perimeter.
To do this, open Network & Internet settings, select your WiFi connection, and in the "Network Profile" section, set the switch to "Private." The system will then automatically change the firewall rules to allow incoming connections for device discovery.
The next step is to enable discovery services. Go to Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center → Change advanced sharing settingsHere you will see a menu for fine-tuning profiles.
- 📡 Turn on network discovery to make your PC discoverable and visible to other devices.
- 📂 Enable file and printer sharing, which is the basis for data transfer.
- 🔒 Allow Windows to manage HomeGroup connections if you're using older versions of the OS.
Don't forget to enable network folder sharing in the "All Networks" section. This will allow other users to read and write data to shared directories. Without this option enabled, the system will block connection attempts even if files are shared publicly.
Expanding access to shared folders and files
Once the basic settings are complete, you need to determine which resources will be available to other users. You can share the entire drive, which is not recommended for security reasons, or select specific folders for sharing.
To configure access to a folder, right-click it, select "Properties," and go to the "Sharing" tab. Click "Advanced Settings" and check the "Share this folder" box.
In the permissions window, you can fine-tune permissions for different user groups. Typically, it's enough to add the "Everyone" or "Users" group and grant them read and write permissions. If you only want to stream media files, leave only read permissions.
net share MediaFolder=C:\Movies /grant:Everyone,READThis PowerShell command creates a shared folder named MediaFolder that points to the movie directory and assigns read-only permissions to all network users.
It's important to understand the difference between the "Access" and "Security" tabs in folder properties. The "Access" tab controls network permissions, while the "Security" tab controls local NTFS file system permissions. Permissions on the "Security" tab take precedence: if denied, network access won't work.
Setting up printer sharing
Sharing a single printer with multiple computers in an apartment or office is one of the most useful features of a local area network. Instead of connecting the device via USB to each PC, you can make it a network resource.
Connect the printer to the host computer (print server) and make sure it is working properly. Then go to Settings → Devices → Printers & Scanners, select your printer and click "Manage".
In the window that opens, select "Printer Properties" (specifically, properties, not just device properties) and go to the "Sharing" tab. Check the "Share this printer" box and give it a meaningful network name.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Resource name | HP_LaserJet_Office | Short name without spaces for compatibility |
| Additional drivers | Select architecture | Required for automatic installation on other PCs |
| Permissions | Print for everyone | Basic access level |
| Publishing in AD | No (for home) | Only valid for domain networks |
You need to add this printer to the client computers. Go to the Printers section, click "Add Printer," and select "The printer I want isn't listed." Select "Search by name" and enter the path to the printer in the following format: \\Computer_Name\Printer_Name.
⚠️ Caution: If the host computer to which the printer is connected is turned off or enters sleep mode, other devices will lose their ability to print. Consider purchasing a printer with a built-in WiFi network adapter.
Resolving access and password issues
A common problem when setting up a network is the requirement to enter a password when attempting to connect to resources. By default, Windows requires an account with a password to protect data. You can disable this request if you trust everyone connected to your WiFi.
In the "Advanced sharing settings" menu, find the "All networks" section at the very bottom. Select "Turn off password-protected sharing." This will allow you to connect to shared folders as a guest, without entering a username or password.
If you decide to leave protection enabled, make sure you have identical accounts with identical passwords on all computers. This is the easiest way to avoid constant login requests on your home network.
Sometimes resetting the network connection cache helps. Open Command Prompt as administrator and enter the command to flush DNS and reset network settings.
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset
After running these commands, be sure to restart your computer. This often resolves issues where computers can "see" each other but are unable to establish a connection.