How to Connect Two Computers to a WiFi Network: A Complete Guide

Creating a local area network between two computers is one of the basic tasks faced by home and office network users. Often, there's a need to quickly transfer a large file, share a printer, or simply play an online game with a friend in the next room. Wi-Fi connections eliminates the need to run long cables throughout the entire apartment, making the network flexible and mobile.

Modern operating systems such as Windows 10 And Windows 11, have built-in tools for organizing such interactions, but standard security settings often block visibility of devices. To successfully set up a network, you will need to change several settings in the system one by one and make sure that both devices are in the correct access profile.

In this article, we'll walk you through the setup process in detail, eliminating unnecessary steps and focusing on effective methods. You'll learn how to correctly configure IP addressing settings, set up file sharing, and troubleshoot common errors that occur when attempting to connect two PCs wirelessly.

Equipment check and prerequisites

Before moving on to software settings, you need to make sure that your hardware is ready for use. Both computers must be connected to the same Wi-Fi router.Otherwise, they won't be able to physically "see" each other in the local area. If one computer is connected by cable and the other by air, that's also acceptable, as long as they share a single router.

Check the status of the network adapters on both devices. Make sure the Wi-Fi module drivers are installed correctly and there are no conflicts. There shouldn't be any exclamation marks next to the network controllers in Device Manager. It's also worth checking that antivirus or firewall does not block network detection in public places.

It's recommended to know the IP addresses of your devices, or at least their network names, in advance, as this will significantly simplify diagnostics in the event of problems. You can do this using the command line or the graphical system settings interface.

It's important to consider your router's frequency range. If your equipment supports 5 GHz, file transfer speeds will be significantly higher than on the older 2.4 GHz band. However, the 5Ghz range is shorter, so computers shouldn't be too far from the access point.

Setting up a network profile and discovery

The first step in software configuration is changing the network profile. By default, Windows often assigns the "Public Network" profile, which hides the computer from other devices for security reasons. We need to switch it to "Private Network."

To do this, go to Settings → Network & Internet → StatusClick on your Wi-Fi connection properties. In the window that opens, select the "Private" network type. This will allow the system to make your PC visible to other trusted devices within range of the router.

Next, you need to activate the detection functions. Open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Change advanced sharing settingsHere you need to enable network discovery and file and printer sharing for the current profile.

• ✅ Enable the "Turn on network discovery" option.
• ✅ Enable "Turn on file and printer sharing."
• ✅ Allow Windows to manage HomeGroup connections (if applicable).
• ✅ Disable password protection if you want to simplify access without entering a username and password (not recommended for offices).

⚠️ Attention: Disabling password protection opens your folders to anyone who connects to your Wi-Fi. Only do this if you completely trust all users on your network or use complex passwords when accessing your Wi-Fi network.

After making changes, be sure to save the settings by clicking the "Save Changes" button. Sometimes a computer restart is required for all services to update their statuses and begin correctly broadcasting their presence on the network.

Configuring IP addressing and computer names

For stable operation of a local network, each device must have a unique name and, preferably, a static IP address within the same subnet. Although the router's DHCP server can assign addresses automatically, for a permanent network, it's better to assign them manually or reserve them.

You can change the computer name through Settings → System → About → Rename PCThe name must be written in Latin characters, without spaces or special characters, to avoid compatibility issues with older SMB protocols.

To manually configure IP, go to Control Panel → Network ConnectionsFind your wireless connection, right-click and select Properties. Then find it in the list. Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and open its properties.

You can enter a static address here. For example, if the router has an address of 192.168.1.1, set the first computer to 192.168.1.10, and the second to 192.168.1.11. The subnet mask is usually 255.255.255.0.

Organizing shared access to folders and files

Once the computers are "visible" to each other, you need to share resources. Select the folder you want to make available to the second PC. Right-click it and go to "Properties."

In the window that opens, go to the "Sharing" tab and click "Advanced." Check "Share this folder." Below, click "Permissions" and ensure that the "Everyone" group or a specific user has read or edit permissions for the files.

There's also a "Security" tab, where permissions are set at the NTFS file system level. Here, it's also important to add the "Everyone" user and grant them the necessary permissions; otherwise, the system may block access even when the network folder is open.

To access the shared folder from another computer, open File Explorer and go to the Network section. If everything is configured correctly, you will see the name of the second computer. Double-clicking it will open a list of available folders.

Connecting a network printer and peripherals

One of the most useful features of a local network is the ability to share a single printer between multiple computers. If the printer is connected to one of the computers via USB, it can be shared like a regular folder.

Go to Settings → Devices → Printers & ScannersSelect the desired printer, click "Manage," then "Printer Properties," and then go to the "Sharing" tab. Check the "Share this printer" box and give it a descriptive network name.

On the second computer, open "Devices and Printers" and select "Add a printer." The system should automatically find the network printer. If it doesn't, select "The printer I want isn't listed" and manually specify the path using the IP address or computer name.

⚠️ Attention: For a network printer to work, the computer it's physically connected to must be turned on. If the PC is turned off or in sleep mode, printing from other devices will be impossible.

What should I do if the drivers are not installed automatically?

In this case, download the full driver package for your printer model from the manufacturer's official website to the second computer. When adding the printer, select "Install driver from disk" and specify the path to the downloaded file.

Diagnosing problems and resolving connection errors

Even with proper configuration, errors can still occur. Users often encounter the error "Windows cannot access..." First, check if the service is enabled. Workstation And Server in the "Services" section (called by the command services.msc).

Antivirus software may also be the problem. Third-party antivirus programs (Kaspersky, ESET, Avast) often have their own built-in firewalls that block local connections, ignoring Windows settings. Try temporarily disabling network protection in your antivirus to test.

Use the command ping To check the connection, open the command prompt and enter ping 192.168.1.11 (the address of the second PC). If there are responses, there's a physical connection and the problem is with access rights. If it says "Timeout exceeded," the problem is at the network or firewall level.

• 🔍 Check if the Wi-Fi indicator is on on both devices.
• 🔍 Make sure both PCs are in the same workgroup (usually WORKGROUP).
• 🔍 Restart the Discovery Resource Publishing service.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is it possible to connect two laptops directly without a router?

Yes, it's possible. Windows 10 and 11 have a feature called "Mobile Hotspot," which allows one laptop to share Wi-Fi and another to connect to it. It's also possible to create a computer-to-computer (Ad-Hoc) network, although this is more difficult to do in newer versions of Windows than before.

Why is the second computer not visible in the network neighborhood?

Most likely, network discovery isn't enabled on the second PC, or the network profile is set to "Public." Also, check if the SSDP Discovery service is enabled. Sometimes, simply restarting both computers after setup helps.

Is it safe to share folders?

If you're on a home network with a strong Wi-Fi password, the risks are minimal. However, in public places (cafes, hotels), it's strongly recommended to avoid enabling public access, as hackers could access your files.

How to increase file transfer speed over WiFi?

Use the 5 GHz band instead of 2.4 GHz. Make sure both devices support the 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standard or later. Speed ​​also depends on the distance from the router and the number of obstacles (walls) between it and the computers.