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How to Set Up Network Connection Between Two Computers in Windows 10

Key Takeaways

  • Enable network discovery, file and printer sharing, and disable password-protected sharing on both computers
  • Assign static IP addresses to the computers on the same subnet
  • Share folders and set permissions to allow access between the computers

Enabling Network Sharing

The first step is to enable network discovery and file/printer sharing on both computers. This allows the computers to see each other on the network and share resources.

  1. Open the “Network & Sharing Center” by searching for it in the Start menu.
  2. Click “Change advanced sharing settings”.
  3. Under the “Private” profile, turn on “Network discovery” and “File and printer sharing”.
  4. Under “All Networks”, turn off “Password protected sharing”.[1]

Assigning Static IP Addresses

To ensure a stable connection, it’s recommended to assign static IP addresses to both computers on the same subnet.

  1. Open the “Network Connections” window by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray and selecting “Open Network & Internet settings”.
  2. Click on the network adapter you want to configure and select “Properties”.
  3. Select “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click “Properties”.
  4. Select “Use the following IP address” and enter an IP address on the same subnet for each computer. For example:
  • Computer 1: 192.168.1.100
  • Computer 2: 192.168.1.101
    Set the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 for both.[3]

Sharing Folders

Now you can share folders between the two computers.

  1. In File Explorer, right-click on the folder you want to share and select “Properties”.
  2. Click the “Sharing” tab and then “Advanced Sharing”.
  3. Check the “Share this folder” box and click “Permissions”.[1]
  4. Click “Add” and enter the username of the user on the other computer you want to grant access to. Set the desired permissions and click “OK”.[4]

On the other computer, you can now access the shared folder by going to \\COMPUTER_NAME\SHARED_FOLDER_NAME in File Explorer, replacing COMPUTER_NAME and SHARED_FOLDER_NAME with the appropriate values.[1][4]

Security Considerations

When sharing files and folders over a network, it’s important to follow security best practices:

  • Use strong passwords for user accounts
  • Keep Windows and antivirus software up-to-date
  • Enable the Windows Firewall and configure rules as needed
  • Implement access controls and limit sharing only to those who need it[5]

By following these steps, you can successfully set up a network connection and share files between two Windows 10 computers on the same local network.

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