How to Connect Two Computers

Connect both computers to the same wireless network. To share and view files over Wi-Fi, both devices must be connected to the same wireless network. File sharing is possible between Mac and Windows systems.

Open the Advanced Sharing Settings menu. Follow these steps to access the Advanced Sharing Settings:

• Click on Start in Windows.
• Select the gear icon to open the Settings menu.
• Click on the Network & Internet icon.
• Choose Ethernet from the left-hand menu.
• Click on Change advanced sharing settings under "Related Settings" on the right.

Click on Private. This option displays network sharing settings for private networks.

Enable network discovery along with file and printer sharing. To do this, click the radio buttons next to "Turn on network discovery" and "Turn on file and printer sharing."

• Network discovery allows your computer to be recognized by other devices and to detect other computers using your private account.
• File and printer sharing enables you to share files and printers over the network.

Click on Guest or Public. This is the second sharing option below "Private" in the Advanced Sharing Settings menu. It displays network sharing settings for guest and public accounts on your computer.

Turn on network discovery and file and printer sharing. To do this, click the circular radio buttons next to "Turn on network discovery" and "Turn on file and printer sharing."

Click on All Networks. This is the third sharing option located below "Guest and Public." It displays advanced sharing settings for all networks the computer is connected to.

Enable network sharing. Click the circular radio button next to "Turn on sharing so anyone can read and write files in the public folders." This action allows you to share files over the network.

Enable or disable password-protected sharing. When password-protected sharing is enabled, other users must enter the computer's username and password to access shared folders. If you disable password-protected sharing, anyone on the network can access the shared folders. To enable this feature, click the radio button next to "Turn password protected sharing on." If security is not a concern, click the radio button next to "Turn password protected sharing off."

Share a folder over the network. To allow other computers to view your files, you need to share them. Follow these steps to share a folder:

• Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
• Right-click the file or folder you want to share.
• Select Properties.
• Click the Sharing tab at the top.
• Click Share.
• Choose Everyone from the displayed menu and click Add.
• Set permissions to "Read/Write" or just "Read" if you don't want other computers to edit the files.
• Click Share.

Use another computer to access shared files. To access shared files on another computer, you need the username and password for that computer. You can access files from another Windows or Mac computer. Follow these steps to access files from another computer:

• Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
• Click Network in the left pane.
• Click the computer you want to access. If the computer name doesn't appear, type "\\" in the address bar followed by the computer name.
• Enter the username and password for the computer and click Ok.
• Click the user with the files you want to access.
• Open the folder containing the files you need.

Connect the two computers using an Ethernet cable. Use an Ethernet cable to link the two computers together.

Open the "Network and Sharing Center" on both computers. This step is necessary on both machines to ensure proper setup. Follow these steps to access the "Network & Sharing Center" on a Windows 10 computer:

• Click the Start button on Windows.
• Select the gear icon to open the Settings menu.
• Click on the Network & Internet icon.
• Choose Ethernet from the left-hand menu.
• Click on Network and Sharing Center under "Related Settings" on the right.

Click on Ethernet on both computers. This option is located under the "Internet" heading on the right. You will see the status of the Ethernet connection.

• If "Ethernet" is not visible on the right, click on Change adapter settings on the left and right-click the connected "Ethernet" connection. Then, click on Properties.

Click on Properties on both computers. This is the first button located below the Status window.

Select "Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click on Properties. This will display the internet protocol properties. Perform this step on both computers.

Click the circular radio button next to "Use the following IP addresses". This allows you to manually enter unique IP addresses for both computers.

Enter unique IP addresses for both computers and click on Ok. You can keep the Subnet Mask as "255.255.255.0" for both computers. Enter the following IP addresses on each computer:

• Computer 1: 192.168.1.2
• Computer 2: 192.168.1.1

Enable the Local Security Policy editor, available only on Windows 10 Home Edition. You need to adjust privacy settings for the Ethernet connection. If you're using Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise Edition, skip this step. However, for Windows 10 Home Edition, download a batch file to enable the Local Security Policy editor.

• Visit https://www.itechtics.com/enable-secpol-msc/ using your browser.
• Scroll down and click on "GPEdit Enabler for Windows 10 Home Edition." You may receive a warning from your antivirus software, but this is a safe program to download.
• Right-click the downloaded file in the Downloads folder and select Run as Administrator.
• Wait for the process to complete.

Open the Local Security Policy editor. To share files between the two computers, the Ethernet connection must be set to "Private." Perform this step on both computers. Follow these steps to open the Local Security Policy editor.

• Click on the Windows search bar in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
• Type secpol.msc.
• Click on the "secpol.msc" file.

Click on Network List Manager Policies. This is the fourth option in the Local Group Policy editor. It has no subfolders. Perform this step on both computers.

Double-click on Unidentified Networks. This will open the properties window for unidentified networks.

Select "Private" and click on Apply, then click Ok. This sets the unidentified network to Private mode. The Ethernet connection will now show as "Private" in the "Network and Sharing Center." Repeat this step on both computers.

Share a folder with another computer. To allow another computer to access your files, you need to share them. Follow these steps to share a folder:

• Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
• Right-click the file or folder you want to share.
• Select Properties.
• Click the Sharing tab at the top.
• Click Share.
• Choose Everyone from the displayed menu and click Add.
• Set permissions to "Read/Write" or just "Read" if you don't want the other computer to edit the files.
• Click Share.

Use another computer to access shared files. To access shared files on another computer, you need the username and password for that computer. Follow these steps to access shared files from another computer:

• Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
• Click Network in the left pane.
• Click the computer you want to access. If the computer name doesn't appear, type \\[computer name] in the address bar.
• Enter the username and password, then click Ok.
• Click the user with the files you want to access.
• Open the folder containing the files you need.

Connect both computers to the same wireless network. To share files over Wi-Fi, both computers must be connected to the same wireless network. You can share files between Mac and Windows computers.

Click on System Preferences…. You can find this option in the displayed menu. This action opens the System Preferences window.

Click on Sharing in the System Preferences window. A new window will appear.

Click on File Sharing and ensure the checkbox next to it is selected. Make sure the checkbox next to "File Sharing" in the left menu is checked. This enables File Sharing. Next, click on File Sharing in the menu to view the File Sharing options.

Click on + below "Shared Folders". A Finder window will open, allowing you to select the folder you want to share.

Select the folder you want to share and click on Add. Use the Finder window to navigate to the folder you want to share. Click on the folder to select it, then click Add in the bottom-right corner.

Set folder permissions according to your preferences. To configure folder permissions, click on the user you want to grant access to (or select everyone). Then, use the dropdown menu to choose "read/write" or "read only." Selecting "read/write" allows others to access and modify files in the folder, while "read only" permits viewing files without editing them.

Access the shared folder. You need to know the name of the computer you want to access, along with the username and password if the computer is password-protected. This can be done on both Windows and Mac computers. You must also know the name of the target computer. Follow these steps to access a shared folder over Wi-Fi on a Mac:

• Open Finder.
• Click Go in the menu bar at the top.
• Select Connect to Server from the dropdown menu.
• Click Browse and choose the computer you want to access. If the computer isn't visible, enter smb://[computer name]/ under "Server address" and click Ok.
• Enter the username and password, then click Ok.
• Select the folder you want to access and click Ok.

Connect the two computers. Use an Ethernet cable to connect the two Macs.

• Unless one or both of the Macs are iMacs (desktop computers), you'll need two Ethernet-to-USB-C adapters to plug into the Thunderbolt 3 ports on the Macs before connecting them via Ethernet. The Thunderbolt port is shaped like a small pill with a lightning bolt symbol.
• If the computer you want to connect doesn't have an Ethernet port, you'll need an Ethernet-to-USB adapter.

Click on Go on both computers. A menu will appear after you click this.

• If you don't see Go, click on the computer's main screen to force this option to appear.
• Make sure you do this on the Mac you want to use for transferring files.

Click on Connect to Server. This option is located near the bottom of the displayed menu.

Click on Browse. This option is near the bottom of the Connect to Server window. A window displaying nearby computers will appear.

• If you can't find the other computer by clicking "Browse," enter smb://[computer name] under "Server address" to connect manually.

Double-click the name of the second Mac. You'll see the computer name in the displayed window.

Enter the password for the second computer when prompted. This action allows you to connect to the second computer.

Click on Connect. This option is located in the bottom-right corner of the displayed window.

Select the file you want to transfer and press ⌘ Command+C. This copies the selected file from the other Mac.

Navigate to where you want to save the file and press ⌘ Command+V. This pastes the file onto the current Mac.

Connect the two computers. Use an Ethernet cable to connect the two computers.

• You'll need an Ethernet-to-USB-C adapter to plug into the Thunderbolt 3 port on the Mac before connecting the Ethernet cable. The Thunderbolt port is shaped like a small pill with a lightning bolt symbol.
• If the computer you want to connect doesn't have an Ethernet port, you'll need an Ethernet-to-USB adapter.

Enable file sharing on the Windows computer. Follow these steps to enable File Sharing on Windows:

• Click the Start menu on Windows.
• Click the gear icon to open the Settings menu.
• Click on Network & Internet.
• Select Ethernet from the left-hand menu.
• Click on Network and Sharing Center under "Related Settings" on the right.
• Click Change advanced sharing settings.
• Click Turn on network discovery for both private and public networks.
• Click Turn on file and printer sharing for both private and public networks.
• Click Save changes.

Share a folder. Follow these steps to share a folder on Windows:

• Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
• Right-click the folder you want to share and select Properties.
• Click the Share tab.
• Click Share.
• Select Everyone from the displayed menu and click Add.
• Set permissions to Read/Write.
• Click Share.

Enable file sharing on the Mac. Follow these steps to enable File Sharing on the Mac:

• Open the Apple menu.
• Click System Preferences...
• Click Sharing.
• Check the box next to "File Sharing."
• Change the permissions for "Everyone" from "Read Only" to "Read & Write."

Share a folder from the Mac. Click the ＋ icon below the shared folders list, then double-click the folder you want to share.

• You must click Add to include the folder in the shared folders list.

Access files on the Mac from a Windows computer. You can do this in File Explorer:

• Open Start.
• Click File Explorer.
• Click the name of the Mac under the Network heading in the left pane of File Explorer.
• Open the shared folder.
• Select the file you want to save, then press Ctrl+C.
• Navigate to the folder on your computer and press Ctrl+V.

Access files on a Windows computer from the Mac. You can do this in Finder by following these steps:

• Open Finder.
• Click the name of the Windows computer in the bottom-left corner of the window.
• Open the shared folder.
• Select the file you want to save, then press ⌘ Command+C.
• Navigate to the folder on your Mac and press ⌘ Command+V.

Connect the two computers using an Ethernet cable. Use an Ethernet cable to link the two computers.

• You'll need an Ethernet-to-USB-C adapter to plug into the Thunderbolt 3 port on the Mac before connecting the Ethernet cable. The Thunderbolt 3 port is shaped like a small pill with a lightning bolt symbol on top. On MacBooks, this port is usually located on the sides, while on iMacs, it's found at the back.
• If the computer lacks an Ethernet port, you'll need an Ethernet-to-USB adapter.

Open the "Network Connections" window. Follow these steps to open the "Network Connections" window on the host computer:

• Click the Start button on Windows.
• Type "Network Connections".
• Click View Network Connections.

Right-click the network connection you're using and select Properties. This action opens a menu. Click Properties at the bottom of the menu.

Click the Sharing tab. This allows you to configure sharing options for the computer.

Check the box to allow internet connection sharing. This box is next to "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection." It's the first option at the top of the window.

Choose the method you want to use to share the network connection. Use the dropdown menu under "Home network connection:" to select the sharing method. If using an Ethernet cable, choose "Ethernet."

Click Ok followed by Yes. This saves the network sharing settings.

Right-click "Ethernet" and select Properties. This opens the Properties menu for the Ethernet connection.

Select "Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click Properties. This displays the internet protocol properties.

Select the circular radio button next to "Use the following IP addresses". This allows you to manually assign an IP address to the host computer.

Change the IP address to 192.168.0.1 and click Ok. Enter the IP address in the blank field next to "IP Address." You can leave the Subnet Mask as "255.255.255.0." Click Ok when done. This completes the setup for the computer with the network connection.

Open "Network Connections" on the other computer. Now, use the computer that will receive the internet connection (the client computer) and follow these steps to open "Network Connections."

• Click the Start menu on Windows.
• Type "Network Connections."
• Click View Network Connections.

Right-click "Ethernet" and select Properties. This opens the Properties menu for the Ethernet connection.

Select "Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click Properties. This displays the internet protocol properties.

Select the radio buttons next to "Use the following IP addresses" and "Use the following DNS server address." This allows you to manually assign an IP address to the client computer and enter the IP address for the host computer.

Assign the following IP information to the client computer and click Ok. You can keep the Subnet Mask the same, but the IP address must differ from the host computer's IP address. You also need to enter the host computer's IP address as the default gateway and DNS server. This allows the client computer to access the network through the host computer's internet connection. Assign the following information to the second computer:

• IP address: 192.168.0.2
• Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
• Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
• Preferred DNS server: 192.168.0.1

Connect the two computers using an Ethernet cable. Use an Ethernet cable to connect the two Macs.

• When connecting two Macs, you'll need two Ethernet-to-USB-C adapters to plug into the Thunderbolt 3 ports on the Macs before connecting them via Ethernet. The Thunderbolt port is shaped like a small pill with a lightning bolt symbol on top.
• If you can't plug the Ethernet cable into one of the computers, you'll need an Ethernet-to-USB adapter.

Click on System Preferences…. You'll find this option in the displayed menu. The System Preferences window will appear.

Click on Sharing. This option is located in the System Preferences window. A new window will appear.

Check the box next to "Internet Sharing." This option is located in the list on the left.

Click the dropdown menu next to "Share your connection from." This option is in the middle of the window. A menu will appear.

Click on Wi-Fi. This option is in the displayed menu.

• If the computer connects to the internet through a method other than Wi-Fi, select the type of connection being used to access the network.

Check the box next to "Ethernet." This action shares the Mac's internet connection with the computer connected via Wi-Fi.

• You can always use a USB to transfer files from one computer to another.
• To access advanced networking features, you'll need to learn about computer networking.
• To find the computer name on Windows, click the Start button and select the gear icon for Settings. Click System, then choose About. Look for the computer name next to "Device name."
• To find the computer name on a Mac, click the Apple icon in the top-left corner. Then, select About this Mac.

• Transferring files over Wi-Fi is always slower than using a cable.
• You can only transfer files and folders between computers. You cannot transfer installed programs and applications.