There are several ways to connect two computers, but one of the easiest methods is to use a crossover Ethernet cable. This method requires a few simple steps:
- Obtain a crossover Ethernet cable: This type of cable differs from a regular Ethernet cable because it has its transmit and receive wires crossed over. You can purchase one from an electronics store or online retailer.
- Connect the two computers: Plug one end of the crossover Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port on the first computer and the other end into the Ethernet port on the second computer.
- Configure network settings: You may need to configure the network settings on both computers to ensure they can communicate with each other. On Windows, go to the Control Panel, click Network and Sharing Center, and then click Change Adapter Settings. Right-click on the Ethernet adapter and select Properties. Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and then click Properties. Enter an IP address in the same subnet as the other computer (e.g. 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2) and set the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0. Click OK to save the changes.
- Test the connection: Once you’ve completed these steps, you should be able to transfer files between the two computers. Try opening a file on one computer from the other computer to confirm the connection is working.
Connecting two computers is the easiest way to share an internet connection or files. It is important to note that sharing of networks in general has some limitations that make them only limited to certain circumstances.
The speed of connecting network is normally less than a normal infrastructural network. Shared network specifications only require a max speed of 11Mbps which is slower than any b/g/n/ac max speed.
As you cannot monitor the signal strength of the shared network, you must ensure computers are placed fairly close to each other. The share connection must not move around a lot. Shared networks don’t support all the security norms of any standard infrastructure networks, so they are easily hacked.
But, we must explore this aspect of computer networking. Let’s begin our understanding of connecting two computers.
Method for Connecting Two Computers
- Sharing Internet from Windows
- Sharing Internet from a Mac
- Sharing Files from Windows to Windows
- Sharing Files from Mac to Mac
- Sharing Files between Windows and Mac
Method 1 : Sharing Internet from Windows
- Connecting two computers with an Ethernet cable. Use an Ethernet cable to connect two computers to one another. You’ll require an Ethernet to USB-C adapter to plug into Mac’s Thunderbolt 3 port before you are able to attach an Ethernet cable to a Mac.
- Open Start. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
- Ensure that use the computer from which you are getting or sharing Internet and not that computer which was just connected.
- Open Control Panel by clicking when it appears at the top of the Start window.
- Tap Network and Internet on the left side of the Control Panel window.
- Tap Network and Sharing Center in the middle of the page to open a list of current connections.
- Tap Change adapter settings in the upper-left side of the window.
- Select both the Wi-Fi connection and the Ethernet connection.
- Click computer icon with “Wi-Fi” under it and hold Ctrl key and click computer icon with “Ethernet” under it.
- Right-click the Wi-Fi connection to prompt a drop-down menu.
- Tap Bridge Connections in the drop-down menu and Wi-Fi will be shared in a “bridged” connection with the other computer.
Method 2 : Sharing Internet from a Mac
- Connecting two computers with an Ethernet cable to connect two Mac computers to one another.
- If connecting a Mac to another Mac, you’ll require two Ethernet to USB-C adapters to plug into Macs’ Thunderbolt 3 ports.
- Open the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen for drop-down menu to appear.
- Tap System Preferences in the drop-down menu.
- Press Sharing in the System Preferences window followed by opening of a new window.
- Tap the “Internet Sharing” box is on the left side of the window.
- Press the “Share your connection from” drop-down box in the middle of the window will appear.
- Click Wi-Fi is in the drop-down menu.
- Go through the “Ethernet” box to share Mac’s Internet connection with the computer to which it is currently connected.
Method 3 : Sharing Files from Windows to Windows
- Connecting two computers with an Ethernet cable.
- Open Start in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
- Ensure to select that computer from which you’re sharing files.
- Open Control Panel at the top of the Start window.
- Click Network and Internet on the left side of the Control Panel window.
- If Control Panel page has “Small icons” or “Large icons” written in the top-right corner then you may skip the step.
- Tap Network and Sharing Center in the middle of the page.
- Tap Advanced sharing settings is in the upper-left corner of the window.
- Turn on file sharing by clicking below the “File and printer sharing” in the middle of the page.
- Share a folder. To do so:
- Go to the folder’s location in File Explorer.
- Tap the folder that you want to share.
- Tap the Share tab.
- Tap Specific people…
- Select Everyone from the drop-down menu at the top of the window.
- Tap Share
- Tap Done
- Open the other computer’s File Explorer. Tap the File Explorer icon, or open Start and click there.
- Click your first computer’s name given below the Network heading on the left side of the File Explorer window. You may scroll down to find the option.
- Copy the shared folder onto the second computer by clicking the folder that you wish to copy then tap Ctrl+C, go to a folder in which you wish to store it, and again tap Ctrl+V.
Method 4 : Sharing Files from Mac to Mac
- Connecting two Mac computers using an Ethernet cable.
- Unless one or both of the Macs are iMacs or desktop computers, you will require two Ethernet to USB-C adapters to plug into Macs’ Thunderbolt 3 ports before connecting them via Ethernet.
- Tap Go at the top of the screen. Clicking it prompts a drop-down menu.
- If unable to see Go, click the desktop to force it to appear.
- Ensure that you’re doing this process on the Mac from which you want to transfer files.
- Tap Connect to Server near the bottom of the drop-down menu.
- Press Browse near the bottom of the Connect to Server window for pop-up window to appear with nearby computers.
- Double-click the second Mac’s name in the pop-up window.
- Enter the second computer’s password when prompted to allow to connect to the second computer using the current password.
- Click Connect in the lower-right side of the pop-up window.
- Open Finder resembling a blue face in Mac’s Dock.
- Move files onto the other Mac by copying as clicking and pressing ? Command+C, click the other Mac’s name in the lower-left side of the Finder window, open your preferred folder, and press ? Command+V.
Method 5 : Sharing Files between Windows and Mac
- Connecting two different computers using an Ethernet cable to USB-C adapter to plug into your Mac’s Thunderbolt 3 port before attaching an Ethernet cable to the Mac.
- If both Mac and Windows computer are connected to the Internet, transfer the files over Wi-Fi which will lead to slower file transfers than a cable.
- Enable file sharing on the Windows computer. To do so:
- Click Control Panel by typing control panel into Start and presssing Control Panel.
- Tap Network and Sharing.
- Tap Network and Sharing Center
- Press Advanced sharing settings
- Enter the “Turn on file and printer sharing” box.
- Share a folder. To do this, follow the steps:
- Click to open Start Click File Explorer
- Press the folder that you wish to share.
- Tap the Share tab.
- Tap Specific people…
- Check Everyone from the drop-down menu at the top of the window.
- Tap Share
- Press Done
- Enable file sharing on the Mac computer. To do so:
- Click to open Apple menu Click System Preferences…
- Press Sharing
- Enter the “File Sharing” box.
- Alter the “Everyone” permissions from “Read Only” to “Read & Write”.
- Share a folder from Mac by clicking the ? icon below the list of shared folders, then double-clicking the folder that you wish to share. You might also press Add to add the folder to the list of shared folders.
- Access the Mac’s files from the Windows computer from within the File Explorer:
- Click to open Start Click File Explorer
- Tap the Mac’s name below the Network heading on the left side of the File Explorer.
- Press the shared folder.
- Choose the files that you wish to save, then Tap Ctrl+C
- Navigate to the folder on computer and then Tap Ctrl+V.
- Access the Windows computer’s files from the Mac from within the Finder:
- Press Windows computer’s name in the lower-left side of the window.
- Click to open the shared folder.
- Choose the files that you wish to save, then Tap ? Command+C
- Navigate to a folder on Mac and then Tap ? Command+V.
You may or may not use above steps for connecting two computers, after going through your own security concerns. Happy Connections!