Hello Folks, Its been long since i've posted so thought i'd keep myself alive by posting up a useful tutorial. I know how hard it can be to not know about something, and ask around with no clue of whats goin on. So i've made sure that every word in this tutorial is understandable by any new user with the least knowledge of a PC and Networking.









First and foremost make sure you have the right cable. A Right cable would be a Cross-Over LAN wire (PC-PC). A Cross-Over cable is used ONLY when you connect two PCs together. Where as a Straight-Through wire is used only when you want to connect your two or more PCs to a single computer via a HUB. This is a basic knowledge about networking that everyone should know.



So let's get started, do not connect any wire yet because we have to configure the PC.



Configuring the Desktop/Computer 1



1) On your Desktop/Computer 1, go to Start > Connect to > Show all connections.

2) Select your LAN card and right click to select Properties.

3) Once in your LAN hardware properties, TICK "Show icon in notification area when connected" and SELECT 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and HIT properties.

4) In your TCP/IP properties SELECT "Use the following IP addresses" and fill in the following;

IP Address : 192.168.0.1

Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway : 192.168.0.2



SELECT "use the following DNS server addresses", and fill the following:

Preferred DNS server : 192.168.0.2



And HIT advanced.

5) Once here, SELECT the 'WINS' tab and SELECT "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP".

6) Now HIT "ok" on all the screens to close them, and this ends the configuration for your LAN hardware on your Desktop/Computer 1.





Regards
Dhanesh.

Sharing Drives & Folders



The next step after your configuration of the Desktop PC would be to enable what Drives/Folders you want to share, so that you can read and write to them from any other PC connected to it.



1) In this case, I've taken my E: drive and I want to share it with another PC that I connect. So open "My Computer" and right click on any other Drive you want, and SELECT "Sharing and Security"

2) Incase you never connected to a network; you would be presented with a screen like this.

3) After you accept to the previous screen by clicking on the link, you will be presented with another screen like this, where you'll have to SELECT "Network Setup Wizard"

4) Once on the Network Setup Wizard, go through the screens till you come to a point where it shows you your LAN hardware, SELECT it and then TICK "ignore disconnected network hardware"

5) Then you have to SELECT the first option of your computer connecting to the internet directly as this is your Desktop/Computer 1 and it would directly communicate with your modem.

6) Next you'll be asked to SELECT your internet connection, so choose your correct hardware that connects to the INTERNET.

7) Next give any computer description you want to, so it is easier for you to identify and then give your Desktop/Computer 1 a name, let this name be unique and make sure you do not use the same name elsewhere for any other Computer on the network.

8) The next step is important because the WORKGROUP you specify here would have to same on the other computer as well. For this I use the default name by Microsoft MSHOME.

9) Next SELECT "turn on file and printer sharing"

10) And lastly SELECT "Just finish the wizard, I don't need to run the wizard on other computers" and HIT next.

11) Finally, the Network and Sharing box will be enabled, so here TICK "share this folder on the network", give a share name if you wish or just leave the default. And TICK "allow network users to change my files".

12) To share a folder, right click on a folder and SELECT "sharing and security", then when you are presented with a properties box, do the same as you did for sharing your hard drive. TICK "share this folder on the network", give a share name if you wish or just leave the default. And TICK "allow network users to change my files".

Your job on the Desktop/Computer 1 is DONE!



Configure your Laptop/Computer 2



1) On your Laptop/Computer 2, go to Start > Connect to > Show all connections.

2) Select your LAN card and right click to select Properties.

3) Once in your LAN hardware properties, TICK "Show icon in notification area when connected" and SELECT 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and HIT properties.

4) In your TCP/IP properties SELECT "Use the following IP addresses" and fill in the following;

IP Address : 192.168.0.2

Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway : 192.168.0.1



SELECT "use the following DNS server addresses", and fill the following:

Preferred DNS server : 192.168.0.1



And HIT advanced.

5) Once here, SELECT the 'WINS' tab and SELECT "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP".

6) Now HIT "ok" on all the screens to close them, and this ends the configuration for your LAN hardware on your Laptop/Computer 2.

• Make sure that your WORKGROUP is the same on both the PC's you connect. Like the screenshot shown below of both the Desktop and the Laptop. If you want to check your WORKGROUP names or want to change them, go to START>right click My Computer and SELECT properties, then SELECT the "Computer Name" tab, and do your necessary changes.

• Connect the Cross-Over wire on both the PC's and Whooot ! We have a network.

• On your Laptop/Computer 2, go to START > RUN and type in " \\192.168.0.1 " without quotes. This is the address of your Desktop computer. When you hit enter you will be presented with a folder which would show you all the Drives and Folders you are sharing.

• Your Internet will also be on the network so feel free to browse too.

Hope this tutorial helps many. If you have any comments or suggestions please post up. And if anyone can add more stuff into this or even extend this tutorial, then please feel free to do so. The tutorial looks kinda mesed up, cause of so many images and posting restrictions. So hopefully next time i'll do a clean and better job




Regards

Dhanesh.

Hi dhanesh,

Thanks very much friends i've looking tutorial something like this for few days. And your tutorial makes me clear. But if you add a comment why we enter subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and and IP address 192.168.0.1 it would we better.

My question is Can 2 laptop that have Wi-Fi support connected?? is the configuration same as your tutorial but with Wireless Card?


Thanks

Thankx masterio, m happy it helped sumone . About your questions .. instead of answering them myself, i'd like to point you towards a more elaborate explaination on the web. Hope you have your queries solved.

About 255.255.255.0 Subnet Mask Question : >> CLICK HERE <<

About PC-PC WiFi Networking Question : >> CLICK HERE <<

Regards,
Dhanesh.

I tried to configure the second laptop. But my laptop's running on Windows Vista. The interface aren't the same... can you help me configure the laptop (windows vista) so it would connect to my first desktop computer (windows XP). I've done what you told me for the first pc.



oh, I just tried configuring the laptop, changing the TCP/IPv4, as to be done on TCP/IP. it didn't work...and when I tried to connect to the internet, I wasn't able to do so. I had to disable to use of the ip address just so I could connect to the internet.. could you please help? thanks.



-Rina

I tried to configure the second laptop. But my laptop's running on Windows Vista. The interface aren't the same... can you help me configure the laptop (windows vista) so it would connect to my first desktop computer (windows XP). I've done what you told me for the first pc.



oh, I just tried configuring the laptop, changing the TCP/IPv4, as to be done on TCP/IP. it didn't work...and when I tried to connect to the internet, I wasn't able to do so. I had to disable to use of the ip address just so I could connect to the internet.. could you please help? thanks.



-Rina

I gone through your tutorial it is very good and help to the people one who are willing to learn and want to increase the knowledge

My suggestion is add more information and ipv6 using that version and configure the laptop using windows vista .

Thank you for the CLEAR info
[tutorial] Pc-pc Home Networking.

Hi Dhanesh,
I've wanted to network my 3 PCs for awhile, now--intermediate PC experience, but none on networking. I read some background material & used the MSN Net-setup wizard---but did not get much success.

Luckily I saw your piece here on the 'net & it was very clear to me---set things up as you directed & it worked like a charm on my two Win XP Pro machines,the first time. [still have no access to my third (Win 98SE) machine--my failings somewhere along the line---but happy about the other two networked PCs] THANKS!

-John B