How to create and configure a home WiFi network. Setting up a home local network in Windows7

Hello.

Even 10-15 years ago, having a computer was almost a luxury, but now even having two (or more) computers in the house does not surprise anyone... Naturally, all the advantages of a PC appear when you connect it to a local network and the Internet, for example: network games, disk space sharing, fast file transfer from one PC to another, etc.

Not long ago I was “lucky” to create a home local network between two computers + “share” the Internet from one computer to another. I’ll tell you how to do this (from fresh memory) in this post.

1. How to connect computers to each other

The first thing you need to do when creating a local network is to decide how it will be built. A home local network usually consists of a small number of computers/laptops (2-3 pcs.). Therefore, 2 options are most often used: either computers are connected directly using a special cable; or use a special device - a router. Let's look at the features of each option.

Connecting computers “directly”

This option is the simplest and cheapest (in terms of equipment costs). In this way you can connect 2-3 computers (laptops) to each other. At the same time, if at least one PC is connected to the Internet, you can allow access to all other PCs on such a network.

What is needed to create such a connection?

1. A cable (also called twisted pair), slightly longer than the distance between the connected PCs. It’s even better if you immediately buy a crimped cable in the store - i.e. already with connectors for connecting to the computer’s network card (if you crimp it yourself, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with it:).

By the way, you need to pay attention to the fact that the cable is needed specifically to connect a computer to a computer (cross connection). If you take a cable to connect a computer to a router - and use it to connect 2 PCs - such a network will not work!

2. Every computer must have a network card (all modern PCs/laptops have one).

3. Actually, that’s all. Costs are minimal, for example, a cable in a store to connect 2 PCs can be bought for 200-300 rubles; There are network cards in every PC.

All that remains is to connect 2 system units with a cable and turn on both computers for further settings. By the way, if one of the PCs is connected to the Internet via a network card, then you will need a second network card - to be used to connect the PC to the local network.

The advantages of this option:

Fast creation;

Easy setup;

The reliability of such a network;

High speed when exchanging files.

Minuses:

Extra wires around the apartment;

To have access to the Internet, the main PC that is connected to the Internet must always be turned on;

Inability to gain access to the network for mobile devices*.

Creating a home local network using a router

A router is a small box that greatly simplifies the creation of a local network and Internet connection for all devices in the house.

It is enough to configure the router once - and all devices will be able to immediately connect to the local network and access the Internet. Nowadays you can find a huge number of routers in stores, I recommend reading the article:

Desktop computers connect to the router via a cable (usually 1 cable is always included with the router), laptops and mobile devices connect to the router via Wi-Fi. You can see how to connect a PC to a router (using the example of a D-Link router).

The organization of such a network is described in more detail in this article:

Pros:

Set up the router once, and Internet access will be available on all devices;

No extra wires;

Flexible Internet access settings for different devices.

Minuses:

Additional costs for purchasing a router;

Not all routers (especially those from a low price category) can provide high speed on the local network;

It is not always so easy for less experienced users to set up such a device.

2. Setting up a local network in Windows 7 (8)

After the computers are connected to each other by any of the options (whether they are connected to a router or directly to each other), you need to configure the Windows OS for full operation of the local network. Let's show the example of Windows 7 OS (the most popular OS today; in Windows 8 OS the setting is similar + you can familiarize yourself with it).

2.1 When connecting via a router

When connecting via a router, the local network, in most cases, is configured automatically. The main task comes down to setting up the router itself. Popular models have already been discussed on the blog pages earlier; I will provide several links below.

After setting up the router, you can start setting up the OS. So…

1. Setting up a workgroup and PC name

The first thing you need to do is set a unique name for each computer on the local network and set the same workgroup name.

For example:

1) Computer No. 1

Working group: WORKGROUP

Name: Comp1

2) Computer No. 2

Working group: WORKGROUP

Name: Comp2

To change the PC name and workgroup, go to the control panel at the following address: Control Panel\System and Security\System.

Windows 7 System Properties

2. File and Printer Sharing

If you do not take this step, then no matter what folders and files you provide for public access, no one will be able to access them.

To enable the option to share printers and folders, go to the control panel and open the “Network and Internet” section.

Now click in the left column on the item “ change advanced sharing options«.

Several profiles 2-3 will appear in front of you (in the screenshot below there are 2 profiles: “ Home or work" and "General "). In both profiles you need to allow file and printer sharing + disable password protection. See below.

Setting up sharing.

More sharing options

After making the settings, click " save changes" and restart your computer.

3. Sharing shared folders

Now, in order to use files on another computer, the user needs to share folders on it (share access to them).

This is very easy to do - in 2-3 mouse clicks. Open File Explorer and right-click on the folder you want to open. In the context menu select " Sharing - HomeGroup (Reading)«.

Next, you just have to wait about 10-15 seconds and the folder will appear in public access. By the way, to see all the computers on your home network, click on the “Network” button in the left column of Explorer (Windows 7, 8).

2.2 When connecting directly + sharing Internet access on a second PC

In principle, most of the steps for setting up a local network will be very similar to the previous option (when connecting through a router). To avoid repetition, I will mark steps that are repeated in parentheses.

1. Setting up the computer name and workgroup (similarly, see above).

2. Setting up file and printer sharing (similarly, see above).

3. Configuring IP addresses and gateways

The setup will need to be done on two computers.

Computer No. 1.

In our age of rapid growth in the field of information technology, it is no longer strange for anyone to have more than one personal computer in one apartment. How to set up a Windows 7 network and home network on a computer so that it becomes possible not only to transfer information, but also to take advantage of all the advantages of local data transfer using TCP/IP protocol network technologies.

You are reading these lines because you were looking for ways to set up LAN between several devices managed by Windows 7. Let's look at the simplest example.

Preparation

We need the following equipment to connect to the local network

• Network cards.

Before you connect your computer to the local network, you need to make sure that it has a network adapter. For example, in all modern PCs it is already built into the motherboard, but in laptops it is “default”.

• Network cables.

You also need two “patch cords”, which can be purchased at the nearest computer hardware store or, using a special tool, you can crimp the contacts yourself. To do this, you need four RG45 connectors and the required number of meters of UTP cable.

• Router.

The main device that provides access to computers located on a LAN (local area network) is a router. You may already have it, since many Internet providers install them upon connection with the ability to configure additional functionality.

Setting up a local network

In new “axes”, such as Windows 7, Microsoft programmers combined the reliability of the security system and the simplest interface when creating folders intended for public access.

The “Home Group” functionality allows you to create and configure a shared folder in just a few moments, as well as reliably protect them.

This completes the steps for setting up the Windows 7 network and home network on the first computer. It remains to configure the settings on the second and subsequent PCs.

We go to the already familiar “Network and Sharing Center” and click on “Home Group”. Then “Attach”. Here you need a password that was created by the main computer. Further, all settings are similar to the first PC.

Checking network operation in Windows 7

Everything is quite simple here. In Windows 7, you need to go to the “Network and Sharing Center” and make sure that your device belongs to a network with the “Home” status.

But this is not enough. We go to the standard “Start” and open “Home Group”, where we see the name of the PC connected to the group. We click on it with the mouse and get access to the folders and files “shared” on it.

A local network (in our context, a home network) is a group of interconnected computers, laptops, printers, and televisions located within a house or room.
Advantages of using a local network:
- Access to general network services.
A) seamless exchange of file resources over the network (no need to transfer a file (photo, music, movie) from one computer to another using a USB drive; you can transfer it using a local home network).
B) Using a network printer. If you have a printer installed at home, using your home local network you can print from any computer/laptop to this printer.
C) Using a home network to build a gaming area. Many games support playing over a local network, and if you have one, you can play games with computers on your local network.
- All participants in the local network can access the Internet (if configured). If you use Wi-Fi to build a home local network, then tablets and phones can also be connected to the local network and access the Internet from them.
A local home network can be created in various ways, I will give diagrams of the most popular of them, starting with the most primitive and ending with more complex methods, with setting up the Internet on a local network.

Connecting two computers/laptops into a home local network using a network cable.

Let's look at the simplest way to connect two computers into a home network (computer - computer or computer - laptop). For this we need two computers/laptops and one network cable. Modern network cards are able to recognize what type of crimp your network cable has, so you can crimp it or buy a crimped cable Computer-Hub/Switch (direct crimp).

A schematic computer-to-computer connection looks like this:

The advantages of this method of creating a home network:

All you need to create a network is a cable and a clear head.

In this way, in most cases, you can only connect two computers/laptops, since most computers/laptops have one network card.

You must manually enter the IP address and mask on all computers/laptops on your home network.

Connecting several computers/laptops into a home local network using Wi-Fi.

For this method, you will need Wi-Fi on your computers/laptops.

Connection diagram:

The advantages of this method:

No wires

High workplace mobility

Connecting network devices into a home local network using a switch (switch).

For this method we need several computers/laptops, the same number of network cables and a switch (hub). The general connection diagram using a network switch looks like this:


Those. We connect one of the devices (laptop, computer, printer or TV) to each switch port.
The advantages of this method:
- Ability to connect more than two computers/laptops to a local network (depending on the number of ports in the switch)
Minuses:
- You need to additionally buy a switch (switch), it costs about 500 rubles.
- You must manually enter the IP address and mask on all computers/laptops on the local network.

Connecting computers into a home local network using a router.

Using a router, you can set up a home local network with the Internet; if your router supports Wi-Fi wireless data transfer, then in addition to computers, laptops, printers, and televisions, you can add tablets and phones to the local network.
Scheme of a home local network using a Wi-Fi router/router:


With this method of creating a local home network, you need to enable DHCP on the router - a service responsible for automatically distributing network settings (this function is enabled by default).
Pros of creating a home network using a router:

Helps to connect various devices (computer, laptop, printer, tablet, smartphone) into one local network.

Ability to set up Internet on your home network.

There is no need to manually configure network settings on each device.

The need to purchase a router (from 1000 rubles) and configure it.

It’s hard to even imagine what features the Windows 7 operating system has. Network setup is one of the features it provides for home and corporate users. It is worth considering the features of this process for different types of networks and connections so that you have a complete understanding of the principles of operation and use of the network capabilities of this system. Next we will talk about how to create Windows 7 workgroups. Setting up a network and methods of interaction between machines will also be described. In addition, it is worth considering a place from which you can conveniently control the shared resources of each computer.

Setting up a Windows 7 network for a homegroup

Computers will work properly on the network only if the time between them is synchronized. All machines must have the current time set, and it must be ensured that it does not get lost. Next, you will need to give everyone IP addresses that will be on the same network. This function traditionally belongs to the router or router. It is he who gives each computer an address from a certain range. When there is no router, you need to manually set addresses in Windows 7. Setting up the network in this case will be a little more complicated, but this is not a problem. It's done like this. You need to open the Network Control Center, and then the window that appears in front of you will display the PC’s network connections. You should select the one through which it will be paired with your home network. This could be a wired or wireless connection, or something else. Select this item, and then call it. Next you need to open “Properties”. If there are no checkboxes next to each item, you need to check them. after that, select version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and call its properties. In the window that opens, you need to specify your IP address and On other computers you must do the same, only specify the next address in the selected range. And here it is important to understand that this parameter must be completely unique for each machine.

Peculiarities

If you connect to the Internet, it is best to install a router where automatic distribution of addresses will be configured. Next, the same workgroup must be created for all computers on the network. This parameter is configured by calling the context menu of the “Computer” item, where you want to display its properties. It is best to set the name of the workgroup to WORKGROUP; if this is not the case, then it should be changed. When everything meets the specified requirements, it’s time to create and configure a Windows 7 workgroup. Setting up a network in this case is not particularly difficult.

Working with a home group

Before you start working on these settings, you need to know something about the location of the network. The first time you connect to a network, you are prompted to set it up. Each location uses different connection and firewall settings.

Locations

Windows 7 has four locations:

- Public network. This parameter is used when connecting in a public place. For example, at the station, in a cafe or at the airport. In this case, the firewall security settings are used at the strictest level; the ability to form home groups and network discovery are disabled. It turns out that the computer does not see the other participants, but at the same time it itself is not visible to them. However, the maximum security settings do not guarantee absolute protection. You should not use any important resources that require authorization.

- Enterprise network. Network discovery is enabled here, but there is no way to form home groups.

- Home network. This includes the ability to form home groups and network discovery. If you know all the computers belonging to a given network, then you should choose this option.

- Domain network. Typically, for this location, it is assumed that all settings will be set by the enterprise network administrators.

Process of creation

Creating a home group is possible when choosing the third type of location. It's done like this. In the Network Sharing Center you need to select "Public Network". In the window open in front of you, you need to select “Home Network”. Now you can create a group or join an existing one.

On the next computer that you want to connect, you need to find the appropriate item, then click “Join”, set the libraries to public, and then click “Next”. Now you need to enter the password that you previously wrote down and continue. This will connect the computer to the homegroup. Similar manipulations should be performed on other machines.

Setting up sharing

Setting up a working network in Windows 7 assumes that you can easily perform other manipulations. To allow HomeGroup users to share, you need to do the following: Open File Explorer, find and highlight the folder you want to share. In the toolbar, you need to click “Sharing”, and then select the options that suit you best.

You can share access with group users like this: In Explorer, you need to find the desired folder, select it, and then select the appropriate item in the toolbar, namely “Sharing”. In the menu you can choose one of two options: either read only or read and write. The second option assumes that users can make changes and delete files in this directory. There is also the option to completely deny access, which is what the “No user” item is intended for. The folder icon will be marked with a padlock.

What does this look like for the user?

When you create or join an existing homegroup, a section with the appropriate name appears in the navigation area in Explorer. From here it’s quite simple and convenient to move to the shared folders of other computers on your network. After a while, it is quite possible to forget about which folders are shared. You can remember this if you log into your computer via the network. This is quite conveniently done through Explorer, where the “Network” item is used in the transition menu.

Working with the Computer Management utility

Having opened the utility window, you can see the “Shared Folders” item located in the console tree, there are “Shared Resources” there. In the center there is a table in which all shared folders are placed, and right there you can quite easily stop access to any of them. You can open access from this section by opening the “Action” menu, in which you select “New shared resource”. After working with the "Wizard" you will have a new shared folder.

Library sharing is read-only by default. And from Explorer you can give write access. First you need to select the required folder in the navigation area, call up the context menu, and then select “Sharing”, then “Homegroup” (read and write). This way you can not only open and close access, but also reset Windows 7 network settings.

Conclusion

Thanks to all these operations, you can not only make network settings. It is worth saying that setting up a Windows 7 enterprise network is carried out in a similar way, you only need to indicate which type of connection is selected, and all parameters are usually configured by the network administrator. You already know how to create a homegroup and share and disable resources. All this will allow you not only to create the environment you need, but also to reset the Windows 7 network settings. You can give a few more recommendations about ensuring security while working.

Be sure to install all updates for the OS, especially important ones. This will make it possible to close system gaps discovered by specialists. A firewall should be used to control the perimeter. Not only should an antivirus be installed on your computer, you should constantly update it in order to destroy everything that could “break through” the firewall. Windows 7 is done through the "Manage Wireless Networks" item. An assistant will guide you along the way. The principle of operation in an already created network is similar to that described earlier.

Hello, friends! In this article we will touch on setting up a network in the Windows 7 operating system. Namely, we will deal with home groups. This feature in Windows 7 makes it easier to share information between users on your home network. Here we will look at setting up IP addresses for computers so that you can create a home group and set up network placement. Let's see how to create home groups, how to join them and, of course, how to share directories so that other users can work with them. We will also consider a place from which you can conveniently control the shared resources on your PC. I hope that after reading this article, you can easily set up a home network between Windows 7 computers.

Firstly In order for computers to work properly on the network, it is necessary to synchronize the time between them. On all computers on the network necessary set current time and make sure it doesn’t get lost.

Secondly. It is necessary to set IP addresses for computers so that they are on the same network. This function is usually assigned to the router or router. Then he assigns an address from a given range to each connected computer. If you don't have a router, then you need to configure addresses manually.

This is done as follows

1. In the notification area, left-click on the icon Net. In the window that opens, click on the link Network and Sharing Centeraccess

In the Network and Sharing Center that opens, click on the left side

The window that opens displays all the network connections of your computer. Choose the connection through which you will connect to your home network. This could be a wired network connection, a wireless network connection, or something else. Select it with the left mouse button and call up the context menu with the right mouse button. Choose Properties

In the Network window that opens, we need to check the boxes Client for Microsoft networks, File and printer access service for Microsoft networks, and Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Select the last one and press the button Properties

In the TCP/IP properties select Use the following IP address. In the IP address field, enter the address and subnet mask (for example, such as in the figure IP - 192.168.0.1 and subnet mask - 255.255.255.0)

In the window that opens, check the box Get the latest troubleshooting tools online

There are a lot of people working at Microsoft so that we can fix common errors using this tool.

Now, if problems arise, not only with your HomeGroup, you can use the latest tools.

The home group has been created and the settings have been configured. Now you need to connect the remaining computers on the network.

On the computer that we want to connect to the HomeGroup, we will find this element

Since the group has already been created we will be offered Join

We specify the libraries that we want to make publicly available and click Further

In the next window enter the password to the home group and click Further