Sometimes situations arise when you need to transfer files from computer to computer or you want to play a network game on two computers. But here the question arises: how to create a local area network in Windows 7? This will be discussed later on.
To begin with, it is important to determine what is needed to create and install a network:
- A pair of computers or laptops with Windows 7 installed;
- the presence in each of them of network cards;
- A network cable that will connect computers to each other. The cable on both sides must be crimped with connectors. Such a cable can be made independently or purchased in a specialized store;
- a switch, it must be taken in order to be able to connect more than two computers. This device is designed to ensure that all network cables are combined into one system.
Now you can look at how to set up a local area network in Windows 7. Let's describe each action in detail. First you need to check which workgroup settings are set, because computers are able to determine each other if they are located in the same workgroup. If each of them has different group names, then it is worth bringing them to a single look. Now you can go to the settings. First you need to go to the pop-up menu of the "My Computer" directory, and then select the "Properties" item. In the "Computer Name" parameter, you can change the name of the computer group. To change, select “Change”, here you can change the name of the computer, which will then be visible to other users. If the network cable was connected before Windows 7 was installed, the network finds and recognizes itself. It also happens that the network is not found, so it is worth rebooting the computer, then everything should work automatically. In the event that this does not help, then you can configure the local Windows 7 network yourself, which will be described later. This is not at all difficult to do.
How to configure a local network in Windows 7
First you need to go to the "Network Connection" item, then go to the Network Control Center, where you can find "View Network Status". Now you need to select a network card, and then change its settings. Call the popup menu where it is worth choosing "Properties". Select the "TCP / IP Protocol" element, in the window that opens, you need to enter certain parameters. The IP address is indicated by 192.168.1.X (in this case, X is a number in the range 0-255). Usually take numbers in order, starting from the first computer. The subnet mask is set - 255.255.255.0, it becomes the same for all computers. Basically, this is all about how to set up a local area network in Windows 7.
Now you can make out the case of setting up a network between a pair of computers where both Windows XP and Windows 7 are installed. During this setup, only some nuances can arise. Here, too, it is required to comply with the requirement of a single name of the working group, and different names of computers. Requirements for names: writing in Latin, no spaces. To fully configure the network, you must click on the folder, which should be a common, right-click, then click on the item "Sharing" in the menu. There you can select the accounts to which access will be allowed.
For Windows 7, computer-to-computer connections are not atypical, sometimes after a reboot the network from "Home" turns into "Public". You can fix this manually in the Network Control Center.
So, above we examined how to configure a local area network in Windows 7, and the basic principles of this process. It is important to remember that in most cases these principles are universal, therefore they can be used in other operating systems. Do not be afraid to configure yourself; there is nothing to worry about.