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Organize a network between two computers. Home LAN: topology, setup, device connections, network storage and sharing

Briefly about the purpose of computer networks

This article is not intended to make you great system administrators but here I will try to keep it simple human language explain what, why and why and, in general, why do you need all this.
And now about the purpose of networks. Here we will consider directly home networks for 2-3 computers and their mission.
In the old days, when televisions were so rare that neighboring families gathered at the happy owner of the television in order to watch programs on the miracle monster of that time with a small screen and a magnifying lens. (By the way, these TVs were called KVN - a joke from the old master of the TV studio - "I bought it - turned it on - it doesn't work" - ed.) In the sixties, under Nikita Khrushchev, computers appeared in the USSR, which, in particular, made a rather large contribution to space research and allowed to send Yuri Gagarin forward to the stars. There, even though the flight took place in such a state that the Hero Soviet Union, test pilot Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin miraculously survived, but still he passed and ended successfully. In those days, no one even thought that he would have a computer at home. He didn't even know why he would need it. But time passed, KVN brand TVs moved to polytechnical museums, and computers significantly decreased in size, became cheaper and began to appear in every home. Today, in many apartments, these miracles of technology have begun to appear in multiple copies (one for myself, another for my wife, a third for my mother-in-law, etc.), so that each of the household members can freely surf the Internet, play solitaire, work remotely, etc. . And here we come close to the topic of our article. After all, willy-nilly, people begin to think that there are many computer users in the house (as well as the computers themselves), and the Internet is one! Connecting each household personally is a little expensive, and not relevant. Wouldn't it be easier to combine all computers into a local network and organize joint access to the Internet (and you can also play network games together on your home LAN). Here, perhaps, when the network comes to the house.

Is it so difficult to create your own network, or is it necessary to call a specialist?

A small home network does not require any extraordinary knowledge and skills. Only one active network device is required - a router, which will form the basis of our home network, and at the same time connect all home computers with each other and with the Internet. At the same time, I strongly recommend reading the article about home network security. Some readers may ask, why bother with wires when Wi-Fi has been "in trend" for a long time and there are many portable devices that support this communication technology? I answer. At the moment, still the most secure type of network, to which it is very difficult to connect unauthorizedly - wired! This is a gift for paraonics. Plus, as before, the speed of the wired network with big amount devices - higher than WiFi networks. Now popular torrents - also work better over the wire, because. Wi-Fi provides half-duplex network operation, while wires allow full duplex operation. I hope I answered all questions.

Hi all! In today's article, you will learn how to create a local area network between two computers.
Nowadays, it's not surprising when there are two PCs in the house. But even a dozen years ago, a PC at home was a luxury for most. If there are two PCs in the room, then the user asks such a question. For example, a PC can be connected directly to a home LAN and connect two or more PCs via a suitable network. More on this later.

How to create a local network between two computers? - Connecting two or more PCs to each other

Before drawing a local line, decide how it will be built. Such a network usually consists of two or more computers. There are two construction options here:

• Connecting computers directly with a special cable.
• Using a router.

Direct method

This the simplest option, not requiring special costs for equipment. In this way, 2 or 3 PCs are connected. Interestingly, if one of the PCs has the ability to access the Internet, other PCs on this network can also connect to it.

What is required to create a connection?

1. A twisted pair cable is not much longer than the distance between computers. More the best option there will be a purchase of a crimped cable (it already has a connector for connecting to a PC network card).
2. Every computer must have a network card. All PCs of our time have it.

There is no need for special expenses.

Now connect the PC system units to each other and turn it on.

Advantages:

- low cost;

- speed;

- ease of setup;

— reliability;

- fast file sharing.

Flaws:

- redundant wires;

- to access the Internet, the main PC must work;

— no access to the network for mobile devices.

Creation with a router

Thanks to the router, you will most simply create a network and connect to home internet from all devices.

Set up the device just once, and you have access to the Internet from all devices. Stores provide huge selection various devices.

To connect a PC to a router, it is enough to have special cable, usually provided with the router. Laptops and all kinds of cellular devices can be connected via Wi-Fo.

Advantages:

- a one-time setup is enough;

- providing access to the network from absolutely all devices;

- no excess wires;

- installation flexibility.

Flaws:

- more costs

— high-quality speed is not always provided.

Setting up a local line in Windows 7 and 8

After connecting to the network, some system setup is required. Everything related to the seven will be considered here. For version 8, the settings are similar.

When using a router

Here the local line is usually tuned in mechanical mode. Here you need to configure the router. Each router model has its own configuration features, so here you need to rely on instructions specific to a particular model.
After manipulating the router interface, you can now configure the system.

Workgroup and PC name

First set the preferred name for your PC, and then the same name for the entire local group.

For all this, you will need the "System" section in the "Control Panel".

Now on the left side click "Advanced system settings".

Publicity

It is necessary to provide access from any PC of the group to folders, files.
Go to "Network and Internet".

Go to "Network and Sharing Center".

Stop the selection on "Change advanced sharing settings".

You will see 2 or more profiles. Allow access in all profiles and turn off password protection.

Save and restart the system.

Folder Sharing

To see the files of the second PC, expand the folders.
Open File Explorer and click right side mouse over the required folder. Say "Sharing - HomeGroup".

Now wait 15 seconds, and access to the folder will be provided. To see all PCs, click "Network" on the left.

Directly

For the most part, the procedure is the same as above. In the same way, as described by me above, the PC name and general working group, as well as sharing. But here you still need to configure IP addresses and gateways.

The setting is done in different ways.

This assumes a host PC connected directly to the global network. Find "Network Connections". Turn on "Local Area Connection" or something similar in name.

Go to properties and look for "Internet Protocol Version". Its properties should be identified.

Fill in like this:

ip - 192.168.0.1,

the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0.

In the Network Connections section, set the following:

ip - 192.168.0.2,

subnet mask is the same

gateway -192.168.0.1

DNS - 192.168.0.1..

Sharing for PC2

On the first PC, open "Network Connections", and then their properties.

Allow other PCs to use the network.

Conclusion

So you learned how to create a local area network between two computers. Thus, the organization and settings of the local network are made to provide access to it by two or more PCs at the same time. This is quite convenient to use when there is more than one computer in the house, office, or anywhere else. Thank you all for your attention, good luck everyone!

How to create a local network between two computers?

A local area network (in our context, a home network) is a group of interconnected computers, laptops, printers, TVs located within a house or room.
Benefits of using a local network:
- Access to shared network services.
A) unimpeded 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) Usage network printer. If you have a printer installed at home, you can use your home network to print from any computer/laptop to this printer.
C) Using your home network to build play area. Many games support LAN play, and if you have one, you will be able to play games with computers on your LAN.
- All members of the local network can access the Internet (if configured). If you use Wi-Fi in building a home local network, then tablets and phones can also be connected to a local network and access the Internet from them.
You can create a local home network different ways, I will give diagrams of the most popular of them, starting with the most primitive and ending with more complicated methods, with setting up the Internet on a local network.

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

Let's analyze the easiest way to combine two computers into a home network (computer - computer or laptop computer). To do this, we need two computers / laptops and one network cable. Modern network cards are able to recognize what kind of crimp your network cable has, so you can crimp or buy a crimped cable Computer-Hub/Switch (straight crimp).

Schematically, the 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, only two computers / laptops can be connected, since most computers / laptops have one network card.

It is necessary to manually enter the IP address and mask on all computers / laptops on the home network.

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

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

Wiring diagram:

The advantages of this method:

No wires

High workplace mobility

Combining 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). General scheme connection using a network switch looks like this:


Those. we connect one of the devices to each port of the switch (laptop, computer, printer or TV).
The advantages of this method:
- Ability to connect more than two computers / laptops to the local network (depends on the number of ports in the switch (switch))
Minuses:
- It is necessary 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 to a home local network using a router.

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


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

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

The ability to set up the Internet in your home network.

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

The need to purchase a router (from 1000 rubles) and its configuration.

In the conference, questions often arise about setting up network drives and connecting multiple devices to work together. However, information for beginners is rarely provided in articles. With this series of materials, we decided to fill the gap and help users set up their equipment efficiently and conveniently. It does not claim to be exceptionally complete and deep, but we hope it will be useful to a wide range of users.

So, you already have a computer or laptop, but you decided that this is not enough and it would be time to get some more interesting devices - a wireless router, a network drive, a media player, an IP camera. The idea is certainly not bad, but if you have only worked with one PC before, reading through the numerous instructions will take a lot of time. Yes, and it may require some preparation. But in fact, not everything is so scary. Many devices have built-in "assistants" for quick setup, and network settings are often set automatically.

General scheme

Let's start with a description of the participants and some common terms. We took the first illustration from the ZyXEL NBG460 description. Here you can find a PC, a network drive and a printer, a laptop, an IPTV set-top box and a smartphone. The only thing missing is a game console and a media player.

It is the router (also often called a router) that connects all devices to a single home local network and provides its connection to the Internet. Internet connection options may vary. For example, via Ethernet (“Internet-Beeline”, Net-by-Net and others), via Wi-Fi or 3G / 4G modem, using ADSL technology via telephone (“STREAM”) or via cable modem (“AKADO”). The last two options require a special modem. It can be made as a separate device with an Ethernet port at the output, or built directly into the router. In this case, the latter often has a corresponding prefix in the name.

The port for connecting “to the Internet” itself is usually called “WAN” - from the Wide area network. That is, to connect to the "big" network. But the PC, NAS and other wired devices are located in the local / home network segment and are connected to the “LAN” (Local area network) ports. Depending on the model of the router, there may be a different number, most often four.

Except wired connections using Ethernet technology, HomePlug can be used to connect devices - a network via standard electrical wiring or Wi-Fi - a wireless connection familiar to everyone (the combination WLAN - Wireless LAN is usually used to denote this network segment). All of them differ in speed and other capabilities.

Note that to increase the number of wired ports (in some cases, the standard four may not be enough), you must use network switches. By installing an additional model for 8 ports, you connect one of them to the router, and the remaining seven remain for connecting devices. That is total number increases by six because two ports are required to connect the router and the switch. The switch can be either 100-megabit or gigabit. The second option can be used if you have a working network and a router with Fast Ethernet that suits the speed, but you want to provide a fast connection between your desktop PC and network storage without changing the router.

In general, today, if we talk about wired ports, then of course it is desirable to use gigabit connections as much as possible (especially when it comes to a cable laying project during repairs). However, this will not directly affect the “Internet speed” in any way. The only place where more high speed can be justified - cable connection of high-performance devices (and there must be more than one of them), requiring fast exchange of large amounts of information.

When it comes to wireless, we would recommend buying routers today that support 802.11n technology, which, compared to 802.11g, shows 2-4 times better results in performance tests and usually has better coverage.

For providers operating via PPPoE / PPTP / L2TP and having a developed network of their own resources, it will be useful for the router to support simultaneous work on the Internet and access to the provider's network.

A similar remark applies to working with IPTV - if you require it, the router must support it. True, there are too many options for implementing the service and this question must be specified for each specific provider separately.

As for the general comparison of performance in different connection modes, depending on the model and type of connection, the user can expect speeds up to 100 Mbps. In the reviews on the site, the numbers of test results in different modes are usually given (do not forget that with the release of new firmware they can change significantly).

In fact, a more significant issue when choosing a router is its compatibility with a particular provider. Unfortunately, it is impossible to answer it with tests in the laboratory. In this case, we recommend that you refer to the forums and recommendations of users of your network, but the most successful is to recognize the purchase with the condition of checking the performance in your particular apartment. The version of the router offered by the provider in this case has one definite plus - if something does not work, then the provider will deal with it. But they usually have less choice of devices, the models themselves are less “interesting”, and the cost is higher.

Setting up a router

As an example, we use the model of the ZyXEL NBG460N Internet center, connected to the Beeline Internet provider. Before setting up any device of this class, it is advisable to check the manufacturer's website for a new firmware/firmware. Second important point- change the administrator password to access the router.

We believe that the Internet itself is already configured on it. There are too many possible configurations to describe them here. We will only mention the main options:

• direct connection with a permanent or dynamic address (usually you need to change the MAC address on the external interface on the router or inform the factory provider);
• connection via PPPoE - you need to enter a name and password;
• connection via PPTP/L2TP - requires specifying the server address or name, user name and password.

For ZyXEL equipment in particular, the easiest way to set it up is to run the bundled NetFriend program, specify the region, provider name, and account information. In a few minutes, the Internet will be working for you.

What are the next steps to take? Perhaps the very first step is to set up a secure wireless network. By default, routers usually have an open network radio enabled. This means that anyone can connect to it and not only use your Internet channel, but also, possibly, access computers.

So we recommend changing the network name to something original and setting the WPA2-PSK AES mode. This is the safest option today. And for 802.11n equipment, only it provides maximum performance. You should use other options only if some of your wireless equipment does not support it. Also, do not forget that WEP cannot be considered secure today and that the password must be complex - one and a half dozen random characters. Possible difficulties with its input on mobile devices compensated high level network security. And for laptops and PCs, you can use WPS technology for a quick connection - you just need to press a button on the router and on the client and in a few seconds a secure connection will be set up.

To improve 802.11n performance, it is recommended to enable "40" (or "20/40") mode in the access point settings, which means operation on two radio channels. You can select the most free channel using the inSSIDer program, which is launched on a PC with a wireless adapter installed.

Typically, a DHCP server is enabled on the router. It "distributes" IP address settings for all devices connected to it. So there is no need to specify anything special about them. Despite the fact that the system works automatically, we would recommend programming fixed MAC-IP mappings on the router for those devices that you later need to access from the Internet. This is necessary so that their IP addresses are permanent and can be written into port translation rules.

Most often, the range of addresses that is used on the home network is 192.168.0.* or 192.168.1.*, where "*" is any number from 1 (usually at the router) to 254. You can check the current address of the PC with or in the status network connection or by typing ipconfig at the command prompt (for Windows systems).

Recall that a MAC address is a physical/hardware identifier that any network device has. Often they are even written on packages and cases. Formally, they are all individual on a global scale, but in many cases they can be changed through the device driver settings. It is represented as six bytes written as hexadecimal digits, such as 001020AABBCC or 00:10:20:AA:BB:CC.

The next point to deal with is a permanent / external / white address. These concepts are often confused, so it is imperative to clean up the mess. In the case of using a router to connect to the Internet, its WAN interface has a specific IP address. All devices that are outside your home network see exactly this address and do not know anything about your internal devices. The network address translation (NAT) technology operating in the router automatically and transparently for the user is engaged in the substitution of internal addresses for external and vice versa when transmitting and receiving network packets.

In turn, this address, which is issued by the provider or required to be specified in the router during its configuration, can be permanent or dynamic. The only difference between these options comes from their names.

But of greatest interest is the question of the external/white address. These terms are usually understood as "an address accessible from anywhere on the Internet." An example is an office PBX with a single external number. All its subscribers can communicate with each other by dialing an internal number. Outside the office, these numbers have no meaning. At the same time, they can also call landlines, but it is impossible to directly get to each specific subscriber simply by dialing a landline number. In turn, this office with its mini-PBX can be located inside office building with the automatic telephone exchange and one more switchboard.

This example shows one of the reasons for using NAT technology - you can have a local network with Internet access of almost any size, but "spend" only one address from the general global list. With the transition to new version With the IPv6 protocol, this problem may disappear, but no one knows yet when this will happen.

It would seem that if the Internet works anyway, then why might an external address be needed? The answer to this question is quite simple - if you want to access your local network from the Internet, it is necessary to use it. For example, you plan to create an FTP server, host a Web server with a family photo album on your PC, or want to access files on your home network drive from the office. Note that these problems can be solved in other ways, but they are much more complicated and expensive.

How to determine which address was given to you by the provider? First you need to look at the external address of the router on the corresponding page of its Web interface, if it looks like 10.*.*.* or 172.(16…31).*.* or 192.168.*.*, then it is uniquely « gray" and in the usual way access from the Internet to your network cannot be obtained.

The second test that can be done is to go to the site and compare the address that this service shows with your address on the router. If they match, then you're in luck.

Many providers provide users with an external dynamic address. In this case, another problem arises - although the address is external, it is not permanent and it is impossible to find it out of the network. To solve it, you need to use the dynamic DNS service built into most routers - it allows you to get a permanent domain name that will be automatically configured to the IP address of the router when it changes, and it can be used at any time to access your network.

You can use the DynDNS.org service completely free of charge - one domain name is provided to everyone. You will need a valid email address to register.

In addition to accessing a local network, an external address can be useful for improving the performance of certain services, such as messaging programs or p2p networks. Note that here we are only talking about the fact that there is an external address, and the use of DynDNS is not required in this case. However, some actions are worth taking.

It's about network port translation. This is sometimes referred to as "port forwarding" or "opening ports". This setting allows an external destination to connect to a specific program that is located on your PC behind the router.

Recall that the connection to network services occurs with the indication of the IP address and port number. For example, for HTTP it is 80, for POP3 it is 110, and so on. But if we are talking not about standard programs, then the numbers can be almost any (from 1025 to 65535) and often they can be specified in the settings of the program itself.

Setting up port translation allows you to transfer a request incoming to the external address of the router and to certain ports to a PC located in the local segment. For example, you can create a Web server on a PC and “forward” port 80 for it. Depending on the router model, external and internal numbers may differ or must be the same. It is also worth mentioning that some of the ports (most often 80, 8080, 23, 25) are blocked “on entry” by the provider for security reasons. After setting up port translation, the program installed on the PC begins to behave as if it has a direct connection to the Internet past the router. Check the operation of port translation in the program itself, if such an option is provided.

You may encounter the "protocol" parameter when setting up port translation. We are talking about two protocols inside TCP / IP - TCP itself and UDP. In most cases, the first is used for Internet communications. The need for UDP is usually indicated in the description of programs. If there is no such parameter in the router, then both protocols are broadcast at once.

Some programs have support for the UPnP protocol to automatically open ports for themselves. However, from a security point of view, it is better not to do this, since "simplicity" has back side- Uncontrolled access.

In some cases, it will also be useful to set up regular sending of device operation log files to your address via e-mail. True, here you need to understand that if there is no Internet connection, then nothing can be sent to an external server. To correctly display the date and time in the logs, the router has a built-in clock that can be synchronized via the Internet.

Another rather rarely used feature is permissions to access the web interface for configuring the router from the Internet. You should do this only in case of emergency and do not forget to set a really complex password for access.

So far we have:

• router connected to the Internet;
• secure Wi-Fi network;
• address distribution service in the local network;
• configured DynDNS for network access from the Internet;
• port translation for running services on a PC or other devices.

In the next article, we will talk about setting up network drives.

Using the simplest unmanaged switch. This scheme has received the sonorous name "star" in the scientific literature and is universal way organization of any peer-to-peer local area network with a small number of subscribers.

However, purchasing additional equipment to create a local network between two computers is at least inappropriate: this will not only become an additional expense line, but also “weight” our circuit with extra wires and equipment.

Therefore, this lesson is devoted to how to create a local network between two computers without resorting to the use of any additional devices.

How to connect two computers via LAN?

To begin with, we note that there are two types of home networks: wireless local area networks and networks with a cable connection of functional nodes.

Wireless (virtual) connection is carried out using a router and does not depend on the finite number of PCs connected to the network. This is an important and rather voluminous topic, so we will devote a separate lesson to creating a virtual local area network.

Here we will talk about how to connect 2 computers via a network cable - a simple and stable way to create a LAN.

The advantages of such a network include reliability, accessibility and simplicity of design: repair and configuration of the computer-to-computer network is carried out by improvised means.

At the same time, the only drawback of the system is its low mobility: the network cable reliably “connects” the PC, and it will no longer be possible to freely walk around the house with a laptop connected to the network.

So, to create a home network between two computers, we need:

• - network cable - simple twisted pair for four couples copper wires section 0.5 mm. By the way, twisted pair got its name due to the special design of the cable: each pair of wires is twisted together;
• - RJ-45 connectors;
• - crimp.

Buy twisted pair you can in any computer store, and ask the seller there to compress it on both sides with RJ-45 connectors.

If you were refused this service (which the sellers have every right to), you will have to additionally buy a “crimp” (which is several times more expensive than the cable itself) and at least two RJ-45 connectors.

(For more information about the correct pinout of the cable, read the article "how to compress a network cable")

The finished crimped cable should be connected to the network card of the first and second computers.

For desktop computers, the network card connector is located on back wall system block, and for laptops - on the side or back of the PC.

How to set up a local network between two computers?

After connecting the cable on each computer, we prescribe the settings of our local network.

To do this, go to the settings of the PC network card and specify the IP address there this device. The following IP addresses are standard: 192.168.1. and 192.168.0, where the last digit is selected from a given range and must be unique for each connected PC.

After that, you should check the health of the network (similar to creating a simple home network) and install the necessary user software(for example, programs for transferring files, exchanging text and audio messages, etc.)

The local network is ready! Now you can freely play online with friends, transfer any information and, in fact, do what you created a local network for two computers for.