I want to connect two (or more) computers locally; my WindowsXP says that I can do this. But, how?

Question

What do I need like to wire the two (or more) together? One is connected to the internet would the second be able to access it through the first's connection?

A router would connect two computers to the internet OK fine... But, how to connect two computers to each other and one to the other's internet connection.

OK I should have explained this from the beginning: I am connected to the internet by a routher already that goes to someone else's DSL. I have a line comming to my computer from that connection. And, I have had junction box with mulitiple connectors before. But, I want something different now like I used to be able to do with a null modem cable and a handshaking program. I want to be able to acess another computer here with disk space via the one I am now using or the other way around so that I can use both computers and have acess to the programs and stuff attatched to both.

Answer 1

Buy a router, connect the router to the internet, and connect the other PC's to the router's ports.

Make sure they are all on the same domain.

Answer 2

whoo...me and my brother were trying to figure this out for ages. We eventually managed it, but after a lot of un-neccessary spending (mainly on a router). If you just want to connect two pc's together then all you need is an ethernet cable (you also need both computers to have a network interface card, but im assuming they both do as most PC's ship with one already, if they dont however they are quite cheap and easy to install). So basically all you need is for one PC to be able to access the internet as usual through the modem, then you want the ethernet cable running from one PC to the other. If you're running windows XP on both machines, all you then need to do is to run the network setup wizard which can be found in the control panel under network connections. After this is successfully completed, restart both PC's and connect to the internet as normal with the one which has access to it. Then you should find that you can access the internet on the other computer, you dont need to click anything to connect, it should just automatically be usable.

Good luck

Answer 3

First make sure they both have cards that allow internet connections. Next buy a router. If you are only connecting 2 computers and the space between them is very small, you can get away with a signal splitter or a hub .
If upstairs and downstair, buy long wires and connect them to the hub or router.


Ask a friend to help you because if you bought a router, you need to set up a local area netwrok.

Answer 4

I am going to assume that the computer that has internet is connecting to a DSL or Cable modem. Since you want to share a internet connection and network two computers together this is what you need to purchase.

1) A Router or a wireless router if you want to connect wirelessly.
2) If you do want to connect wirelessly tyou also need to buy a wireless network card for any computer you wish to make wireless.


Here is how you connect it:
-Cable from the wall to the Broadband Modem
-Ethernet cable from the Broadband Modem to the routers WAN (Internet) Port
-Ethernet Cable from the routers Ethernet Ports to any computer you wish to connect using wires
- If you chose to go wireless install the wireless network adapters in your computer(s)

After following the setup guide for your router you will have the capability to network your computers together and share the internet.

Answer 5

You will need a network adaptor for each of your PCs. A switch or router for the two computers to talk to each other. Network cable if the network adaptors are wired (rather than wireless). If one of your computers has internet access through a dial up or adsl modem on a USB port then the other can be set up to share (and control) that access provided that PC is on.

Both computers will be able to share printers and disk space if they are set up to do so. There's a lot to it so Google for begineers computer networking or words to that effect.

Come back when you need to ask advice on IP addressing, DHCP, default gateway, device sharing, firewalls, and all the other confusing stuff that is still to come. :-)

Answer 6

If you only want to have the two computers talk to each other, you need to run a network cable between the network cards on the two PCs.

If you to have more than two PCs networked, or want to share the Internet between them, then you need a router. It is a small box with 4-8 network ports on it. You connect one of the ports to your high speed Internet modem. You connect each of the computers to its own port on the router. The router will then share the Internet connection between all the computer and also network them together for file sharing, etc.

Answer 7

You should use a router and connect the Internet to that, then all your computers can access the Internet through the router and to each other. You can also connect printers and other accessories.

Answer 8

a router would be the only way to add more then one
the other way would be to put a wired nic in both
get a crossover cable to cont them
share the internet on the first one
use the wizard on the first one then the second one
this is how my pc is cont.

Answer 9

Use a router. ~
Connect the modem to it, and all computers will be on the internet. Make sure they all have the same workgroup name and share them with each other.

Answer 10

use an rg45 connection and connect the PCs via a Lan.

to get 2 or more pcs to use one internet connection you use a router.

hardwired is best as its faster and less prone to being hacked..but its limiting if youve got slaptops...