How to Connect Two Computers Using a Direct Wi-Fi (Ad Hoc) Connection

8/4/2019 How to Connect Two Computers Using a Direct Wi-Fi (Ad Hoc) Connection

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How to connect two computers using a direct

Wi-Fi (Ad Hoc) connection

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Following ourtutorial to connect two computers

together via LAN using a crossover ethernet cable, we now consider the other way to connect two

computers together to enable simple file and resource sharing. This method is applicable only if you have

wireless adapters or Wi-Fi cards installed in both PCs.

To follow the wireless way, you just need a Wi-Fi card in each computer. This method is also known as

Adhoc wireless networking. If you are using a laptop, chances are you already have Wi-Fi adapters built in.

We refer to the two computers as PC1 and PC2.

We configure both the computers as given below,

PC1:

1. Just right-click My Computer and click Properties.

2. Select the Computer Name tab and click the Change button.

3. Change the computer name to whatever you want, here we name it PC1. Change the workgroup to WG.

(The workgroup name should be the same in both computers)4. Click OK.

Go to Start > My Computer > My Network Places > Network Connections.

Right click on your wireless adapter and select Properties. Go to the Wireless Network Tab and click on the

Advanced button. Select Computer to Computer (Ad hoc) networking option.

If you get a window with an SSID box, you can specify the network name in it, in our example we use

XNET.

Now go to your Wireless Adapter >> Properties >> Wireless Networks and click Add Preferred Networks.

Enter the settings as follows:

Network name (SSID) : XNET

Network Authentication : Open

Data Encryption : Disabled

Also, do tick the This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network, wireless access points are not used

option if it isnt already done.


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To automatically connect to the network, select the Connection tab and tick on the Connect automatically

when in range option.

Now, to configure the TCP/IP connection settings,

1. Goto Control Panel >> Network connections

2. Right-click on your Wireless Adapter and click Properties. In the General tab, select Internet

Protocol (TCP/IP). Click the Properties button.

3. Set the Values

IP Address 192.168.0.1

Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway 192.168.0.2

4. Click OK and you are done for PC1.


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PC2:

1. Just right-click My Computer and click Properties.2. Select the Computer Name tab and click the Change button.

3. Change the computer name to PC2. Change the workgroup to WG. (The workgroup name should be the

same in both computers)

4. Click OK.

Go to Start > My Computer > My Network Places > Network Connections.

Right click on your wireless adapter and select Properties. Go to the Wireless Network Tab and click on the

Advanced button. Select Computer to Computer (Ad hoc) networking option.

If you get a window with an SSID box, you can specify the network name in it, in our example we useXNET.

Now go to your Wireless Adapter >> Properties >> Wireless Networks and click Add Preferred Networks.

Enter the settings as follows:

Network name (SSID) : XNET

Network Authentication : Open

Data Encryption : Disabled

Also, do tick the This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network, wireless access points are not usedoption if it isnt already done.


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To automatically connect to the network, select the Connection tab and tick on the Connect automatically

when in range option.

Now, to configure the TCP/IP connection settings,

1. Goto Control Panel >> Network connections

2. Right-click on your Wireless Adapter and click Properties. In the General tab, select Internet

Protocol (TCP/IP). Click the Properties button.

3. Set the Values

IP Address 192.168.0.2

Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway 192.168.0.1

4. Click OK and you are all set with PC2 as well.


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You are almost done now.

Just open the Wireless network settings and click on View Available Wireless Networks. Select your

network and you are connected.

Note :

1. The settings mentioned may vary in case of different adapters. But most of them should be similar to the

above settings.

2. Your adapter should be compatible with WZC Windows Zero Configuration.

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Written by Pathik Shah on August 16th, 2008 | Category: Tutorials | 19 Comments

19 responses so far, Leave a comment

1. 1

Hamdani

August 17, 2008 at 2:29 am

Good article. I was wondering weather there is a way to surf the internet using multiple connection? If

there is, how can we set it up.

2. 2

Pathik Shah

August 17, 2008 at 11:20 am

To connect multiple computers and share a internet connection using Wi-Fi, you would need to use a

Wi-Fi router connected to a broadband connection and have all devices connect to that. The

procedure is slightly more complicated than the one we explained above. You can search for it on the


8/13

internet. If time permits, we will be coming up with a tut on that shortly.

3. 3

Dean

August 17, 2008 at 11:23 am

Hey John, great article. Im looking to connect my laptop computer, which is running Vista, to my

desktop, which is running XP. Is there any way thats possible? Or do the two participating computers

have to have the same OS? There have also been radical interface changes in Vista that make it

difficult for a Vista user like me to follow these types of tuts.

4. 4

Pathik Shah

August 17, 2008 at 11:28 am

Nope, you can connect computers with different OSes too using this method. The procedure in Vista

is very similar to the one in XP, only easier.

5. 5

K

August 19, 2008 at 4:20 am

Now try to explain how to do this on Lenovo crap, they have proprietary software that takes over

these settings and make it a million times harder to modyfy anything, even worse than Vista. You know

on a Mac you just click on the AirPort icon on the top right corner and click Create Network ONE

friggin step.

6. 6

VENJOE

August 19, 2008 at 11:31 am

Hi, i ve been trying to mak this happen for a long time, thanks, but now i have a question, if i have

internet in my desktop how do i get it to my laptop via this connection, is it possible, i appreciate your

answers..

7. 7

john

September 4, 2008 at 1:22 am

hey i just wanted 2 ask u that once ive connected two computers using a Wi-Fiwill i still be able to

connect to the internet properly on each computer???? i mean will it affect my internet in any way???


9/13

bcoz im suspecting that this might change my internet settings!!!???

niwae great tuorial!!!!!

8. 8

jen


Hi I followed these steps and they are both now connected to this XNET network, however in

workgroup they dont see each other, I have enabled file sharing with certain folders but two

computers dont see each other. How do you fix this? Thanks.

9. 9

Allan Reich


I set up a wireless ad-hoc network as described by your article How to connect two computers using

a direct Wi-Fi (Ad Hoc) connection. I had the 1st PC using Vista Home Edition and 2nd PC using

Windows XP. finally got it working (lotsa troubles), then shut it all down and tried to restart but the

Network was not powered up, even though both PCs wireless cards showed acive. I tried shutting

down the wireless adapters, enabling and disabling to no avail. I tried creating another ad-hoc network

but it still showed no power. Is there a technique in Vista for starting the network? I tried just

connecting but still no power! A second question .. after creating a network named say ABC, is there

a vehicle to actually delete ABC? I have about 8 solid hours in on this and am extremely frustrated ..this is my first run-in with Vista, but I am stuck with the machine because of special apps that need to

be run once this all works

10. 10

mitch

October 3, 2008 at 3:23 am

hi,i have one pc with a wireless internet connection,is there any (cheap) way to connect it to my kidspc.my main pc has usb bluetooth fitted. can i connect the two with either another bluetooth device or

with a cable.im a single parent on disability,so cost is a huge factor. thanks for your time.

cheers mitch

p.s great site.

11. 11

ValenTino


Thanks. Its help me lot.


10/13

.

KULDEEP KULKARNI


thank u !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this information is very important and please send me the information about how to share internet on

two wi-fi connected laptop ??????????

13. 13

Sal

November 7, 2008 at 11:31 am

Another option is to use WiPeer (http://www.wipeer.com) that will do most of the work for you

automatically.

14. 14

tutu

November 26, 2008 at 3:14 am

Hi there thanks for the info but I am not clear about that I have one desktop and one laptop with wifi

internet connection, so when I connect them to easch other as above what is gioing to happen to

internet conection? Is is faster when they individually connected? or whats happening thanks for

your patience and response

15. 15

Steve

January 11, 2009 at 5:53 am

Great article, kudos for the effort. Maybe needs blurp as to what users might be doing before setting

up the WiFi connections. Just guessing for now, and maybe its to some, rudimentary knowledge, but I

lost my internet connectivity (LAC-LAN) in my one laptop when I first tried setting up an Ad HocWiFi connection. So it would seem that one avoids having to re-boot the OS (to regain the LAC

connection), one needs to disable the LAC before enabling WiFi?

16. 16

ABDULRAHEEM

February 4, 2009 at 5:16 am

In fact i really learn a lot from your articles.PLS kindly explain in details the steps in networking 3 or

more computers together using wired or wireless LAN.

Thanks.

17. 17


11/13

mark

February 18, 2009 at 6:12 pm

ty!!!!

18. 18

Mary Scurlock

March 17, 2009 at 3:13 am

Hi,

How can I use one computer using a Verizon plug-in internet connection and then have another

computer connect to the internet through this connection, also, by using a router and Wifi.

Thanks

p.s. Great articles!

PC Configuration and Wi-Fi Query

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How to Connect Two Computers Using a Direct Wi-Fi (Ad Hoc) Connection