Connecting two computers using a crossover ethernet cable is the safest and easiest way of transferring files, pictures, videos, and music. This data transfer creates a network for sharing data, and using two electronic resources, thus avoiding having a separate networking facility for each computer. This tutorial will explain how to link two computers using an ethernet cable.

Set Up a Network Between Two Computers

The first step is to connect the crossover Ethernet cable to the LAN (RJ45) ports of both computers. Now, follow the directions below working with one computer at a time.

Start on the desktop of PC 1 and go to My Computer > Properties > Computer Name.

Change the Computer Name to A and the workgroup name to ABC. Click on OK to save changes.

Next go to Control Panel > Network Connections. Right-click on your LAN connection and select Properties.

Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) > Properties and enter the following values:

IP Address:

192.168.0.1

.

Subnet Mask:

255.255.255.0

.

All other fields should be left blank. Click on OK to save changes.

Now take the second computer, and head to My Computer > Properties > Computer Name.

Change the computer name to B and the workgroup name to ABC. Then click on OK to save your changes.

Now head to the Control Panel > Network Connections. Right-click on your LAN connection and select Properties.

Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) > Properties and then enter the following values:

IP Address:

192.168.0.2

.

Subnet Mask:

255.255.255.0

.

Leave all other fields blank and click on OK to save your changes.

Check LAN Connection

After the connections and settings have been saved, both PCs should be connected by LAN. You may need to restart both computers to implement the changes.

You can check if the connection is working by pinging one PC from the other.

Take PC1 and head to Start > Run > CMD > ping 192.168.0.2.

Then, on PC2, head to Start > Run > CMD > ping 192.168.0.1.

You can view both PCs in My Network Places.

You can now use this LAN connection to play multiplayer games or share files. You can also map a drive on another PC to a local drive by going to My Computer > Tools > Map Network Drive and choosing the drive letter and network path of the shared folder on the other PC.

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