This article shows you how to share files and internet connection between a desktop computer and a laptop system using a standard Ethernet network cable. Keep in mind that modern Macs no longer come with the RJ-45 network port, so if you need to share files and folders or connect to the internet using a wired connection, you'll need to purchase a USB-C to RJ adapter. -45 (the normal Ethernet network port).
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Share Files Between Windows Systems
Step 1. Connect the two Windows computers directly using an Ethernet network cable
Plug one end into the first computer's RJ-45 port (this is the square port on the back of the desktop unit) then plug the other end into the same port on the laptop (usually located on the left side).
Step 2. Access the "Start" menu of the desktop computer by clicking on the icon
It features the Windows logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 3. Type in your control panel keywords
This will perform a full search within your computer for the "Control Panel" system program.
Step 4. Click the Control Panel icon
It should have appeared at the top of the "Start" menu. This will bring up the Windows "Control Panel" window.
Step 5. Select the Network and Internet category
It should be located on the left side of the "Control Panel" window.
If the current "Control Panel" view mode, shown in the upper right of the window, is set to either "Small Icons" or "Large Icons", skip this step
Step 6. Select the Network and Sharing Center icon
A list of all network connections currently configured on the computer will be shown, including the newly made wired connection between the desktop system and the laptop.
Step 7. Choose the Ethernet connection
Select the link below the current active internet connection displayed in the "Network and Sharing Center" window.
Step 8. Press the Properties button
It is located at the bottom left of the network connection status window that appeared.
Step 9. Select the Internet Protocol Version 4 network protocol
It is located inside the "The connection uses the following elements:" box in the center of the window. Click on the name of the item shown to highlight it.
Step 10. Press the Properties button
It is located in the lower right corner of the window.
Step 11. Change the IP address of the connection
Select the "Use the following IP address" radio button located at the top of the page, then fill in the text fields as follows:
- IP address - enter the following address 192.168.1.1;
- Subnet mask - enter the following value 225.225.225.0;
- Default gateway - enter the following address 192.168.1.2.
Step 12. Now change the IP address of the laptop
Follow these instructions:
- Access the "Network and Sharing Center" following the same steps performed for the desktop system;
- Open the "Properties" window of the "Ethernet" network connection, Select the network protocol Internet Protocol Version 4 and finally press the button Property;
- Select the radio button "Use the following IP address" located at the top of the page;
- Type inside the text field IP address the following address 192.168.1.2;
- Type inside the text field Subnet mask the following value 225.225.225.0;
- Type inside the text field Default gateway the following address 192.168.1.1;
- Push the button OK twice.
Step 13. Access the "Start" menu of the desktop computer by clicking on the icon
It features the Windows logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 14. Open a "File Explorer" window by clicking on the icon
It features a small folder and is located at the bottom left of the "Start" menu.
Step 15. Select a folder to share
Choose the directory you want to make accessible to the laptop you connected to the computer.
If you wish, you can also create a new folder to share
Step 16. Share the chosen folder
Follow these simple instructions:
- Access the card Share located in the upper left part of the "File Explorer" window;
- Click on the item Specific users …;
- Press the down arrow button;
- Choose the option Everyone;
- Push the button Share;
- When prompted, press the button end.
Step 17. Copy the files you wish to share into the folder under consideration
To complete this step follow these instructions:
- Locate the files you want to share;
- Select the files in question;
- Press the key combination Ctrl + C to copy the chosen files;
- Access the shared folder;
- Press the key combination Ctrl + V to paste the copied items.
Step 18. Switch to using the laptop
Take control of the Windows laptop from which you want to access the shared folder on the desktop system.
Step 19. Navigate to the folder you just shared
Open the menu Start, click on the icon File Explorer
select the name of the desktop computer you connected to the one you are using (it should appear in the lower left of the "File Explorer" window), then double-click the shared folder.
In order to view and select the name of the desktop computer you wish to access, you may need to scroll down the tree menu in the left sidebar of the "File Explorer" window
Step 20. Move shared files to a laptop folder
Select all the files in the folder, press the key combination Ctrl + C, open the folder where you want to paste the data you just copied and press the key combination Ctrl + V.
If necessary, you can also perform the reverse transfer, i.e. copy files from the laptop to the desktop computer using the same shared folder
Method 2 of 5: Share Files between a Windows Computer and a Mac
Step 1. Purchase a USB-C to Ethernet Network Port (RJ-45) Adapter for Mac
Apple-branded laptops are no longer equipped with a network port, but to remedy the problem simply buy a USB adapter to connect to one of the computer ports.
Step 2. Connect the network adapter to the Mac
Insert the USB or USB-C connector into one of the free ports on your computer.
Step 3. Connect the two computers directly using an Ethernet network cable
Plug one end into the RJ-45 port on the first computer then plug the other end into the same port on the second.
Step 4. Access the "Start" menu of the Windows computer by clicking on the icon
It features the Windows logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 5. Open a "File Explorer" window by clicking on the icon
It features a small folder and is located at the bottom left of the "Start" menu.
Step 6. Select a folder to share
Choose the directory you want to make accessible to the Mac that you have connected to the Windows computer.
If you wish, you can also create a new folder to share
Step 7. Share the chosen folder
Follow these simple instructions:
- Access the card Share located in the upper left part of the "File Explorer" window;
- Click on the item Specific users …;
- Press the down arrow button;
- Choose the option Everyone;
- Push the button Share;
- When prompted, press the button end.
Step 8. Log into the Mac desktop and open the Go menu
It is one of the menus displayed on the bar at the top of the screen.
If the menu Go is not visible, open a Finder window or click on an empty spot on the desktop to make it appear.
Step 9. Choose the Connect to Server… option
It is one of the items visible at the bottom of the drop-down menu Go.
Step 10. Enter the IP address of the Windows computer
In the "Server Address" text field, type the IP address of the Windows computer.
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To find the network address of the Windows system, access the menu Start, select the item Settings by clicking on the icon
Windowssettings choose the category Network and Internet, click on the link State, choose the option View network properties, scroll through the list to locate the "Name: Wi-Fi" section, then make a note of the address shown on the right of the "IPv4 address" item.
Step 11. Press the Connect button
A second window will appear.
Step 12. Enter your Windows system login credentials
Follow these simple instructions:
- Select the "Registered User" radio button;
- Type the name of the user account to use for the connection in the "Name" field;
- Type the security password in the "Password" field;
- At this point, press the button Connect.
Step 13. Place the files to transfer into the shared folder in the previous steps
Take back control of your Windows computer and perform these steps:
- Locate the files you want to share;
- Select the files in question;
- Press the key combination Ctrl + C to copy the chosen files;
- Access the shared folder;
- Press the key combination Ctrl + V to paste the copied items.
Step 14. Transfer files to Mac
Log back into your Mac desktop and follow these instructions:
- If it's not already open, open a Finder window;
- Select the Windows computer name displayed in the left sidebar of the Finder window;
- Access the shared folder of the Windows computer;
- Select the files present;
- Open the menu Edit located at the top of the screen and choose the option Copy;
- Select the folder where you want to transfer the newly copied data (for example the Desktop);
- Open the menu again Edit and choose the option Paste elements.
Step 15. Transfer files from Mac to Windows computer
In this case you will simply have to copy the files stored on the Mac hard drive and paste them into the shared folder of the Windows computer.
Method 3 of 5: Share Files Between Macs
Step 1. Purchase two USB-C to Ethernet Network Port (RJ-45) adapters
Apple-branded laptops are no longer equipped with a network port, but to remedy the problem simply buy a USB adapter to connect to one of the computer ports.
Step 2. Connect a network adapter to each Mac
Insert the USB or USB-C connector into one of the free ports on your computer.
Step 3. Connect the two computers directly using an Ethernet network cable
Plug one end of the network cable into the RJ-45 port on the first Mac then plug the other end into the same port on the second.
Step 4. Enter the Go menu of the first Mac
It is one of the menus displayed on the bar at the top of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
If the menu Go is not visible, open a Finder window or click on an empty spot on the desktop to make it appear.
Step 5. Choose the Connect to Server… option
It is one of the items visible at the bottom of the drop-down menu Go.
Step 6. Press the Browse button
It is located at the bottom right of the "Connect to Server" dialog box.
Step 7. Double click on the name of the second Mac
This will bring up a new dialog to establish the network connection.
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If you don't know the name of the second Mac, go to its desktop, open the Apple menu by clicking on the icon
Macapple1 choose the option System Preferences …, click on the icon Network and make a note of the computer name.
Step 8. Enter the security password and press the Connect button
Make sure you type in the security password of the user account currently associated with the Mac you want to connect with.
Step 9. Open a Finder window
Click on the blue stylized face icon visible on the System Dock.
Step 10. Select the files you want to share between the two computers
Find the data you want to transfer to the second Mac, select it, access the menu Edit, then choose the option Copy from the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 11. Select the name of the Mac connected to the one you are using
It is displayed in the lower left of the Finder window.
Step 12. Transfer the copied files
Double-click one of the folders on the second Mac currently shown in the Finder window, then access the menu again Edit and choose the option Paste elements. This way all copied files will be transferred from the first Mac to the second.
If you want, you can perform the reverse transfer by moving to the second computer and performing the same procedure
Method 4 of 5: Share the Internet Connection on a Windows System
Step 1. Connect a desktop computer to a laptop using an Ethernet network cable
Insert one end of the latter into the RJ-45 port on the first computer (this is the square port on the back of the desktop unit) then plug the other end into the same port on the laptop (usually located on the left side).
If the laptop is a Mac, you will need to purchase a USB-C to Ethernet network port adapter which you will need to connect to the laptop before you can wire it via a network cable
Step 2. Access the "Start" menu of the desktop computer by clicking on the icon
It features the Windows logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 3. Type in your control panel keywords
This will perform a full search within your computer for the "Control Panel" system program.
Step 4. Click the Control Panel icon
It should have appeared at the top of the "Start" menu. This will bring up the Windows "Control Panel" window.
Step 5. Select the Network and Internet category
It should be located on the left side of the "Control Panel" window.
If the current "Control Panel" view mode, shown in the upper right of the window, is set to either "Small Icons" or "Large Icons", skip this step
Step 6. Select the Network and Sharing Center icon
The list of all network connections currently configured on the computer will be shown.
Step 7. Click the Change adapter settings link
It is displayed in the upper left of the window.
Step 8. Select both network connection icons
Two icons in the shape of a computer monitor should be visible inside the window that appeared, respectively characterized by the words "Wi-Fi" and "Ethernet". Click on an empty point in the window and drag the mouse cursor while holding down the left button, in order to draw a selection area that can contain both icons under examination.
Alternatively, you can press the Ctrl + A key combination to select all items in the window. You can only use this method if only the two network connections to select are visible
Step 9. Select one of the two network connections with the right mouse button
The relevant context menu will be displayed.
If your computer does not have a two-button mouse, use the trackpad with two fingers or press the right side of the trackpad or its button to simulate pressing the right button on a normal mouse
Step 10. Choose the Bridged Connections option
It is one of the items in the context menu that appeared. In this way, the internet connection guaranteed by the computer's Wi-Fi card will be shared with the Ethernet network connection, allowing the second computer to have access to the web using the internet connection of the first.
Method 5 of 5: Share Internet Connection on Mac
Step 1. Purchase a USB-C to Ethernet Network Port (RJ-45) Adapter for Mac
Most Apple-branded laptops no longer have a network port, but to remedy the problem, simply buy a USB adapter to connect to one of the computer ports.
If you are connecting two Mac laptops both without a network port, you will need to purchase two adapters
Step 2. Connect the two computers using an Ethernet network cable
First install the USB-C to Ethernet adapter (s), then connect the two computers using a regular Ethernet network cable.
Step 3. Access the Apple menu by clicking on the relevant icon
It features the Apple logo and is located in the upper left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
Step 4. Choose the System Preferences… option
It is one of the items located at the top of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 5. Click the Sharing icon
It is located in the center of the "System Preferences" window.
Step 6. Select the "Internet Sharing" checkbox
It is one of the items visible in the box on the left of the window.
Step 7. Access the "Share your connection from" drop-down menu
It is located on the right side of the window. A drop-down menu with different options will appear.
Step 8. Choose the Wi-Fi item
It is assumed that it is the network connection that allows the computer to have access to the internet.
Step 9. Now select the "Ethernet" item
It is displayed in the "To computers they use" pane in the lower right part of the window. At this point the second Mac should be able to take advantage of the Wi-Fi connection of the desktop system to which it is connected via a network cable to have access to the web.
