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

[Kishan]

This tutorial will show you how to connect two computers using a Wi-Fi connection. We will refer the two computers as PC 1 and PC 2. You will have to configure both the computers as given below:-

PC 1:

1. Right-click My Computer and select Properties.

2. Click on the Computer Name tab and then click on the Change button. Type the computer name to whatever you want, here we will name it PC 1 and you will also have to change the workgroup to WG. (The workgroup name should be the same in both the computers) Now click Apply and close it.

3. Goto Network Connections and right-click on your wireless adapter and select Properties. Now goto 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 will use Wi-Fi as the SSID. Now close the window and click on Add Preferred Networks.

Enter the settings as follows:

Network name (SSID) : Wi-Fi
Network Authentication : Open
Data Encryption : Disabled

4. Tick the “This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network, wireless access points are not used” option if it isn’t already ticked. To automatically connect to the network, goto the Connection tab and tick on the Connect automatically when in range option. Now, to configure the TCP/IP connection settings, goto the General tab and select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button. Set the Values as:-

IP Address - 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway - 192.168.0.2



5. Click OK and you have finished the steps for PC 1.

PC 2:

1. Right-click My Computer and click Properties.

2. Click on the Computer Name tab and then click on the Change button. Type the computer name to whatever you want, here we will name it PC 2 and you will also have to change the workgroup to WG. (The workgroup name should be the same in both the computers) Now click Apply and close it.

3. Goto Network Connections and right-click on your wireless adapter and select Properties. Now goto 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 will use Wi-Fi as the SSID. Now close the window and click on Add Preferred Networks.

Enter the settings as follows:

Network name (SSID) : Wi-Fi
Network Authentication : Open
Data Encryption : Disabled

4. Tick the “This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network, wireless access points are not used” option if it isn’t already ticked. To automatically connect to the network, goto the Connection tab and tick on the Connect automatically when in range option. Now, to configure the TCP/IP connection settings, goto the General tab and select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button. Set the Values as:-

IP Address - 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway - 192.168.0.1



5. Click OK and you have finished the steps for PC 2.

Now open the Wireless network settings and click on View Available Wireless Networks. Select your network and you are connected.

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

[iMav]

Setting up Ad Hoc networks in Vista/7 is rather easy, its a 4-5 click process compared to XP. Only problem is the Internet Sharing doesn't always work because of the DHCP issues.

[Dietrich]

Setting up Ad Hoc networks in Vista/7 is rather easy, its a 4-5 click process compared to XP. Only problem is the Internet Sharing doesn't always work because of the DHCP issues.

What is a DHCP issue? and is there anything that can be done about it?

also...i have 2 computers with windows 7 and i am trying to link them with an ad hoc network for file transfer and internet connection but when i connect the second computer to the network it shows as a Publick network named "Unidentified network".

Sometimes i can still file transfer but other times i can't and it randomly changes. is there any way you know of to fix this so it shows the network name and realizes that it is a private home network? and of course lets me connect to the internet lol

[riteshtechie]

nice tut Kishan

[iMav]

What is a DHCP issue? and is there anything that can be done about it?

also...i have 2 computers with windows 7 and i am trying to link them with an ad hoc network for file transfer and internet connection but when i connect the second computer to the network it shows as a Publick network named "Unidentified network".

Sometimes i can still file transfer but other times i can't and it randomly changes. is there any way you know of to fix this so it shows the network name and realizes that it is a private home network? and of course lets me connect to the internet lol

I cmeross articles which pointed out at some DHCP mis-configuration that caused Internet Sharing problems between Vista & Win 7. But 7-7 is pretty smooth. If it's showing as a public network means it's got some connectivity issues. Being an Ad-Hoc network I'd suggest you delete the wirelesss network and create a new one. Add a password to it.

And for Internet Sharing, enable it on the host machines network adapter. It's a hit-and-miss kinda thing tbh.

[intel828c]

hi ppl,

I can't connect using my two win7 home premium laptops. I used homegroup networking, I saw both network are connected to each other but I can't see the shared folders. The two laptop say, " Windows can not access\\LAPTOP" Check the spelling of the name, there might be the problem of your network.
Please help. Thanks

[jackpercy5]

What is a DHCP issue? and is there anything that can be done about it?