How to Share Files Between Two Computers

Connecting Computers
Router or Switch
Ethernet Crossover Cable
Both Connected to the Internet

Methods of Sharing Files Between Computers
Sharing Hard Drives
Network Hard Drive
Internet File Sharing Service

Methods of sharing files in order of preference

1) Both computers connected to the same Router sharing files via a network hard drive.

Both computers and the network hard drive connect to the router, either by wired or wireless connections, this means both computers now share files which are stored on the network hard drive, the beauty of this type of setup is you don’t need to leave both computers on to be able to access and share the same files.

For more on sharing files between two computers via a network hard drive read here..

2) Both computers connected to the same Router or connected via an Ethernet crossover cable sharing files directly from their hard drives.

The most direct way to share files between two computers is to simply have them access each others hard drive, to do this you just need to have login details to the other computer and then enter its name as such \\computername \c$ this will prompt you for login details which you must enter as..

Username – computername\username (this is the name of the computer you’re connecting to not from, now enter the password and you should be able to see the contents of the C drive (this can be changed to other drive letters such as D simply by changing the C$ to D$.

If you have no router to act as the connection medium, another way to share files between two computers is to use an Ethernet crossover cable, this can be a more involved way to share files between two computers as you will need to specify IP addressing.

For more on sharing files via hard drive sharing read here..

3) Both computers connected to the Internet, using a file sharing service, could be in the same room or different countries, makes no difference.

The final method which has really only become a viable solution now that internet connection speeds can support this is Internet file sharing, the best product we have currently come across is called drop box, which is very easy to use.

You sign up for an account – Install the software on any computers you wish to share information with, this will then create a drop box folder for you.

Copy anything into the drop box folder and it will replicate onto the drop box file server, this will then be downloaded automatically onto the other computer.

So in a nutshell any changes made to a file will update the file the file on the central location, then it will replicate onto the other computer and vice-versa.

One of the biggest advantages of using this way to share files between two computers is its resiliency, as in effect you have 3 copies of each file, one stored on each computer and a central copy stored on the file sharing services server, plus you can also add more computers to share the files.

For more on sharing files using this type of service read here..

There are of course many other ways to share files between two computers, but we have advised on the most common ways.

If you need another way of sharing files between computers, or have other ways you have found to be useful drop in at the forum.

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