Configuring a Local Area Network in the Windows 7 Software Environment

Quite often, users are faced with the need to create local networks. These networks, by themselves, have many configurations and structures with different content and purpose. We will consider specifically the option of creating a network running in the Windows 7 software environment, according to the "1 - 1" scheme. This is a fairly popular configuration for home use, because today most users have several computers and work on the basis of Windows 7.

Forming and configuring a local network for this operating system is one of the advantages, since all resources for this are built into the OS itself and the setup does not require any special special skills, it is simple and accessible to almost any user.

So, let's look at how the connection is configured on the local network, and what you need to do for this.

The first is to connect your computers with a cable with a so-called crossover wiring. This type assumes that the crimp wires must be done in the reverse order.

After you have connected the computers, configure the workgroup - this is what your work network is called now. To do this, you need to make sure that the computers in this group have the same name. If not, rename the computers or change them to the default names. Windows 7 assigns to all computers the default group name - WORKGROUP.

This configuration of the local network involves the following steps. Go to the "Start" menu and right-click the "Computer" item. Then go to the "Properties" menu and enter the name you chose in the "Computer name" tab. Enter the "Change" command, then change the name of the other computer in the same way. This procedure is necessary so that your device can be seen on the network.

A convenient feature of Windows 7 is that if you installed the operating system before the network cable is connected , your network is recognized automatically and displayed in the "Network Connections" service. If this does not happen, try restarting the computer.

Next, the LAN setup will be done in the Control Panel menu "Network and Internet". Here you need to enter the "Control Center", then open the "Configure a new connection" tab and start the wizard. This option guides you through the entire process of creating a connection that is no different from the one you are making when you simply connect one computer to the network.

It is important to remember that in both the Internet space and the local network, each device must have its own unique name and own IP address. As a rule, setting up a local network involves assigning these addresses using a specific algorithm. For our configuration, this algorithm is as follows: if, for example, the first computer has the address 192.168.0.1, then the network should be configured so that the second one has 192.168.0.2. A significant component of the address is the subnet mask. With a network configuration, the mask setup principle also assumes that it should be the same for all devices. As a rule, in home networks the mask number is 255.255.255.0.

The network created by us is not difficult-hierarchical. Therefore, we do not need a server or any other device that performs server functions. Practice shows that for networks with a workstation number of less than ten, you do not need to install a LAN server .

But, if you need to expand the network, for example, connecting additional devices, you may need to use a server.

The server in this case will perform its main task - to provide storage of information, and can also be used as a software server, for example, providing the possibility of sharing the Internet.