How to Create a Local Area Network (LAN)

This article was co-authored by Yaffet Meshesha. Yaffet Meshesha is a Computer Specialist and the Founder of Techy, a full-service computer pickup, repair, and delivery service. With over eight years of experience, Yaffet specializes in computer repairs and technical support. Techy has been featured on TechCrunch and Time.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

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This wikiHow teaches how to create a LAN (Local Area Network), which allows connected computers and devices to talk to each other and access the internet.

How to Set Up Lan

To set up a local area network or LAN, plug in a router and then connect your computer to the network with an LAN port or cord. Once the computer is attached to the router, approve the internet connection in your computer’s network settings.

Part 1 of 3:

Determining Your Network Needs

If you have four or less computers that you need to hardwire, you'll just need a router. If you have more than four, you'll likely need to get a switch to extend the number of ports available on your router.

Network switches do not allow wireless devices to connect, and can only be used for hardwired LANs or to extend the number of ports available to the router.

Determine if you want all network devices to have internet access. If you want all of the connected devices to have access to the internet, you'll need a router to handle the connections. If you don't need the devices to have a network connection, you can just use a network switch. [1] X Research source

Measure the distances for all hardwired devices. This isn't much of an issue in most homes, but network cables cannot run longer than 100m (328 ft). If you have to run cable farther than this, you'll need switches in between.

Consider your future needs. If you're filling all of the ports on your hardware, consider future-proofing to allow for more devices in the future.

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Setting Up a Basic LAN

A router will automatically handle assigning IP addresses to each device on the network, and is necessary if you intend to share your internet connection with all the connected devices. It is highly recommended that you build your network with a router, even if you're not sharing an internet connection.
A network switch is like a simpler version of a router. It will allow connected devices to talk to each other, but will not automatically assign IP addresses and will not share an internet connection. Switches are best used to expand the number of LAN ports available on the network, as they can be connected to the router.

Set up your router. You don't need to do much to set up a router for a basic LAN. Just plug it into a power source, preferably close to your modem if you plan on sharing the internet connection through it.

Connect your modem to your router (if necessary). If you're sharing the internet connection from your modem, connect the modem to the WAN/INTERNET port on the router. This is usually a different color from the other ports.

Connect your switch to your router (if necessary). If you're using a switch to expand the number of ports available on the router, plug an Ethernet cable into any LAN port on the router and any LAN port on the switch. This will expand the network to the rest of the LAN ports on the switch.

Connect your computers to open LAN ports. Use Ethernet cables to connect each computer to an open LAN port on your router or switch. [3] X Expert Source

Ethernet cables cannot reliably transfer data at lengths larger than 100m (328 ft).

You can quickly create a DHCP server on one of your computers by installing a third-party utility.
The rest of the computers on the network will obtain IP addresses automatically once the server is running, as long as they are set to do so.

Verify the network connection on each computer. After each computer obtains an IP address, they'll be able to talk to each other on the network. If you're using a router to share your internet connection, each computer will be able to access the internet.

Set up file and printer sharing. Once your network is up, you won't see anything on other computers unless that computer has shared files. You can designate files, folders, drives, printers, and other devices as shared so that anyone on the network, or just specific users, can access them. [5] X Research source

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Creating a Wireless Network

For easy troubleshooting, the router should usually be placed close to your modem.
It should be located centrally to allow for maximum wireless coverage.
You'll need to connect a computer to the router via Ethernet during the setup process.

Plug a computer into one of the router's LAN ports. You'll be using your computer's web browser to configure the router's wireless network.

Open a web browser on your computer. You can use any web browser.

Windows - Right-click the Network button in the System Tray → click Open Network and Sharing Center → click the Ethernet link → click Details → find the Default Gateway entry for your router's IP address.
Mac - Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences → click Network → click your Ethernet connection → find the Router entry for your router's IP address.

You can look up your router model at https://portforward.com/router-password/ to find the default login information.

Open the Wireless section of the router settings. The exact location and wording of this section varies from router to router.

Change the name of your network in the SSID field. This may also be called "Network name." This is the name that appears in the list of available wireless networks.

Select WPA2-Personal as the Authentication or Security option. This is the most secure option currently available on most routers. Avoid WPA and WEP except when explicitly required by older, incompatible devices.

Create a strong password. This password will be required in order to connect to the network. The field may be labeled "Pre-Shared Key."

Ensure the wireless network is enabled. Depending on the router, you may have to check a box or click a button at the top of the Wireless menu to enable the wireless network.

Click the Save or Apply button. This will save the changes to your router.

Wait while your router restarts. It may take a minute for the router and network to come back online.

Computers connected to the router via Ethernet will not require a password.

Expert Q&A

How do I create a local network between 2 computers? Yaffet Meshesha
Computer Specialist

Yaffet Meshesha is a Computer Specialist and the Founder of Techy, a full-service computer pickup, repair, and delivery service. With over eight years of experience, Yaffet specializes in computer repairs and technical support. Techy has been featured on TechCrunch and Time.

Computer Specialist Expert Answer Plug both of the computers into the modem or switch with ethernet cables to access and share files.

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How I connect my TV to LAN? Community Answer

If you have a smart TV, one that has wireless capabilities and a built-in interface to services like Netflix and YouTube, you can install software such as Plex Media on your networked computers to interface with the TV and share media. If your TV doesn't have this capability, you can pick up a Roku device to connect to your TV to give you these capabilities.

I am not sure why every computer needs its own WiFi card if I am connecting them with a cable. Can I run some of the computers with the cable and some without it?

Community Answer

Yes. You do not need a WiFi card for computers connected with a cable. This article is just aimed more at people wishing to create a wireless LAN, which is the most common preference these days.

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