How to Share Over a LAN Network

By Joshua Laud

Sharing files over a LAN (Land Area Network) is an easy way to distribute files, photographs or to back up documents. When a LAN network is set up, sharing files and folders between other users is simple. While each computer has a standard public "Shared Documents" folder, adding specific folders or files requires a few extra steps to ensure those folders show up on a network.

Click on the computer's "Start" menu. Type "Network and sharing." Press "Enter." Click "Turn on Network Discovery," and then click "Turn on file and printer sharing. Click "Apply." Close the window to save these settings. This sets your computer up for file sharing.

Browse the computer until you find a folder or file you want to share across the LAN.

Click the file or folder you want to share, then click "Share with..." on the toolbar (or right-click and then click "Share With..."). Click "Homegroup," if you want to share the file/folder with your entire network, or click "Specific People," if you want to limit access to certain computers. If you click "Specific People," the File Sharing wizard will guide you through allowing access to certain people and computers.

Repeat these processes on all computers that you want to share files with or from. Click "Start," then click "Network" to browse through your network computers and shared files and folders.

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