Wireless Connectivity

How can I see other computers connected to my wireless network?

Just because you have a wireless network, it doesn’t mean that you can automatically “see” the other computers on it. First, computers must be set up in such a way so that they are visible to others on the network. In addition, the wireless profile that the computer is using may be set to hide the computer from view to others on the network, particularly if the computer is using a public wireless hotspot.

First, if you want to make all of the computers on your home network visible to each other, you will need to go into the Network and Sharing Center and make a few adjustments. First, make sure that Network Discovery is turned on. This option makes sure that you can see other computers on the network and that other computers can see your computer on the network. In addition, it allows you to access the shared resources of other computers.

If Network Discovery is turned on, click on the “View computers and devices” link under Tasks to see if you can see the other computers. You may need to turn on Network Discovery for the other computers as well.

Still can’t see the computers on your network? Check to see what “Network Location” the various computers are using. For example, if one of the computers on your network location is set to “public,” then you will not be able to see it. This is by design. After all, if you are at a public Wi-Fi hotspot such as a library or coffee house, would you want everyone else using the hotspot to be able to see your computer and explore its files?

You can double check what network location you are using by opening Windows Firewall which will display this information. To change the network location, go back into the Network and Sharing Center and click the link labeled “Customize.” Click either Public or Private depending on your security needs at the time.

Once you have set up all computers with the correct Network Discovery and network locations, you should now be able to see the other computers on the network. Other settings to consider are whether or not to use public folders on the network and if you want to allow the other computers to browse the files of the hard drive. A good compromise involves sharing your files only to users who have a user account and password.

Filetonic

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