How to Connect a PC to a Laptop Using a D-Link Router

You can connect a PC to a laptop computer so that they can work together on the same network for file sharing. With the use of a D-Link router, the two computers can also share one Internet connection. Setting up a network requires just a few relatively straightforward steps.

Things You'll Need

• Desktop computer running Windows XP
• Laptop computer running Windows XP
• D-link router
• 3 Ethernet cables
• Internet connection

Instructions

Setting up Cables

1. Turn off the modem, D-Link router and your computers. Attach one end of the first Ethernet cable to the Internet port of your modem and the other end to the WAN (wide area network) port of your router.

2. Attach one end of the second Ethernet cable to the first numbered port in your router and the other end to the LAN (local area network) port of your laptop.

3. Attach one end of the third Ethernet cable to the second numbered port in your router and the other end to the LAN port of your desktop computer.

DHCP Setting

1. Turn on the modem, D-Link router and your two computers. Set the two computers to the DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) setting by loading "My Computer" and then clicking on "My Network Places."

2. Click on "View Network Connections" on the left side of the screen and right-click on "Local Area Network." Click on "Properties," and in the pop-up window under the "General" tab click on "TCP/IP" and then "Properties."

3. Select "Obtain IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS Server automatically." Click "OK" to finish, and reboot your computers.

Router Configuration

1. Open an Internet browser in your laptop and type in 192.168.1.1. This will direct you to the settings of your router. Type "Admin" on the Administrator screen that will pop up, and leave the password blank.

2. Type your desired password on the next window that appears. You will use this password every time you log in to the router configuration screen.

3. Run the configuration wizard by clicking on "Run Wizard" under the "Home" tab. You will then be asked to choose your time zone according to the place where you are residing. Click "Next" to proceed.

4. Select the type of your Internet connection. Click on "Dynamic IP address" and click "Next."

5. Click on "Restart" to reboot your computer after being notified in the next window that setup is complete. Your two computers should automatically detect the Internet connection upon reboot.

Tips & Warnings

• If you forget your password, you can reset the router configuration to default by pressing the "Reset" button at the back of the router.

References

• D-Link.ru: D-Link Router User's Guide

Resources

• PCTechbytes.com: D-Link Router Setup