How to Connect Two Computers Directly with an Ethernet Cable in Windows 11

You can connect two Windows 11 computers directly with a standard Ethernet cable, no router, no switch, no crossover cable required. Modern network adapters include Auto-MDI/MDI-X, which automatically handles the signal crossing that used to require a specialized crossover cable.

Do You Still Need a Crossover Cable?

No, not for any hardware made in the last decade. If your network adapters support Gigabit Ethernet (and virtually all do in 2026), a plain patch cable works exactly the same as a crossover cable. The adapter detects the connection type and adjusts automatically. Skip the crossover cable entirely unless you’re working with genuinely ancient hardware from the early 2000s.

If cloud storage or your existing home network can handle the transfer, those are easier. But a direct cable connection gives you the fastest possible local transfer speed with no router in the middle, which is useful when you’re moving hundreds of gigabytes between two machines.

What You Need Before You Start

• A standard Ethernet patch cable (any length, Cat5e or Cat6 preferred)
• An Ethernet port on both computers (or a USB-to-Ethernet adapter — note that some USB-to-Ethernet dongles require a driver install before Windows recognizes them; check the adapter manufacturer’s site if it doesn’t appear in Device Manager)
• Administrator access on both machines

Step 1: Plug In the Cable

Connect one end of the Ethernet cable to each computer. Windows 11 will detect the link within a few seconds. You won’t see an “Internet” connection, and that’s expected. You’re building a local link between two machines, not connecting to the web.

If Windows doesn’t detect the cable at all, check the link/activity LEDs on the Ethernet port or USB adapter – a solid or blinking light confirms a physical connection is established. No light usually means a bad cable, wrong port, or a driver issue with a USB adapter.

Step 2: Assign Static IP Addresses on Both Computers

Without a router handing out IP addresses via DHCP, you need to set them manually. Do this on both computers and use different addresses on the same subnet. (You’re configuring IPv4 only here, so leaving IPv6 enabled in Windows is perfectly fine and won’t interfere with this setup.)

Suggested addresses:

• Computer A: 192.168.0.1
• Computer B: 192.168.0.2
• Subnet mask (both): 255.255.255.0
• Default gateway and DNS: Leave blank, you don’t need them for a direct local connection

Repeat these steps on both computers, using the correct IP for each.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Network & Internet > Ethernet.
3. Next to IP assignment, click Edit.
4. Change the dropdown from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual.
5. Toggle IPv4 on.
6. Enter the IP address, subnet mask, and leave gateway and DNS blank.
7. Click Save.

Step 3: Enable Network Discovery and File Sharing

Windows 11 blocks incoming connections by default. You need to turn on network discovery and file sharing so each machine can see the other.

1. Press Windows + I and go to Network & Internet > Advanced network settings.
2. Click Advanced sharing settings.
3. Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.
4. Click Save changes.

Repeat on the second computer.

Step 4: Create Matching Local User Accounts (If Needed)

If you run into “Access Denied” errors when trying to browse the other computer’s files, the fix is to create a local user account on each machine with the same username and password. Windows uses these credentials to authenticate cross-machine file access.

1. Press Windows + I and go to Accounts > Other users.
2. Click Add account.
3. Select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account.
4. Set the username and password to match the account on the other computer.
5. Click Next, then change the account type to Administrator.

Step 5: Allow File Sharing Through Windows Firewall

Don’t disable your firewall entirely, as that exposes your PC to any network it’s connected to. Instead, allow file sharing through the firewall specifically.

1. Press Windows + S, type Windows Defender Firewall, and press Enter.
2. Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
3. Click Change settings.
4. Scroll down to File and Printer Sharing and check both Private and Public boxes.
5. Click OK.

If you’re using a third-party firewall (such as one bundled with antivirus software), check its settings for a similar “allow local network” or “trusted network” option rather than disabling it entirely.

Step 6: Verify the Connection with Ping

Before trying to browse files, confirm the two computers can actually see each other.

1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
2. Type ping 192.168.0.2 (from Computer A) or ping 192.168.0.1 (from Computer B) and press Enter.
3. You should see four replies with response times. If you see “Request timed out,” go back and check your IP addresses and firewall settings.

Step 7: Share a Folder and Access It from the Other Computer

1. On the computer with the files you want to share, right-click the folder in File Explorer.
2. Select Show more options if the classic context menu doesn’t appear automatically, then choose Give access to > Specific people.
3. Add the user account you created in Step 4 (or Everyone for a quick one-time transfer) and set the permission to Read/Write.
4. Click Share, then Done.

5. On the other computer, open File Explorer and click Network in the left sidebar.
6. You should see the other computer’s name appear. Double-click it to browse its shared folders.

If the computer doesn’t appear in Network, try navigating directly: press Windows + R and type \\192.168.0.1 (use the other computer’s IP address), then press Enter.

When This Doesn’t Work

If ping succeeds but you can’t access shared folders, the issue is almost always firewall rules or the user account credentials not matching. Double-check Step 4 and Step 5. If ping itself fails, recheck the static IP addresses. Both machines must be on the same subnet (192.168.0.x with a 255.255.255.0 mask), and the addresses must be different from each other.

Wrapping Up

Getting the static IPs right (Step 2) is where most people get stuck. Make sure the addresses differ by one digit and the subnet mask matches exactly on both machines. Once ping works, the file sharing part is straightforward. If you’re doing this regularly, a cheap network switch and your existing router will give you a more flexible setup long-term.