Direct Connect via Ethernet: Two Windows 10 Machines Keep Connection via WiFi
In today's interconnected world, it is common to have multiple devices connected to the internet. This article will focus on a specific scenario where two Windows 10 laptops are connected to a router via WiFi, and the users want to establish a direct Ethernet connection between them while still maintaining the WiFi connection to the internet.
Background
By default, when two devices are connected to the same network, they can communicate with each other using their IP addresses. However, when a direct Ethernet connection is established between them, they may lose the ability to access the internet via WiFi. This behavior can be problematic, especially if the devices need to access the internet simultaneously.
Direct Connect via Ethernet
To establish a direct Ethernet connection between two Windows 10 machines while maintaining the WiFi connection to the internet, follow these steps:
- Connect the two laptops using an Ethernet cable.
- Go to the Control Panel on both laptops and click on Network and Sharing Center.
- Click on Change adapter settings on the left-hand side of the window.
- Right-click on the Ethernet adapter and select Properties.
- Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and select Properties.
- Select Use the following IP address and enter the following IP addresses:
Laptop 1:
- IP address: 192.168.1.1
- Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
- Default gateway:
Laptop 2:
- IP address: 192.168.1.2
- Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
- Default gateway:
Click OK to save the changes.
Maintaining WiFi Connection
To maintain the WiFi connection to the internet, follow these steps:
- Go to the Control Panel on both laptops and click on Network and Sharing Center.
- Click on Change adapter settings on the left-hand side of the window.
- Right-click on the WiFi adapter and select Properties.
- Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and select Properties.
- Select Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.
- Click OK to save the changes.
Testing the Connection
To test the connection, open the Command Prompt on both laptops and ping each other's IP addresses:
Laptop 1:
ping 192.168.1.2
Laptop 2:
ping 192.168.1.1
If the ping is successful, it means that the direct Ethernet connection is working correctly.
Establishing a direct Ethernet connection between two Windows 10 machines while maintaining the WiFi connection to the internet can be achieved by configuring the IP addresses and network settings correctly. By following the steps outlined in this article, users can transfer files and data between the two machines while still accessing the internet via WiFi.