Setting up a Local Network on Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

There are several ways to collaborate on a Windows 11-based network. The simplest is to create a shared workgroup, which is a group of computers with equal rights. The workgroup connects the participating devices, allowing the computers within the network to see each other. This is based on file and printer sharing, which enables the exchange of Office documents, images, music, videos, and more at the file level. To set up a workgroup in Windows 11, follow these instructions. Once the workgroup network is set up, use network shares to share documents or entire folders on the hard drive with other computers in the network. Adding Windows 11 to the network requires all desktop PCs and notebooks to be connected to each other. This can be done by connecting the computers to a WLAN router, either via an Ethernet cable or wirelessly. The router physically connects the computers and printers connected to it so they can communicate with each other. Next, check the network profile to ensure the “Private” network profile type is selected in Windows 11. This ensures that your PC can be seen by other computers. Then, activate “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks” and customize the computer name to uniquely identify it in the network. If the computers cannot find each other on the network, check the network profile, router settings, guest access, workgroup names, firewall settings, and advanced sharing settings. By default, the workgroup will be named WORKGROUP, but this can be changed in the Windows 11 settings. Additionally, switch on network detection to access your computer from other PCs in the home network.Lastly, log in with a Microsoft account to ensure that user rights are suitable for sharing files and folders in Windows 11.