Sharing Files On A Windows 8.1 PC

Setting a Static IP for the PC (file server side)

Putting your PC on a static IP have various advantages. This step is optional but is strongly recommended to avoid problems in the future. Normally, the local IP is assigned by the router through a DHCP server. The router will assign any available IP and it may be different from time to time. Putting your PC on a static IP allows softwares to easily find your PC.

- Open up Network and Sharing Centre

- Click on your network name in connections

- Click Properties

- Open Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)

- Click Use the following IP address

- Here's the tricky part. You need to know the IP of your router. There are a few ways. First, it is the IP address that you use to login to your router settings. If you don't know that, refer to the previous image and click on details until you see the IP of the default gateway.

- You may pick an IP address of your choice. Just change the last 3 digits, the first 3 boxes must be the same with your router's IP address. Example, if your router is 192.168.0.1 use 192.168.0.xxx for your static IP. If your router is 192.168.1.1 use 192.168.1.xxx. Replace xxx with any number.

- Subnet mask will be filled in automatically, it will always be 255.255.255.0

- You can choose to use 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS) as your preferred DNS server or just leave it blank / auto.

Click OK and you're done setting static IP.

Creating a Local Account

It is strongly recommended that you create a local account with password and share files only to the accounts you created. This protect your files from unwanted guests. You should never share your files to "public" or "everyone", unless you are fine with others looking at the files being shared.

- Go to Control Panel

- Under User Accounts and Family Safety

- Click Change account type

- Manage Accounts will appear

- Click Add a new user in PC settings

- Click Add an account

- Click Sign in without a Microsoft account

- Click Local account

- Fill in the User name and Password of your choice and click next

- Almost done! Click Finish.

Sharing a Folder

- Right click on the folder that you wish to share

- Under Share with, select the user that you want to share with

- At this point of time, the person that you share with can only read.

- To allow write permission, read on.

- Right click on the folder and click properties

- Under the sharing tab, click Share

- Select Read/Write to the account that you'd like to grant write permission.

To access the shared folder from another Windows PC (or your own to verify), go to file explorer and look for Network. You'll be able to see connected devices / PC on the network. Open and you'll be able to see files that are shared on the network. When asked for User name and Password, just input the one that you've just created earlier on.

In the next post I will write on how to access the shared files from a mac and an android smartphone.