If we talk about computer networks, then there are two types: global (nowadays this term is understood by the Internet) and local. The main difference is in the number of connected computing devices. And all the rest is its consequences. That is, it is quite obvious that the global network covers a large territory, its topology (structure) assumes the use of "nodes" - special server computers that process the transferred data packets, etc. But a relatively small number of devices participate in the local connection. And routing is extremely simple. It may seem that the connection over the local network is a prerogative of small distances. In fact, this is a misconception: the connection between the computer of the spacecraft and the ground center is just local, but not global.
LAN connection allows computers to exchange information at speeds much higher than the average for the Internet. Sometimes this is a decisive factor in the choice of how to connect several computing devices. Connection over a local area network, as a rule, does not require large financial investments. At the hardware level, you need network cards and the environment that connects them - a cable (Ethernet) or radio waves (Wi-Fi). If you want to include more than two devices in the network, you will need a special device (switch or hub). Well, the software component, namely the connection over the local network xp (meaning the popular operating system from Microsoft), we now consider.
When the network cards of the two computers are physically connected, you should make sure that the LAN connection has been made. In Windows XP, for this you need to follow the path "Start - Control Panel - Network Connections" (also here you can get through the link in the "My Computer" Explorer) and make sure that the connection over the local network is active (written "Connected"). If this condition is not met, then you need to check the status of the cable and install the current drivers for the network cards. By the way, sometimes complications arise due to a damaged card, which can not be determined otherwise than by visual inspection of the back side of the included system unit (the green LED should be on the network). Note that a hardware failure is one of the reasons that users complain about the loss of a LAN connection.
Now you can proceed with the configuration. We call the properties of the required local connection and select the "Protocol" in the "General" tab. In this case, automatic settings are not the best choice, so we rearrange the "tick" in manual mode. In the line "IP-address" it is necessary to register 192.168.0.x (the last digit is any of the range 1-255). The mask is standard - 255.255.255.0.
Then select "Properties" of the "Computer" link in the menu of the "Start" button. We go to the "Name" tab. Here, according to the rules (there is a hint), we prescribe the name of the working group and the computer itself. It remains to click "Apply".
On another computer, we perform the same actions. Two differences: the last digit of the IP-address and the name should be different (but the group is the same). We wait until the network is initialized, and we "search" the computer in a networked environment.