Transfer Files Between Two PCs with Ethernet: A Safer Step-by-Step Guide

Updated October 12, 2026. Menu labels can vary by OS version. This guide covers a direct, trusted two-computer connection; company-managed devices may require IT approval and policy-compliant transfer tools.

A direct Ethernet cable can create a simple link between two computers, but the cable alone does not copy files or guarantee a faster transfer. You still need compatible network adapters, an IP connection, an authenticated sharing method, and enough speed in both storage devices. The safe approach is to share one temporary folder with a named account, transfer the files, then remove the share.

Before you connect

• Check that both computers have Ethernet ports. Use a normal Cat5e or better cable for Gigabit Ethernet; the negotiated link speed is limited by the slower port, adapter or cable path.
• Keep both devices on the same local IP subnet. A direct link may self-assign link-local addresses, or you can assign private static addresses. If choosing static IPv4 on an isolated cable, for example use 192.168.50.1 and 192.168.50.2 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0; leave gateway and DNS blank. Do not use these example addresses if they conflict with your network.
• Have a user account and password on the computer that will host the share. Do not turn off password-protected sharing or give “Everyone” read/write access just to make a one-time transfer easier.
• If either computer is managed by your employer, use only an approved transfer route; a direct cable does not bypass data-handling policy.

Windows to Windows: share one folder

1. Connect the cable. If Windows asks about the network, choose a Private profile only when this is a trusted, direct connection. Do not enable sharing on a public or untrusted network.
2. On the sending computer, make a temporary folder and put only the files you intend to transfer in it. In File Explorer, right-click the folder and choose Give access to → Specific people. Select the intended account and grant only the access required. Microsoft documents this named-user sharing route; “Everyone” grants access to all users who can reach the share.
3. In Windows Settings, verify that network discovery and file sharing are enabled for the Private profile only. Keep Windows Firewall enabled and use its built-in File and Printer Sharing rules; avoid opening SMB to Public networks.
4. On the receiving PC, open File Explorer and enter \192.168.50.1 (replace with the sender’s actual address), or use the computer/share path shown in the sharing dialog. Sign in with the sender’s account credentials when prompted.
5. Copy a small test file first. Then transfer the folder and compare file counts or hashes for important data. When finished, right-click the shared folder and choose Give access to → Remove access; turn off file sharing or restore the prior network settings if you enabled them just for this transfer.

Microsoft’s current guide uses “Specific people” to share files and explains how to remove access afterward. For security, Microsoft also advises against SMB guest access and the legacy SMB 1.0 protocol. If an old device only works after enabling anonymous guest access or SMB1, update it or use another transfer method instead of weakening both computers. Windows file sharing · SMB security hardening.

Mac or Linux involved?

• Mac sharing to Windows: On the Mac, open System Settings → General → Sharing → File Sharing, open its information/options, enable “Share files and folders using SMB,” and select only the account that needs access. Apple notes that the account’s password is used for Windows file sharing. Turn SMB sharing off when the transfer is complete. Apple’s SMB setup steps.
• Linux to Linux: Prefer SFTP over SSH for an authenticated transfer, or use a properly configured SMB share if a graphical shared-folder workflow is needed. Avoid piping an unauthenticated raw TCP stream directly into an extraction command; it provides no built-in sender authentication or integrity check.
• Windows and Linux: SMB can interoperate, but use a named local account and modern SMB, and keep the firewall scoped to the trusted private/direct link. Ubuntu’s file-sharing options depend on the installed desktop and Samba configuration; avoid old instructions that put a password directly in a terminal command or allow anonymous access.

How long will the transfer take?

Start with the negotiated link speed shown by each operating system. A 1 Gbit/s link has a raw signaling ceiling of 125 MB/s before Ethernet, TCP/IP, SMB or SFTP overhead; that is not a real-world promise. File transfer may be limited by a slower adapter, a 100 Mbit/s link, encryption/compression work, many small files, antivirus scanning, or the read/write speed of either drive.

A useful planning estimate is time in seconds ≈ file size in MB ÷ measured transfer speed in MB/s. For example, 50,000 MB copied at an actually measured 80 MB/s takes about 625 seconds (10 minutes 25 seconds), before overhead from opening many files. Measure with a representative sample on your own devices; do not use an Ethernet-frame calculation as a benchmark. If Wi-Fi is already fast and stable, a direct cable may not save time.

Troubleshooting without weakening security

• No connection: Check adapter link lights/status, confirm both addresses are in the same subnet, and test the other computer’s IP. A gateway is unnecessary for a point-to-point transfer.
• Share is not found: Try the host IP path directly instead of browsing for a device name. Confirm the folder share and account permissions on the sender.
• Credentials are rejected: Enter the account name from the computer hosting the share and its password. Do not switch to guest access, disable the firewall, or turn off password protection as a shortcut.
• Transfer is slow: Check the negotiated link rate on both ends, copy one large file as a comparison, and inspect the source/destination drive activity. Lots of small files often transfer more slowly than one large file of the same total size.
• Finished transferring: Remove share access, disable SMB/File Sharing if it is no longer needed, disconnect the cable, and return any temporary static IP or network-profile change to its previous state.

When a direct Ethernet cable is not the best option

For a few documents, a trusted encrypted cloud drive, a local USB drive, or the operating system’s nearby-sharing feature may be simpler. For very large transfers, compare the supported Ethernet rate with the actual ports and storage on both computers first. A USB or Thunderbolt link can be faster on some hardware, but the cable and protocol must support it, and device-to-device transfer instructions differ. The fastest theoretical port is not necessarily the fastest complete copy.

Research relevance

Peer-reviewed networking research is not needed to establish the settings in this how-to: operating-system vendors’ current setup and security documentation is more direct evidence for the supported menus and protocol defaults. The relevant research-informed principle is to measure end-to-end throughput on the actual source, network and destination rather than infer it from link rate alone. This guide therefore removes the previous article’s unexplained 121.91 MB/s ceiling and unverified speed claims instead of dressing them up as research conclusions.

Sources and limits

• Microsoft Support, File sharing over a network in Windows.
• Microsoft Learn, SMB security hardening and SMB version guidance.
• Apple Support, Set up SMB file sharing on Mac.
• Ubuntu Community Help Wiki, Samba client guide; Linux environments vary, so check your distribution’s current documentation.

No file-transfer benchmark was run on specific computers for this article. The IP addresses are examples for an isolated link only; Windows menu labels and network policy vary by release and organization.