Your computer can connect more devices in your home using Wi-Fi and Windows 7 built-in functions. Make use of your Windows 7 utilities to turn your network into a super – LAN in which you can stream your videos and MP3 on your stereos. Make your TV Wi-Fi compatible using your cell phone. Send your pictures from camera to your computer wireless. Equip your Laptop and Tablet. In this part, we will discuss some devices to connect your TV and Audio system and the basic functionality to configure on your PC and other devices to make them compatible to work.

Devices that were scattered around the house and not living up to their potential can now be made work together. Now Microsoft has developed one built-in function called HomeGroup. By using this home group and Wi-Fi, you can connect those devices in your home to a Super LAN.

Choose a Wi-Fi router for the best transfer speeds, and with USB ports for maximum flexibility. To ensure that your home network transmits between to all devices, you first need to set up the communication center to your Wi-Fi router. You should use the device that is of the right standard by looking for an N symbol on the packaging of your router. So use the best router hub to make these things possible.

Creating your Home group

A HomeGroup in Windows 7 makes it easier to share files and printers on a home network. You can share pictures, music, videos, documents, and printers with other people in your HomeGroup. As a security measure, other people cannot change the files that you share, unless you give them permission to do so. When you set up a computer with Windows 7, a HomeGroup is created automatically if one doesn’t already exist on your home network. I assume that you already have an existing HomeGroup on one of your Windows 7 computers. If a HomeGroup already exists, you can join it. To connect a second computer to the HomeGroup go to the first computer control panel, then click HomeGroup

Windows 7 computers, go to the Control Panel > HomeGroup then click Join Now:

The concept of HomeGroup simplifies the file sharing on small scale home networks. In older versions of Windows like 2000 and XP, users had to supply a login and password for another machine or map a network drive to access shared content or devices. First, ensure that the Network location type is set to Home on all computers. Otherwise, Windows will refuse access for security reasons.
Click, Control Panel Network and Internet Network and Sharing Center Home Network, then go to View your active Networks.

Exchanging Data

In Home Group, you can see the share data of other computer option. The PC on which the data actually is must be turned on and active. You can also Deactivate the Standby and Idle modes on those devices.

Adjusting the Shared Settings

All the files in the ‘Documents’ libraries are shared in the home network group. If you want to add a particular folder. Open it in the explorer and then Share with HomeGroup. This is too, no one can alter your files even if they access them. You can also block with the same method.

Adding More devices

Let’s see about how to connect more devices in your home to your computer and mobile now. All Windows 7 computers now have the access to your multimedia files using the Home Groups function. Other devices need a one more setting ‘DLNA’ and ‘UPnP-AV’, So first activate the DLNA (Digital Living Networking Alliance) and UPnP-AV (Universal Plug and Play Audio/Video) settings. The functionality of Windows 7 is compatible devices like TV, game consoles, media streamers and a lot of them can be accessed through your PC.
Add this setting to access those choose ‘Home Group and Sharing Options’ in the Control Panel and put a mark in front of ‘Stream My Pictures, Music and Video to all the devices on my Home Network’.

Connect your Wi-Fi TV

You don’t need a most expensive TV to play video from your computer. Make your old TV set Multimedia compatible. You can see your films on the Big Screen of your TV.

If you want to control playback directly from your computer, it is best if you use your TV as an additional display. Modern laptops like Intel Core i-series CPUs use Intel’s new Wireless Display functions. You need a receiver on the other end. The Netgear PTV1000 solves this problem, this is a TV adapter for Intel Wireless Display.

You can connect your laptops through Wi-Fi and your computer through HDMI cables. Install the provided software for the device to play the movies from your laptop and Desktop.

Use TV as a Media Player

Some TVs are already equipped with a media player functions. They can control the browsing and play back of contents either on a connected USB storage device or the network through HDMI cable or Wireless connection. If your TV supports wired networking but not Wi-Fi means, the HomePlug option is again your best to avoid laying cables around the house. The network capable TVs come with configuration settings but can usually recognize your network. They scan your shared folders and DLNA, UPnP servers, including your computer’s media library and some external hard drives.

Upgrade your TV with a Media player

If your TV does not have a networking connectivity or USB support, several devices exist that connect through HDMI and allow you to stream both from shared networks and connected USB hard drives.

Using existing Game Console

If you have an Xbox, you can also use it to access files on your PC through the network, play them directly on your TV. The Media Center Extender functionality of Xbox brings you, to see TV recordings and Live TV tuner card is Installed on Windows PC. The latest Xbox 360 models come with Wi-Fi built in, and older ones can be fitted with an adapter to work perfectly with your home network.

Audio

Hi-fi systems can be easily used to play your MP3 using the same DLNA and UPnP-AV functions of your PC or external storage devices.

If you want the best solution to connect means go for Sonos player, D-Link, Logitech players based on your budget.

The Wireless player streams your music from your music collection and lets you control anywhere
from the house. Connect your player to the router, install the configuration software on your computer. Then you can easily stream your music using your PC to Audio player. You can control everything using PC or your Audio player.

In this part, we discussed how to connect Wi-Fi TV and Audio players, let’s wait for the next part to of Connect Everything to connect your cell phone, Camera, Printer and use it anywhere from your home without wired connections.