5 cool ways to use your home network (beyond getting online)

January 18, 2025

By Kim Komando

When you connect your gadgets to the same Wi-Fi network, you’re not just getting them online; you’re building a system so they can communicate with each other. You don’t need to be a tech wizard — just follow the steps below:

1. Share printers. Tired of running back and forth or emailing between devices just to print? Save yourself the hassle.

• In Windows, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Select your printer, then click Printer properties. On the Sharing tab, check Change Sharing Options.
• On a Mac, open System Settings > General > Sharing, then click the info button next to Printer Sharing. Turn on printer sharing, select the printer to share, and click Done.

Your selected printer should show up when you try to print from other computers on your network. Just make sure you leave the printer and the computer it’s connected to both switched on.

2. Create a DIY streaming service. Tools like Plex and Jellyfin make movies, TV shows, songs and anything else you’ve downloaded streamable from any device on your network. The best part? They’re free to use. It’s like having your own private Netflix or Spotify, just for your family. Neat!

3. Share screens. This one’s for you if you’ve ever thought the person sharing photos from a laptop or phone to the TV was a genius.

• Use AirPlay if you’re on a MacBook, plus a TV or streaming gadget that supports AirPlay (check the specs if you’re not sure). On macOS, click the Control Center button in the toolbar (the two toggle switches), then Screen Mirroring.
• For TVs or streaming dongles that support Google Chromecast, connect from Windows or macOS using the Chrome browser. Click the three dots (top left) in any browser tab, then Cast, save and share > Cast. Once you’re connected to the TV or dongle, click Sources > Cast screen.

4. Swap files between devices. My nerds know about network-attached storage (NAS). It’s a storage drive that connects directly to your router so any device on your network can access it. Something like the $250 Synology DS223 is perfect.

NAS units come with setup instructions, and you can access any computer, tablet or phone on your network. It’s a great place to store documents, photos and music.

5. Game together or from different rooms. If you have a Steam gaming library on one PC, you can access those games from other computers on your network.

• In the Steam desktop app, choose Settings from the Steam menu, then Family > Authorize Library Sharing on this device. You need to install Steam (but not the games) on any computer you want to connect from.

Even better, all these tricks work even if your main internet goes down, so you can keep gaming, watching movies and … printing, I guess!

😂 What do you call a printer that takes up painting? The Artist Formally Known as Prints. (Come on, that was good!)

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