Using a laptop display as a monitor. How to use a laptop as a monitor? How to connect a system unit to a laptop as a monitor? Installation and connection

A spare laptop can easily be used as a second monitor on Windows 10. Here are short instructions on how to do this.

A second screen can be a great addition. It gives you the opportunity to expand your range of visualization devices, allowing you to make your workspace multifunctional. Of course, you can purchase an additional monitor, but a laptop can also become a second screen for your original device.

In Windows 10, this feature is available by default and is easy to activate. Follow the instructions and you will instantly connect a second screen. Make sure your internet connection is secure before using our guide.

Installing a laptop as a second monitor

On the device to which you want to connect an additional monitor, go to Settings > System > Cast to This PC (Settings > System > Projecting to this PC).

Adjust the settings as you see fit, adjusting your preferred balance between security and ease of access, as shown in the image below.

On your main computer, press the Windows key + P and select “Connect to a wireless display” at the very bottom.

Your computer will begin searching for available displays, and once a second screen is found, you will have the option to Extend and Duplicate.

As the names suggest, the Extension will allow you to increase your working functional space. Duplicating will cause the second screen to show what the main screen is showing, so both displays will show the same thing.

Select your preferred settings and your main monitor will be linked to your secondary monitor using one of the above methods.

Use the second screen as a link

With this method, you can use the display as a link and allow someone else to enter text or control the mouse while connected to the host device.

When you connect the screen, a checkbox will appear that allows you to add an additional input. If you check this box, the secondary monitor will allow mouse and keyboard input when connected to another computer.

If you have a question about how to use a laptop as a monitor, then know that you cannot do this directly. Even if there is a connector on the laptop case to which you can connect a cable from the computer system unit, the image will not be displayed on the display. The laptop's screen will display its installed system; there will be no connection with the PC.

Desktop customization

You can display an image from the computer system unit on the laptop display only if you first configure the display of the desktop on the PC. To do this, you need a monitor, or at worst, a modern TV with an HDMI, DVI or VGA connector (depending on what connection the PC monitor supported).

In order for the connection to be established, the video card in the system unit must have at least two outputs. From one output the cable goes to a PC monitor or TV, from the other to a laptop. The desktop setup is carried out on the computer; the laptop will be the second display for now.

The laptop display in this case is the second device for displaying the picture. Set the value to “Display desktop only on 2” so that the image from the video card from the computer system unit is transferred to the laptop screen.

Such a connection is only possible if the laptop has a video input, and not just a video output. The presence of one connector for connecting to the system unit does not mean that you can make their laptop monitor for a computer.

Remote control programs

You cannot use a laptop instead of a monitor, but you can make a remote connection and display data from the computer on the laptop screen. In this case, there is no need to connect the laptop to the system unit; communication is established via the network. There are several proven options for displaying an image from a computer on a laptop display without connecting to the system unit.

ZoneOS ZoneScreen.
Radmin.
TeamViewer.

To configure, the computer must have a monitor; in this case, the laptop will be the second display. First, let's see how the ZoneOS ZoneScreen program works. The application has two operating modes - server (the computer from which the image will be sent) and client (the laptop that will receive the signal).

Now you need to configure the client, that is, the laptop. Launch ZoneOS ZoneScreen on it and select the “Act as a client” mode. Leave port 2730 and specify the computer's IP address to establish a local network connection. To find out the IP address:

After entering the computer data in the client on the laptop, click “Next”. A window will appear through which you will see the PC desktop on the laptop screen.

If ZoneOS ZoneScreen does not work (there are compatibility issues with the latest versions of Windows), try setting up remote control via TeamViewer or Radmin. The first program is distributed free of charge, the second one requires you to buy a license, but there is demo access for 30 days.

TeamViewer should be downloaded from the official website. To make the program work for free, check the box “Personal/non-commercial use” during installation.

To establish a connection to a remote computer via TeamViewer, you need to know the ID and password. Naturally, TeamViewer must also be installed on your computer. The process of pairing devices is extremely simple:

After completing this simple procedure, you will see the PC desktop on the laptop display and will even be able to control it. But the computer must have a working monitor, otherwise nothing will work.

In today's article, we will consider a situation where we need to connect a laptop and a PC for an equivalent exchange of information. In principle, a laptop is the same computer, so we will just need to create a network between two computers, but more on that a little later.

First, I would like to say that a laptop is not a flash drive and you can’t just plug it into a USB connector; we’ll have to make a full-fledged network. So let's get started.

Connecting two devices

The first thing you will need is an Internet cable (twisted pair) crimped on both sides; it looks like this:

Now we find the network card connector on the back of the computer:

And a similar connector on the back of the laptop:

We connect the two network cards to each other with a cable and go to the settings of the Windows operating system.

OS setup

In order to connect a laptop to a computer correctly, you need to ensure that these devices there were different names, different IP addresses and one workgroup.

In order to change the name of the computer and workgroup, go to “Start” and right-click on “Computer”, from the drop-down menu select “Properties”

In the window that opens on the left, select the item "Advanced system settings":

In the window that opens, in the tab "Computer name" click on the “Change” button:

If necessary, change the name of the computer and workgroup:

Now let's look at IP addresses and other network settings. Everything that I will describe will need to be done both on a computer and on a laptop.

Right-click on the network status icon (near the clock) and select .

We look for our local network connection and right-click on it, select “Properties”.

Looking for a component in the list "Internet Protocol Version 4", select it and click on the “Properties” button

We put the switch in position "Use the following IP address" and enter the IP address – 192.168.1.2, and the subnet mask 255.255.255.0. This is what we enter for the computer:

For a laptop, we simply set a slightly different address: 192.168.1.3, the subnet mask remains the same:

Checking the created connection

In theory, after these settings, the connection between the computer and laptop should be established. Let's check if this is true and ping the network. To do this, press the Win+R key combination on the PC and in the window that opens, write the command cmd.

In the command line, enter the command ping 192.168.1.3 (the IP address of the laptop that we specified above). If there is no packet loss and you get normal responses, then everything is fine:

If there is packet loss, then there is no connection, and you will have to disable Windows Firewall or another firewall that you have installed.

We also go to "Network and Sharing Center" and in the left column click on the item "Change advanced sharing settings"

There in the section "Home or Work" enable all parameters as shown in the screenshot:

We also disable password protected sharing. If you do not do this, then you will not be able to connect your computer to a laptop that has accounts with passwords on the Windows operating system (How to set a password on Windows 7).

Create shared access

Once you've done all this, you can't just drag and drop information from your laptop to your computer and vice versa. To do this, you need to open shared access to hard drive partitions or individual folders.

To hard drive partition

To open access to a hard drive partition, you need to right-click on it and select the item from the drop-down list "Sharing - Advanced settings...":

In the “Access” tab, click on the button "Advanced setup..."

We put a bird near the point "Share this folder". If you want full access to this disk from another computer with the ability to change information, you can additionally click on the “Permissions” button and check the box next to “Full access”. And in the main window, click on the “Apply” button and click “OK”.

Let's see, now the icon of our section has changed slightly, two people have appeared next to it. This means that public access is open.

To folder

To share a folder, right-click on it and select "Shared Access - Specific Users":

Add all users and click on the “Sharing” button. If you want information to be able to be changed in this folder from another computer, then we give all users the rights "Read and Write".

We are given a message that the folder is open for public access:

We do all the manipulations described above both on a computer and on a laptop (I will repeat).

Login from one device to another

Everything is set up, now all that remains is to figure out how to get from the laptop to the computer and vice versa. To do this, go to Explorer and look for the “Network” item in the right corner, or simply write in Explorer the IP address of the computer to which you want to connect as follows: 192.168.1.2. If everything is in order, then we should see the folders and drives we have shared:

If you forgot to disable password protected sharing, you will see the following window:

In this case, either create a password for the user or disable password-protected sharing.

That's all, I explained all the main nuances of how to connect a laptop to a computer via a cable.

And also watch a video on the topic:

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Webmaster. Higher education with a degree in Information Security. Author of most articles and computer literacy lessons

October 27, 2013 at 00:01

How I made a second monitor from a laptop display

DIY or Do It Yourself

It so happened that I ended up with a dead HP 625 laptop with a 15.6” matrix and an NTA92C VGA/DVI LCD panel controller in my hands. I had no desire to spend money on restoring the laptop, so it was decided to make a second monitor from the above parts, so that with VESA mount for a regular monitor. With minimal time and financial costs for me as part of a “weekend project”.

A “weekend project” is something I do for a short period of time (weekends or for 1-2 weeks) in order to solve problems that are atypical for me. Main goals: solve a problem, gain experience and skills, expand your “toolkit”.

Source materials

Display 15.6"
NTA92C controller
Power supply for controller 12V 4A
Metal profile for plasterboard 60x27
Metal profile for drywall 28x27

Tools

Drill
Riveter
Tapping tap
Metal scissors
Assorted pliers and screwdrivers
Glue gun

Theoretical part

42cm * 920gram + 28cm * 210gram = 24cm * Xgram
X= 42cm * 920gram + 28cm * 210gram / 24cm = 1855 gram

Practical part

Display

Frame

In the 60x27 profile we make 2 holes for a VESA mount (I have it VESA MIS-D, 100, C - that is, the holes are 10 cm apart) and fasten it with rivets to a previously made square.

power unit

The power supply case was disassembled for subsequent placement of the power supply inside the 60x27 profile (it did not fit with the case)

I made a replacement body (as insulation) from cardboard and glued it to the profile with a gun. The power supply itself is glued at the corners to the cardboard.

In the end, I got this “shovel”.

Installation and connection

The display was not immediately detected. Let's go here: Control Panel → Display → Screen Resolution Settings → Find and customize it to suit your needs. All! Our second monitor is ready!

Flaws

Not a very good matrix. Firstly, it is glossy and because of this it glares. Secondly, the viewing angles are not very good (Thankfully, the hinges have not lost their ability to rotate the display to the desired angle).
Due to the difference in aspect ratio of the displays (the main one is 1920x1080, the second one is 768x1360), there is no effect of a single display. Yes, I made the resolution 768x1024 - much better with solidity, but I was not satisfied with the quality of the picture (the letters floated a little).
My profile design is not very good because... it has poor resistance to torsion, which arises due to its characteristics and the way loads are applied to it. This problem can be avoided by attaching a second profile to the bottom two VESA mount holes and riveting everything into a rigid structure.

By the way: I don’t know whose fault this is, but when I connected my display to the VGA output of the Samsung R519 laptop under Xubuntu, the colors on the display were very strange.

conclusions

If I had to do it a second time, I would use aluminum corners or squares.

Hello.

I think many people know and have heard that you can connect a second monitor (TV) to a laptop (computer). And in some cases, it is impossible to work fully without a second monitor: for example, accountants, financiers, programmers, etc. And in general, it is convenient to turn on, for example, the broadcast of a match (film) on one monitor, and slowly do the work on the second :).

In this short article, I will look at the seemingly simple question of connecting a second monitor to a PC or laptop. I will try to touch on the main issues and problems that arise in this case.

1. Connection interfaces

Despite the abundance of interfaces, the most popular and in demand today are: HDMI, VGA, DVI. Modern laptops usually have an HDMI port, and sometimes a VGA port (example in Fig. 1).

HDMI

The most popular interface, present on all modern equipment (monitors, laptops, TVs, etc.). If you have an HDMI port on your monitor and laptop, then the entire connection process should go without a hitch.

By the way, there are three types of HDMI form factors: Standard, Mini and Micro. On laptops there is usually a standard connector, as in Fig. 2. However, pay attention to this as well (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3. From left to right: Standard, Mini and Micro (a type of HDMI form factor).

VGA (D-Sub)

Many users call this connector differently, some VGA and some D-Sub (and manufacturers are not guilty of this either).

Many people say that the VGA interface is reaching its end (perhaps this is true), but despite this, there is still quite a lot of technology that supports VGA. This means he will live another 5-10 years :).

By the way, this interface is available on most monitors (even the newest ones), and on many laptop models. Manufacturers, behind the scenes, still support this popular standard.

On sale today you can find many adapters connected to the VGA port: VGA-DVI, VGA-HDMI, etc.

DVI

Quite a popular interface. I should immediately note that it is not found on modern laptops, but on PCs it is (most monitors also have it).

DVI has several varieties:

DVI-A - used to transmit only an analog signal;
DVI-I - for transmitting analog and digital signals. The most popular type on monitors;
DVI-D - for digital signal transmission.

Important! The sizes of the connectors and their configuration are compatible with each other; the only difference is in the contacts involved. By the way, please note that next to the port, it usually always indicates what type of DVI your equipment has.

2. How to choose a cable and adapters for connection

The connected monitor had only VGA and DVI interfaces. What’s interesting is that the monitor doesn’t seem to be “pre-revolutionary”, and there was no HDMI interface on it...

Rice. 7. Monitor: VGA and DVI

In this case, 2 cables were needed (Fig. 7, 8): one HDMI, 2 m long, the other - an adapter from DVI to HDMI (in fact, there are quite a lot of such adapters. By the way, there are universal ones that provide all kinds of interfaces for connecting one to another).

Rice. 8. HDMI cable

Rice. 8. DVI to HDMI adapter

Thus, having a couple of such cables, you can connect your laptop to almost any monitor: old, new, etc.

2. Connecting a monitor via HDMI to a laptop (computer)

In principle, when connecting a monitor to a laptop or desktop computer, you won’t see much of a difference. Everywhere the same principle of action, the same actions.

1) Turn off the laptop and monitor.

By the way, many neglect this action, but in vain. Despite this seemingly banal advice, it can save your equipment from damage. For example, I have encountered several cases where a laptop’s video card failed due to the fact that they tried to connect them “hot” with an HDMI cable without turning off the laptop and TV. Apparently, in some cases, residual electricity “struck” and disabled the iron. Although, a regular monitor and a TV are still slightly different equipment :). But still…

2) Connect the cable to the HDMI ports of your laptop or monitor.

3) Turn on the monitor, laptop.

When everything is connected, turn on the laptop and monitor and wait for Windows to load. Usually, by default, the same picture appears on the connected additional monitor as is displayed on your main screen (see Fig. 10). At least, this is what happens even on new Intel HD cards (on Nvidia and AMD the picture is similar; you almost never have to go into driver settings). The picture on the second monitor can be corrected, more on this in the article below...

Rice. 10. An additional monitor (left) is connected to the laptop.

3. Setting up a second monitor. Types of projection

A connected second monitor can be “made” to work in different ways. For example, it can display the same thing as the main one, or maybe something else.

To configure this moment, right-click anywhere on the desktop and select “ Screen Options"(if you have Windows 7, then " Screen resolution"). Next, in the parameters, select the projection method (more on this later in the article).

Rice. 11. Windows 10 - Screen settings (In Windows 7 - screen resolution).

An even simpler option would be to use special keys on the keyboard (if you have a laptop, of course) - . Typically, a screen will be drawn on one of the function keys. For example, on my keyboard it is the F8 key; it must be pressed simultaneously with the FN key (see Fig. 12).

Computer screen only. In this case, only one main laptop (PC) screen will work, and the second one, which is connected, will be turned off;
Repetitive (see Fig. 10). The image on both monitors will be the same. It is convenient, for example, when the same thing is displayed on a large monitor as on a small laptop monitor when presenting some kind of presentation (for example);
Expand (see Fig. 14). Quite a popular projection option. In this case, your workspace will increase, and you will be able to move your mouse from the desktop of one screen to another. It’s very convenient, you can watch a movie on one and work on the other (as in Fig. 14).

Rice. 14. Expand the screen to 2 monitors

The connection process is now complete. I would be grateful for additions on the topic. Good luck to all!