Connecting Dell Optiplex woes to home network via TP-Link power line


mikezoe65

New member
Local time
10:56 PM
Posts
2
OS
windows 11
Apologies if I’m missing the obvious but my networking experience is very limited. I have 150mbs full fibre broadband and happily connect to ICloud+ using iPad, iPhones and smart tv allowing the uploading and sharing of photos etc with family. I also have an old Dell Optiplex desktop, i5 cpu running Windows 11 connected to my broadband via a pair of TP-PA201 power line adapters and have several Gb of early digital family photos which I would like to share but am unable to see the sharing folders visible on the Apple devices.
Am I confusing broadband/internet access with WiFi? Do I need a WiFi adapter or dongle in the pc to be able to upload the photos? Why can’t the pc cope with this access through the existing internet access?
Thanks for replies in anticipation.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 11
Welcome to the forum.
The method you use to connect to your network (wired or wireless) doesn't matter. What's important is that all devices must be connected to the same network and all ios devices must be running ios13 or later. Once connected you set up Windows to share files, then you choose what files you want to share.
See if this helps How to Access Windows Shared Folders from iPhone & iPad.
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.3296
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1tb Solidigm m.2 +256gb ssd+512 gb usb m.2 sata
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 22H2 19045.3930
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 9020
    CPU
    i7-4770
    Memory
    24 gb
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    256 gb Toshiba BG4 M.2 NVE SSB and 1 tb hdd
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell factory
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Internet Speed
    still not telling
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
Apologies if I’m missing the obvious but my networking experience is very limited. I have 150mbs full fibre broadband and happily connect to ICloud+ using iPad, iPhones and smart tv allowing the uploading and sharing of photos etc with family. I also have an old Dell Optiplex desktop, i5 cpu running Windows 11 connected to my broadband via a pair of TP-PA201 power line adapters and have several Gb of early digital family photos which I would like to share but am unable to see the sharing folders visible on the Apple devices.
Am I confusing broadband/internet access with WiFi? Do I need a WiFi adapter or dongle in the pc to be able to upload the photos? Why can’t the pc cope with this access through the existing internet access?
Thanks for replies in anticipation.
I have an Optiplex - an 9020 SFF - it includes an external wireless network adapter - which I will use to connect to my household whole-mesh LAI - which replaced the wired LAN that I originally designed in 2000. Why the topology change? Two needs - streaming - phones, tablets and TVs themselves - that unwirable areas where wiring was a nonstarter. To meet both the security and backhaul challenges, I went with the Netgear Nighthawk AX - then the 64AX - since upgraded to the 84AX - both are WiFi 6 but can be upgraded to 6E via extenders - the same extenders in fact. You got trapped by the Apple devices - which defined your connectivity - which is likely via FaceTime. You can go whole-mesh like I did - as it supports Apple devices, Android, and Windows.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    H-P
    CPU
    Pentium-G
    Memory
    8 GB
  • Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell
    CPU
    i7
    Motherboard
    Optiplex 9020 SFF
    Memory
    32 GB
Thanks for replies. I had come to understand that irrespective of whether I use powerline adapters or WiFi to connect my dell pc to the internet, my ability to see the family iCloud+ photo albums depended on other settings. I’m now able to see shared photos on the pc but am drawing a blank on transferring my 4gb of old photos to the cloud so that I can ditch the dell and only keep Apple devices. Is my plan possible?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 11
Yes. There are multiple ways to do that. If you have sufficient icloud storage you can Install icloud for Windows and upload all your photos from your PC to icloud. Set up iCloud Photos on all your devices

You can also upload all your photos from Windows to any other cloud provider Onedrive, Googledrive, Dropbox, etc. They all have an app in the Apple app store to access your files stored in the cloud.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.3296
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1tb Solidigm m.2 +256gb ssd+512 gb usb m.2 sata
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 22H2 19045.3930
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 9020
    CPU
    i7-4770
    Memory
    24 gb
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    256 gb Toshiba BG4 M.2 NVE SSB and 1 tb hdd
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell factory
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Internet Speed
    still not telling
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium

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