Ya Funny how some off topic threads stay in the main Sonar forum forever if certain people start them or the hosts become engaged...
Anyhow my DAW is always off line. It's not hard to accomplish.
Build the machine, install the OS and give it a few days on line to run updates and activate software that need to be on line. While that's happening you can install all your software and optimize the OS etc. I keep all my software on my data drives so it's pretty easy.
I have folders with all my 3rd party plug ins too.
Then simply unplug it and put it in the studio. I've done this for a long long time now without issues. All my files are on external hard drives and internal DATA drives. Last build I just pulled the data drive and swapped it over to the new machine, done.
If you don't own a 1 TB ( $65) or 2 TB ($90) external drive, get one. Then just dump your entire laptop into it.
I use a LAN connection because its faster on line and no dropouts. Wireless cards are a pain for desktops. In a pinch a cheapo USB wireless gizmo will work. At least you can ditch it from the machine easily.
That Network setting is for if you set up a server type network, don't do it. It's old school stuff.
Most systems use a wireless router with 4 LAN ports. Use the wireless for your laptops and the LAN cables for your desktops. Tricky if a desktop is a long ways from the router but CAT5 cable is cheap houses where made to have holes drilled in them :)
You can transfer files from one computer to the next over the network using any router and file sharing. But I would rather have the back ups on the external drive.