How can I connect two computers together?

Status
Not open for further replies.

charlie61

Posts: 66   +0
Can anyone tell me how to do this? I want to connect my laptop to my desktop and use the same printer and internet connection. I am not sure how to do that exactly. Do I need a USB cable to connect the two or can everything connect through a router? Any way if you can help that would be great.

Thanks for your advice,
Charlie
 
Hey Charlie,
Well I have done this in the the past is that you connect the desktop to where ever you get your internet from whether it be a modem or a direct connection to the wall using a usb cable. You then connect the ethernet port from your laptop to the ethernet port in your desktop. On your laptop, I am assuming you are using windows xp, you set up a new network connection with the option "this computer connects to the internet through another computer or gateway".
Hope that helps
 
the best way is to get a router and connect all your systems directly to it.
you will be much happier with this solution :)
 
Tedster said:
ethernet to ethernet requires a CROSSOVER cable, not a standard cat-5.
nope a standard cat-5 did it for me. I remember it perfectly because I was able to play gunbound in 2 computers with no router involved :D
 
Crossover cable
or
DirectLink cable such as this...



nope a standard cat-5 did it for me
wierd ... did your network adapter have somesort of a converter ? (there are modems and routers (such as cisco 1700series) which have the ability to use either network or crossover cables, but have not heard of network cards with these capabilities..) what are the network card models you're using?

cheers
 
ok i am having huge problems with ICS. I did read somewhere that it was possible with ethernet crossover cables, no router, and this seems the cheapest solution until i can figure out how to wirelessly connect (wirelessly is turning into a problem because we live in a remote area and I use an aircard Franklin CDU 550 for internet access which apparantly has no compatible router).

Please verify, for just the cost of the ethernet crossover cables, no router involved, i can be internet connection sharing in just a few minutes on two computers side by side.

My os are xp and vista.

Thanks so much, you have given me hope for a cheap temporary solution if this is indeed possible :)
 
yes this should work. be sure to use the Network Wizard on the system that is connected to your ISP.
 
ty, i did use the wizard on the host computer (xp).

on the host computer when the wizard came to a section that said "you are almost done and gave choices 1. create a new setup disk, 2. use the network setup disk i already have, 3. use my windows xp cd, 4. Just finish the wizard, i dont need to run it on the other computers."

i was not sure what to do since the client computer is vista. However i did use the xp cd in the vista and followed the directions all the way to the part that says this computer will connect using a gateway. At this part when i pushed next, i got an error message.

Do you know what i should do here? Thanks again
 
the client system does not need the Wizard --
just go to the NIC, right-click->properties->tcp/ip
set DHCP for both IP and DNS.
On the alternative tab, remove anything that shows up.

see this for your Vista firewall settings
 
i am very new to networking and only familiar with windows vista for 2 days. how do i get to the NIC on vista? Have clicked everywhere. Did read the firewall advice very helpful ty.
 
computer to net
needs 2 nic cards
or a dial up modem and 1 nic card
to establish trouble free cable connection the cable between the 2 machines should be a crossover cable
if my memory can work here the internet nic needs to be setup for sharing
I would take a guess that it neds to run a dhcp service
not been into this for awhile
I would leave simple file sharing on at this point


can you use usb to the modem with this method ??
maybe not
somewhere this has been tried and does not work very well or not at all
 
here is my set up:

host os xp dell dimension with usb aircard internet connection
client os vista hp pavilion dv2000 laptop
ethernet crossover cable connecting the host and the client
network wizard has been run on the host computer

from jobeard "the client system does not need the Wizard --
just go to the NIC, right-click->properties->tcp/ip
set DHCP for both IP and DNS.
On the alternative tab, remove anything that shows up."

how do i go to the NIC in the vista? ty :)
 
o and just a side note i live waaay out in the styx and satellite is my only other highspeed option or i would not be attempting to deal with this, i swear at this point i am thinking it is easier to move, than to get shared internet.
 
View network connections
right click the LAN connection and pull down to Properties
select TCP/IP and then click Properties
select DHCP for both IP and DNS
 
ty for helping.

i have a window up titled local area connections properties

the closest choice i see to what u are saying is :
internet protocal version 6 (TCP/IPV6)
internet protocal version 4 (TCP/IPV4)

the properties for each one is obtain an IPV6 address automatically (selected)
use the following IPV6 address (not selected)

obtain DNS Server address automatically (selected)
use the following DNS server address (not selected)


ty again
 
The best way (and the most cost efficient), is to obtain a router. Whether it be wireless or wired, routers are a simple way to connect computers together.

FenderGuy2112
 
txfrostbyte said:
i have a window up titled local area connections properties

the closest choice i see to what u are saying is :
internet protocal version 6 (TCP/IPV6)
internet protocal version 4 (TCP/IPV4)


the properties for each one is obtain an IPV6 address automatically (selected)
use the following IPV6 address (not selected)

obtain DNS Server address automatically (selected)
use the following DNS server address (not selected)
almost all of us use TCP/IPV4. I would disable V6

V6 is somewhat new and used inside large coporations.

The Internet per se is V4.
 
You can connect two computers together through a router, wireless router, or an advanced hub device. A typical router is your best choice though.

FenderGuy2112
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back