connecting two computers...best way?

[PFJ]

I have an AMDAthlon (AOpen) with WIN98SE and a Dell/Inspiron 510M laptop running XP. I want to transfer files from my laptop to the stationary AMD_PC. How?

Both have USB sockets/9pin serial port and sockets for the LAN.

It's probably very simple but I would rather seek advice before trying inserting cables.

Regards

PFJ

 

[Phantasm66]

Connect a crossed, RJ45 network cable between the two network interfaces on either machine.

Configure the IP address of the laptop to be 192.168.0.10 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Configure the IP address of the desktop to be 192.168.0.20 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Ensure you can open command prompt, and ping 192.168.0.20 on laptop and 192.168.0.10 on desktop (i.e that either machine can ping each other.) Make sure that any zone alarm, or other firewall, etc is off.

Then, run \\laptopmachinename\c$ on one machine, to open the c: of laptop on desktop. and vice versa.

You can then copy normally using windows explorer.

 

[fishhookz]

Crossover runs at 10/100/1000 mbps. USB is much slower. Serial is the slowest.

The easiest would be a USB file sharing link.

 

[PFJ]

Thank you for your replies...and I thought it would be easy. I'll have to study Phants' suggestion in more detail.

I didn't realise that at some time I stuck the LAN/networking card in for fun because it was hanging around, without assigning drivers etc... I should of had a lokk at the manufacturer earlier on in the day when I had it open to repair the CD-ROM drive.

There is also firewire connections on both but the desktop PC's firewire is on a Pinnacle DV capture card. Is that any good to me?
Just bearing in mind what fishhookz remarked about speed.

Regards

PFJ

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Never mind the firewire.
Just a simple crossover-cable, network card in each PC and off you go (as per Phant).
The speed of 100MBps is more than enough for your file-transfer.
You can also have a look here:
Simple Networking of 2 PCs

 

[PFJ]

I'll go with that and see how I progress. I found a connection wizard in XP (laptop) and now I have an icon shortcut on the desktop - so I'm getting somewhere. We finish up today and have Friday off as well - Paddys' Day of course so I'll come in when everything is quieter and get it done.

Thanks you all for your advice and a Happy St. Patrick's Day to all.

Regards

PFJ.

 

[kermit]

What happens if you've got a cable modem plugged in to one of the computers. Will joining it to another machine for swapping files screw up the internet connection settings?
K

 

[HoopaJoop]

What happens if you've got a cable modem plugged in to one of the computers. Will joining it to another machine for swapping files screw up the internet connection settings?
K

Well unless you have more than one NIC in your machine you'd have to unplug it from the router to connect to the second machine anyway. If you have a secondary nic on the machine plugged into the cable modem you should be able to connect the two machines without any internet outage unless you bridge the connections.

If you are running both machines through a switch that may be a part of your cable modem then you wouldn't be able to connect them with a crossover cable. They would be networked together via standard ethernet.