Korean Job Discussion Forums

[the saint]

Ok, this should be a piece of cake right? But like heck it is...

I have one computer running WinXP Pro which is The Big One. I also have a laptop running WinXP Home which I want to reformat. I want to transfer a ton of files from The Small One to The Big One and figure a LAN cable will do.

With major difficulty ages ago, I actually managed to get The Small One show up in file explorer on The Big One. Yesterday, I just could not make it happen no matter what I tried.

Can someone simply explain how to do this? Cheers...

[Bulsajo]

You need a cross wire cable. Looks like a regular ethernet cable but the wires are crossed on one end.

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[the saint]

Well thanks for the suggestion but that mystifies me, How on earth did I manage it with this cable before? I remember I had them connected and I was mucking around with the network wizard and bridging connections and stuff and it just kind of worked. I managed to reconnect it too later on that week but that was ages ago and I can't remember how to do it now.

Is it impossible with a normal LAN cable? If so, perhaps I should set up a shrine and charge admission

[Bulsajo]

You never did get both computers to see each other at the same time, did you? I think one of reasons for that would be your choice of cable, but I'm not an expert.

[the saint]

[dulouz]

Yea, you need a cross wire network cable. I did it all for $10. Its pretty easy. I believe you need 2 network cards as well. Can you take one HD out and put it into the other computer?

[the saint]

[Demophobe]

saint....there is some software out there that will allow you to view the other computer from a remote location....I just can't recall what it is.

Enabling remote assistance on both machines, then trying to connect them on a "lan"-ish type configuration should work. I think you were on to the right thing when you did this once some time ago....there IS a way to do this, I would bet my bottom dollar.

I strongly suggest doing what you did initially, playing around with the sharing functions....

If not....

Ethernet Crossover Cable - You first must have an ethernet network interface card (NIC) in both computers to use this method. If you are using ethernet cards with RJ45 jacks (similar to a phone jack but wider), you simply need an RJ45 to RJ45 Category 5 Crossover Cable. *However, you do not need a "crossover" cable if you are connecting the two computers through an ethernet hub. In this case you just need two standard Category 5 patch cables to connect to the hub.*

Regarding the "software" side of connecting the computers, you will probably need to assign TCP/IP, NetBUI, or IPX networking protocols to your ethernet network adapter card (found in Start --> Settings --> Control Panel --> Network). If using the TCP/IP protocol on your network adapter, you will probably need to assign different IP addresses and the same subnet masks to the TCP/IP properties of each computer: Computer 1 could be IP 192.168.0.1 & subnet 255.255.255.0, and Computer 2 could be IP 192.168.0.2 & subnet 255.255.255.0. You might also need to type in the same Workgroup Name in the Identification tab.

Setup:

Start by going to Control panel. Double-Click on Network and click on
the Identification tab. Give both computers a unique name. Chose a
Workgroup name and use the same name on all computers. The computer
description can be anything you want it to be. Next, click on 'Access
Control' tab, and select 'Share-level access control'.

Next click the Configuration tab. Highlight TCP/IP for your network
card and click on properties. Select 'specify an IP address' and enter
an IP address of the form 192.168.aaa.bbb (e.g. 192.168.0.1). Subnet
mask is 255.255.255.0. For the other machine, give an IP of the form
192.168.aaa.ccc (note, 192.168.aaa is the same for all machined. It is
the last 3 characters which are different).

Next click on DNS Configuration and Enable DNS .For Host enter the
name you gave this machine in the first step under the Identification
tab. On the other machine, use the unique name given to it from step
one. Enter 192.168.0.1 into the field with the dots and click the add
button. Use this same number for all machines in the network.

Thats it! Your computer should show up in 'My Network Places'

Parallel Data Transfer Cable - Use a DB25 male to DB25 male data transfer cable to connect your parallel ports (printer ports). This will work with Windows 95/98/2000 Direct Cable Connection (DCC). This will be slow, but easy.

USB Direct Link Cable - This is a cable that plugs into each computers' USB port.

[Gregarious Monk]

Saint, do you have two network cards in one of the computers? If so, the crossover cable is a good bet (actually, even if you just have one NIC in each machine it'll do).

If you're using a hub/router device then a 'straight-through' ethernet cable is all you'll need. Demophobe's advice is good, but you haven't given enough information about your setup for us to be able to give you exact advice. If you have a hub/router, don't buy the crossover cable, if you're keeping both computers and don't have two NICs in one of the machines so you can share a connection I'd suggest buying a (relatively) cheap router device and a straight-through ethernet cable. The setup for filesharing and printer sharing is pretty well self-guiding in Windows XP (PM me if you run into problems.)

[the saint]

Demo... I kneel before you...


... well, I will when I find out it works anyway...

[Demophobe]