Well I'm guessing some of you read my thread about getting a laptop =(

So what do I need to quickly and easily transfer files from my laptop to my desktop?

I did a search for docking stations on newegg, but I don't think any came up. =(

<font color=blue> There's no such thing as hell, but you can make it if you try.</font color=blue>

As long as you have NICs on either end just connect an RJ 45 cable to each and send the files via your new little network.

I can't think of a good signature so I'll use this one.

you can set up a really simple network using an ethernet adapter on each machine and a patch or crossover cable...probably easiest and most cost effective way as the only extra thing you need is the crossover ethernet cord

is this an older laptop?

1. install a pmcia ethernet card(like linksys or dlink) card into the laptop and network it to the desktop. this is fast.

2. zip disk. fast.

3. get a dicect cable, use interlnk server and client that comes with win95 or at Microsoft. this is slow as hell.

"<b>AMD/VIA!</b>...you are <i>still</i> the weakest link, good bye!"

you have a serial post on your labtop. If so do a direct serial connect.

You GeForce Ti4xxx is faster then my R8500 but my R8500 is the king of Aniso baby

My computer will have a 3COM NIC PCI installed (or an onboard).

My laptop comes standard with a 10/100 ethernet port.

So all I need is a short RJ-45 cable? Do I need some special software.

Oh this is also important. My laptop will run Windows 2000 Pro, and my PC windows XP home. Any conflicts if I were to use an ethernet to transfer files?

<font color=blue> There's no such thing as hell, but you can make it if you try.</font color=blue>

unless you have a hub, you'll need a cross over cable, not just a standard Cat 5.
just ask for one, if they don't know what you're talking about, go somewhere else.

<i>Better to be silent and thought an idiot than to speak and remove all doubt.</i>

Buy a crossover cable.

<font color=red>God</font color=red> <font color=blue>Bless</font color=blue> <font color=red>America!</font color=red>

crossover cable and windows is all you need then. 2000 and xp will have no problem.

<font color=green>"No Thoroughbred for you! Come back, 2 weeks."</font color=green>

Crossover cable. My dealer charges $5 to flip them, same price for replacing an end in standard or crossover configuration.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

If they use the same operating system, will I need a crossover cable?

And is the crossover cable the same as the RJ 45 cable?

Thanks. By transferring stuff via vire, I can save serious cash by not buying a dvd/cdrw combo.

<font color=blue> There's no such thing as hell, but you can make it if you try.</font color=blue>

A crossover cable is nothing more than a standard RJ-45 cable that's been flipped on one end so you can hook two computers directly to each other.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

Once I buy a crossover cable (is this what I would ask for if I call a computer hardware store?), what software do I need to transfer files between two computers?

If I don't need special software, how would I transfer then? Something in windows?

<font color=blue> There's no such thing as hell, but you can make it if you try.</font color=blue>

Everything you need is in windows. I normally use the Net BOUI protocol, which you can load in Controll Panel under Network. Also enable file sharing there.
Then make your hard drive on the laptop shared by right clicking on it in "My Computer" and sliding down to the "Sharing" icon on the dropdown menu.
Now you can use "network neighborhood" to locate the shared notebook drive on you desktop. You can even right click on that drive and make it a "mapped network drive". All free, easy stuff.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

I goto Windows XP control panel and select "network connections."

All it has is a network setup wizard.
It says this, too.

"If your home is wired for Ethernet, similar to phone wiring, you can connect your computers using Ethernet jacks in the wall. Otherwise, you must use a network hub to connect your computers together."


So where do I get a "network hub"? And how to I use it? =(

If I plug both my laptop/desktop into ethernet jacks on campus, then they won't be connected to each other obviously, and will be running through my college.

Anyone? Thanks.

Oh, the two computers I will be connecting, one uses XP, one uses 2000. According to xp...

"The Network Setup Wizard is only supported on computers using Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows XP Home Edition, or Windows XP Professional."

huh.

<font color=blue> There's no such thing as hell, but you can make it if you try.</font color=blue>

A hub does two things-it allows you to use more than one computer on one line, and it acts like a crossover between two computers on the hub. MS doesnt' want you to get a $5 cable, they want you to get a $50 hub, but you can use the cable. You can also hook it up to the two jacks at the school and yes, access one from the other, as long as you have a compatable protocol on both, such as netBoui, and sharing on the drive you want to access. I live on campus and have access to around 20 other computers that use netBoui, but all of them have passwords on the shared drives so it does me know good.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

So hooking the two computers up with just a cable will work under Windows without a hub?

The XP message implies you NEED a hub. So in otherwords, I just connect the two comps using an RJ45 cable, then run the networking wizard, right?



<font color=blue> There's no such thing as hell, but you can make it if you try.</font color=blue>

You have to use a "crossover" cable if you have no hub. A "Crossover" cable is an RJ-45 cable with the data wires switched around on one end. Using a "crossover" cable eliminates the need for a hub. Everything else remains the same.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

How hard is it to make a crossover cable? Which color wires need to be switched?

<font color=red>God</font color=red> <font color=blue>Bless</font color=blue> <font color=red>America!</font color=red>

Where can I get a crossover cable? =)

<font color=blue> There's no such thing as hell, but you can make it if you try.</font color=blue>

don't worry about it. Just connect both PC's with a crossover cable, run the wizards and ready.
I did the same a couple of weeks ago for a friend:
compaq laptop Win 98 with PCMCIA network (Dlink) and desktop Win Me. No problems.