Two Laptops, Direct Link?

ucd_guy

Anyone know how to connect two laptops directly? My friend and I want to exchange some files, some of which are 350MB+. We're both connected to my broadband connection via WiFi, and we have a network cable that'll allow us to connect the computers, but no idea how to go about it!

Networking Newbies: help anyone?

RicardoSmith

Assume you are using XP?

You don't need a wire you can use the wireless. I created a workgroup using the netwroking wizard, then shared a folder and tried to connect to it from another PC. However it could see the workgroup but could connect. So I used IPCONFIG to find the IP address of both machines, then pinged the other one. This caused Zone Alarm to pop up a message. So it clicked that the firewall was blocking them. So I put the rang og IP addresses that the machines use (they change every time they boot) into a safe zone in Zone Alarm and then they could see each other properly.

That said its stoped working the other day and I don't know why. Haven't had time to figure it out. It was handy though. I could watch DivX's on my laptop that were on the other PC via wireless.

raphaelS

ucd_guy wrote:

Anyone know how to connect two laptops directly? My friend and I want to exchange some files, some of which are 350MB+. We're both connected to my broadband connection via WiFi, and we have a network cable that'll allow us to connect the computers, but no idea how to go about it!

Networking Newbies: help anyone?

I would use the network cable it will faster than Wifi.
But you need to be sure that you have a cross-over cable (check each ends, 2 colours should be inverted).

Connect each PC, then go in "Network Connections" from the "Control Panel".
Open the "Local Area Connection". find "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" in the "General" tab.
There you need to check "Use the following IP address:" and fill as this:
IP address: 192.168.1.1 (1st PC) 192.168.1.2 (2nd PC)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

You can leave the rest empty... and confim, the PC are on the same network now.

You could then use the "Set up a home network", you will find it in "Network Connections".

Hope it helps...

Raphael

cgf

Burn a CD ??

JohnnyMobile

cgf wrote:

Burn a CD ??

haha now that would be my suggestion!
If you must network them follow the advice in the second reply and use a cable as it is much faster.

I dont know what the "setup a home network wizard" is all about as if you follow this guys instructions you will have already setup the network as needed.

Now to move files between both machines you will need to setup a share. On

machine 1:
Create a new folder on the desktop
right click it and go to properties
In properties goto sharing
In XP select "if you understand the security risks but want to share blah blah"
select "just enable file sharing"
select "share this folder"
give the share a name eg "share"
select apply and ok

Machine 2:
right click on the "my computer" icon and select "map network drive"
in "folder" enter \\ipaddressofmachine1\sharename(share)
select finish

Windows will then open an explorer with the shared folder displayed... move anything you want accessible on both machines into this folder and you will be able to drag and drop it anywhere on both machines to save it.

or.................. burn a cd

ucd_guy

cgf wrote:

Burn a CD ??

Nah, thought of even burning a DVD but there's 40 or so odd-files at 350MB each, so that's out...

SwampThing

Has anyone tried an active-to-active USB cable for this type of thing? Supposedly, a USB 2 to USB 2 should give 480Mb/s

Just curious, really.

RicardoSmith

ucd_guy wrote:

Anyone know how to connect two laptops directly? My friend and I want to exchange some files, some of which are 350MB+. We're both connected to my broadband connection via WiFi, and we have a network cable that'll allow us to connect the computers, but no idea how to go about it!

Networking Newbies: help anyone?

A couple of 350mb files is one thing. 14GB is another. Crossover cable is cheapest and quickest. For a couple of 350mb files WiFi (if its "802.11g") would be ok. But 14GB is another. It occurs to be that you probably don't have a backup of these stuff either? Maybe its time to buy an external drive as backup anyway?

nutzboutstuff

Gentoo live cd's... only for fat 32 users though...
PC needing the files:
/etc/init.d/sshd start
PC transfering files:
cd /directory with 14Gb's in it
mount /dev/hda2 /mnt/temp (mounts second partition windows d: or e:)
scp * <other ip>:/mnt/temp/<directory>

Firewire networking anyone??

more live cd:
disk dump (dd) over a network, done it on an ntfs partition to an ext3 nfs share. Complete replication.

cgf

What about using a MP3 player (20GB) as a temp external Hard-drive?

RicardoSmith

cgf wrote:

What about using a MP3 player (20GB) as a temp external Hard-drive?

If its USB2 then it would suffice.