How to share 2computers?

[lou10]

I wanna share 2pc in my home so i can transfer files from one to another.One is WinME and the other is WinXP.Both have a network card and a dial-up modem.

I'm looking for a way of sharing without using a hub.
By the way,there's 4 or less ports hubs????

If i connected both of them to the same telephone line would this work?

Thank you,I hope i was clear enough.

[chrsthorn]

Hiya. I'm relatively new to home networking, but I found that, for a start, Windows ME is pretty awful at everything, including networking. However, if they both have network cards, and you want to connect them together without a hub, then I suggest you buy a CROSSOVER or TWISTED PAIR network cable. Plug this into each computer and follow advice either from XP's help, or from the Microsoft website (or others) on how to connect between the two operating systems. If you don't use a hub then it must be a crossover cable, or else the PCs won't see each other. The thing is, the only crossover cables I've seen are only a few metres long, max. If you bought an inexpensive hub, you could have much longer cables, I think.

Anyway, as I said, I don't know a great deal, but that's what I found when I tried to connect two PCs together. As Windows ME was so bad though, I put XP on both of the computers, and it seemed to do all the connecting for me.

Tip: make sure the Workgroup on each computer is the same (e.g. 'WORKGROUP' or 'MSHOME').

Hope this helps,

Chris Thorn

[lou10]

Thank you chris.

[Rapmaster]

Just to clarify: you need a crossover cable.

Twisted pair means something else (the crossover cable is a twisted pair cable, but it is not specific enough. There are also straight-through twisted-pair cables. )

You can get crossover cables in any length (there are certain limits but it shouldn't be an issue) or even make your own with the right tools and know-how.

Make sure the network card drivers are properly installed on each system, and install the NETBEUI protocol, which should work fine. You can also install TCP/IP but its a little tricker.

[Newt]

Twisted Pair cables and cable length:

UTP = Unshielded Twisted Pair. Most network cables you will see these days are this sort. The internal wires are twisted around each other to prevent "static" and to eliminate the need for a layer of shielding on the cable.

You may also see terms like Cat6, Cat5 or Cat3. This just describes how many twists per inch in UTP cable. The more, the better.

And FWIW, hub and switch are NOT the same. Somewhat similar function but very different devices. See
OK, I give. What's the diff among a switch, hub, and a router? (http://discussions.virtualdr.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=120367)
in this same section for a good discussion of the differences.

Older cables - coax - use a shield but they are speed limited and you would have trouble finding the cables or network cards that would use it these days except at a networking specialty store. No fairly new PC would ship with these.

Easiest way to tell is by the connectors. If they look like a modular telephone plug (but quite a bit bigger) they are for UTP cable. If it is a stainless steal screw-in connector, probably coax.

Maximum effective length of UTP cable unless you have some sort of specialized signal-boosting equipment is about 100 meters. No difference between straight-thru and cross-over wired cables.

For PC to hub/switch you would use a straight-thru cable where the wire in all pins at one end match up to the wire in all pins at the other. 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, etc.

For a direct PC-PC connection (or usually modem to router/switch/hub connection) you need a special wiring scheme where all the wires are not straight-thru. Easiest to buy but if you want to wire it yourself
Pin 1 to 3
Pin 2 to 6
Pin 3 to 1
Pin 6 to 2
Pins 4,5,7,8 to 4,5,7,8

[lou10]

Thank you for the info about the crosslinked cable.