| If you need to transfer files between two computers but you don't already have a LAN in place, you may think you'll have shuttle a floppy disk back and forth 50 times. You do have some other options: Use an external high-capacity drive such as a USB-connected hard drive or a Zip disk. Install network adapters in the two computers and connect them with a crossover cable, as described in Chapter 16. The cable will cost about $7.50, and if you need to buy network adapters, this might set you back another $10 to $30. You'll eventually want the network hardware anyway, though, and with this mini-LAN you can copy mega-files in minutes. If both computers have FireWire (IEEE-1394) ports, you can get a so-called "6-6" cable to directly connect the computers, and use the IEEE-1394 ports to set up a LAN. (The price of the cable might bring tears to your eyes, though.) You can use the "Direct Connection" networking feature to connect two computers through their parallel, serial or Infrared ports. Parallel or serial connections require special "Direct Connection" parallel or serial data crossover cablesthese cables are needed to hook input wires to output wires on each computer and vice versa.
To establish a Direct Connection, connect the cable or point the infrared ports at each other. Then, on the computer that has the files you want to copy, called the Host computer, follow these steps: 1. | Open the Network Connections window and select the Create a New Connection task to start the New Connection Wizard. Click Next to get going.
| 2. | Select Set Up an Advanced Connection and click Next.
| 3. | Choose Connect Directly to Another Computer and click Next.
| 4. | Choose Host and click Next.
| 5. | Choose the device for the connection: a parallel, serial or infrared port. If you're using a serial connection, click the Properties button, select a reasonable serial port speed (19200, 38400, or 57600 bps), and click OK. Click Next to proceed.
| 6. | Check the boxes next to the user or users who should be permitted access and click Next.
| 7. | Click Finish. An Incoming Connections icon will appear in your Network Connections window.
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Then, on the computer you wish to transfer files to, called the Guest computer, follow these steps: 1. | Open the Network Connections window and select the Create a New Connection task to start the New Connection Wizard. Click Next to get going.
| 2. | Select Set Up an Advanced Connection and click Next.
| 3. | Choose Connect Directly to Another Computer and click Next.
| 4. | Choose Guest and click Next.
| 5. | Choose the device for the connection: a parallel, serial or infrared port, click Next, and then click Finish. A Direct Connection icon will appear, and the connection dialog will open.
| 6. | If you're using a serial cable connection, click the Properties button, click Configure, and select the same serial port speed you chose on the Host (19200, 38400, or 57600 bps). Click OK twice.
| 7. | Enter a username and password that is valid on the Host computer. You have to use one of the usernames you selected when setting up the Host. Then, click Connect.
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When the connection is established, you can use Windows Explorer to browse the Host computer's shared network folders and copy files, as described in Chapter 17. When you're finished, close the connection by right-clicking on the connection icon in the notification area on the Guest computer. On the Host computer, you can disable incoming connections by opening the properties page for the Incoming Connection icon and unchecking the device you chose earlier. If you can add an infrared adapter to your desktop, you can also use Windows's built-in support for quick wireless infrared file transfers. This technique isn't as involved as the networking approach I've just described. I'll explain it in the next section. Finally, if you want to move both your files and your preferences and settings, see "Moving Profiles with the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard" in Chapter 28. |
