Laptop to Computer

Uhh...

I tried connecting my laptop to my PC with an ethernet cable. The PC detected it when it was plugged in, however the laptop only said there was a connection and it couldn't connect or something. I tried creating a network, but it didn't work.

Does anyone know how to accomplish this? (So that my laptop can access my PC's files, and my PC can access my laptop's files (with both read and write access)

Thanks.

You will most likely need to use a crossover cable if you want to connect directly, otherwise you need two regular cables and a hub/switch in between. (a few network cards can auto sense mdi/mdix, but not most)

Since there will be nothing assigning IP addresses you should have a 169.254.x.x address on both machines, if you still can't connect using the computer names, try using the 169.254.x.x address (start, run, \\192.168.x.x\)

So there's no way I can connect to it from the ethernet cable? That's odd. Because I can set it up wirelessly.

It's a medium issue. A crossover cable has wires 1&2 swapped with 3&6 on one end, this is so that the transmit is the receive on the other end. Wireless of course doesn't have this problem ;)

Some network cards can electronically detect and adjust themselves, but I haven't owned any that could.

A standard cable won't work unless it goes through a hub. Connect it with a cheap crossover cable (or you can even get a cheap crossover coupler) and make a NetBIOS network. Then you can see the other one in Network Neighborhood. It won't have IP addressing, so you are limited to file transfers through Network Neighborhood.

The best way is to get a cheap router and connect them. Get the pleasure of DHCP IP addressing and the ease of a LAN.

Gah. I'll just do it wirelessly. I guess it will take a few hours to transfer all my 30 GB of music from my PC to my laptop. P

[quote5a9e00e742="TFOAF"]Gah. I'll just do it wirelessly. I guess it will take a few hours to transfer all my 30 GB of music from my PC to my laptop. P[/quote5a9e00e742]

You kids are spoiled on wireless these days. Running cat5 all over my house was an all day thing... now you just hit a button and connect magically through the air. )

Heh. Yep.

Crossover cable or go to radio shack and get a small hub/switch... Or just wait for the wireless transfer.

i have a crossover cable, and i connect it and nothing happens, I see the connection, but i cant find anywhere to transfer stuff

a lot of wireless routers have 4 ports in the back and double as a switch/hub. If yours is like that just plug your pc-router and your laptop-router. Thats how my linksys is, don't know about yours.

[quote7c1285965b="dudeextrem2000"]i have a crossover cable, and i connect it and nothing happens, I see the connection, but i cant find anywhere to transfer stuff[/quote7c1285965b]

You have to set up your network properties to make a NetBIOS network. Then you transfer files in My Network Places.

Seriously, you guys are way too used to plug-and-play everything. Back in the day we actually had to mess with these annoying things called "settings".

[quotef027359f54="PsychoAU"][quotef027359f54="dudeextrem2000"]i have a crossover cable, and i connect it and nothing happens, I see the connection, but i cant find anywhere to transfer stuff[/quotef027359f54]

You have to set up your network properties to make a NetBIOS network. Then you transfer files in My Network Places.

Seriously, you guys are way too used to plug-and-play everything. Back in the day we actually had to mess with these annoying things called "settings".[/quotef027359f54]

yea times change. get used to it. now we also have a thing called 'air conditioning'

[quote8095441fcc="PsychoAU"][quote8095441fcc="dudeextrem2000"]i have a crossover cable, and i connect it and nothing happens, I see the connection, but i cant find anywhere to transfer stuff[/quote8095441fcc]

You have to set up your network properties to make a NetBIOS network. Then you transfer files in My Network Places.

Seriously, you guys are way too used to plug-and-play everything. Back in the day we actually had to mess with these annoying things called "settings".[/quote8095441fcc]

so how do you do that?>