Is there a simple solution to hook my laptop up to my PC so that I can access some files from it?

Both computers have the same program(s) that I want to access but I did some work on my laptop that I want to transfer to my PC.

The file(s) are too large to make multiple floppys (all the laptop has as far as removable storage). It would be a pain to do so.

Any ideas?

Both are Windows.

 

If they're new enough, they should have network connections. If not, you can get network adapters cheap for both of them. The quick and dirty solution is a crossover cable, if you want to get fancy, a hub and two patch cables. A network adapter looks like a phone jack but wider--8 pins instead of 4.

 

what operating systems are you using? if you have high speed, e-mailing them to yourself also will work

 

Ya, you'll want a network cable in this case, it's the easiest thing to do.

Stan

 

E-mailing them to yourself is the easiest way to do it. You can get a crossover cable to connect two computers, but then you have to get involved with configuring network protocols, etc. It all depends on how computer savvy you are.

 

Only the PC has a network connection.

I will try the quick and dirty solution.

Thanks all for the help!

Oh and I have XP Pro on my PC and 98 on my laptop.

 

Quote: How can I hook two computers together?

Two words....Duct tape!

 

you could always write the files to a cd, zip disk, usb thumbdrive, etc. Or use a crossover cable which is very similar to a patch cable, it allows for one computer to "plug directly into" another. Good Luck.

 

They are now making USB file transfer cables, they would link the computers via the USB ports, they are slow (not as slow as the old null-modem conenctions) but better than nothing.

 

I've tried networking my computers several times over the past year without success, and Duct tape is the best idea yet

 

I use a Linksys model# pcm100 on my laptop. I've never had a problem with this card. I have used wireless before and I prefer the wire connection for networking, cause it's a whole lot faster.

I have all the computers connected in the house using a couple used hubs (3com) that were being throw out by a company near by. I couldn't believe they would throw them out. I pulled them out and they have worked great since.

I hate to direct anyone away from here but I get a lot of computer related tips from tip pages and computer forums. I don't even have to ask how to do. I just get in there and start reading. Here is a good one I get info from, http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/category04

There is lots of good used hubs on ebay.

 

please read and do my next post #13 first.....

To add a Windows XP computer to your network
You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure.

Set up your new computer and physically connect it to your home or small office network.
Start the Network Setup Wizard.
Follow the instructions on your screen.
Important

If you are making your new Windows XP Professional your Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) host computer, make sure you disable ICS on any other computer in your network. For more information, click Related Topics.
Notes

To start the Network Setup Wizard, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections. Under Common Tasks, click Network Setup Wizard.
The ICS host computer is the one that shares its Internet connection with the rest of the computers on your network.
If your host computer is running Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional, run the Network Setup Wizard on that computer first.

***The Network Setup Wizard is only supported on computers using Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows XP. ****
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To see another computer on your network
Open My Computer.
Under Other Places, click My Network Places. The computers on your network are displayed. If they are not listed, under Network Tasks, click View workgroup computers. Double-click the computer you want to access.
Notes

To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
Shared printers and folders are also displayed in My Network Places.
Related Topics

 

this needs to be done first....... your computers need to have differant names.....

To specify your computer and workgroup names
Open System in Control Panel.
On the Computer Name tab, click Change.
In Computer name, type your computer name.
The computer name must be unique. You cannot use a name already in use on the network.

In Workgroup, type the workgroup name.
Notes

To open System Properties, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
The Network Setup Wizard automatically configures your workgroup name.
The workgroup name must be the same on all the computers on the network.
Some Internet service providers (ISP) require a specific computer name. Check with your ISP before changing the computer name on your Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) host computer.

 

I´m still using an old Fast-lynx program (Dos version) from the eighties. This program together with a null modem cable(parallel with two mail connector ends) is good enough to move files from one computer to an other. A little slow, but it works. A cople of years ago I tryed to update to something more modern. A network system. I still have a pair of unused (read not usable)D-Link Ethernet Network Interface Cards irritating me everytime I look at them. What was I thinking on when I bought them? Couldn´t anyone told me before that they can`t be used in a laptop.One of them fits well in the desktop but the other one will of course not have any room in the laptop. The program in the laptop does´t work together with D-Link program and the whole thing ended up in nothing. I guess most of you have done a lot of similar misstakes? Anyone who knows what things to use when connecting a laptop with an ordinary computer without network connection? Wernerman

 

As I'm getting a new computer, and I'm going from Windows98 to XP, I need to do the same thing. I have an "electronic dayplanner" called Anytime Deluxe, with all my customers and a HUGE address book in it. I think we can handle that using the software disc and saving the info to a floppy disk. But what about Outlook Express? How can I e-mail the inbox and address book to the new computer if both of them have the same addresses? Won't it just e-mail everything back to the old computer? Any help here would be greatly appreciated, as it would take MONTHS to reconstruct what I have stored in these two programs.