Orange County Register

The North Orange County Computer Club helps The Gadgetress tackle the multitude of readers’ cries for help. NOCCC group has experts in Windows, Word and all sorts of computer topics. The club, which meets monthly on various topics, has been in existence since 1976. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org. To get this answer delivered to your computer automatically, sign up for the e-mail update HERE. 

Question: I have a laptop and a desk top with XP and I am trying to transfer files from my laptop to my desktop to free up disk space. I purchased a CAT 5e crossover cable for a PC to PC connection, (I was told that then the pc would appear just like being on a network). However I am not able to see the PCs as a network PC. Can you advise me what I have to do in order to transfer these files to my desk top computer? ~ Dan

PC Club: Well Dan, what you were told can be true. When two PCs are hooked together with a Ethernet crossover cable, and successfully configured, they are a network. Granted, it’s just a two-PC network but one that offers all the file transfers and other features of a network.

Using a crossover cable or a router are the two most common ways of networking two PCs. The crossover cable is cheap and it is without question the most “computer geek” way to setup a two-PC network. In the past, I did that. When I make a service call now, however, I carry a small travel router if I need to set up a two-PC network. Using a router (a D-Linnk router is pictured on right) is much easier, even though a number of setup steps are the same. In addition, buying a router to install between your computers and the Internet broadband connection is the smart thing to do.

To manually set up the crossover cable network, you’ll need to make a number of configuration changes to your operating system. Setting up the “Workgroup” name, the IP address, the folder and/or hard disk sharing to name a few. I don’t have the space to list all the steps here. If you really want to do this, EasyLI Done tutorials shows you how to do it over 48 detailed steps. Click HERE to see the steps.

The major router manufacturers have some very good tutorials and/or FAQs on their web sites to help you setup a network. Some include an interactive installation CD with their product that automates the procedure. I would recommend this choice. ~ Jim Sanders, NOCCC President

Past Stump the PC Club questions:

• PC Club: How to display hidden files
• Old Windows PC won’t shut down
• WordPerfect botching image import? Check the file size
• Why CD-RWs crash and don’t burn

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