Im trying to connect my desktop to my laptop. i want to be able to share interent and files.?

Question

both are running xp. both have nics too. im trying to make my laptop the host. my laptop is hooked up through wireless internet. and i just want to just cable my laptop and desktop together so i can access the internet and files from my desktop. but when i plug the cat5 cable in it says network cable is unplugged on both computers. i know all my drivers are up to date and both my nics are running properly. just not sure why its not recognizing the network cable. i dont know if there is any setting i have to change besides the ics. any help would be much appreciated im not sure if this is clear enough. but if anyone has any idea please help me. if u need more info just email me at [e-mail]

Answer 1

You cannot use a regular Cat5 network cable to connect two computers directly. To connect one computer directly to another without the use of a hub or router in the middle, you must use a "Cat 5 CROSSOVER cable".

Also, I don't like the way you are setting this up. You say you have a wireless connection to the laptop, so I'm assuming you are running a broadband connection into a wireless router and connecting the laptop through it that way. IF this IS the case, you should be much better off connecting the other computer directly to the router, or if you need to, get the other computer a wireless card so that it can connect to the router, directly.

I have never been too impressed with using one computer to share the Internet to other computers, unless the one computer is a dedicated proxy server.

The first two answers below mine are somewhat incorrect. So, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Answer 2

The real issue here is that Windows XP doesn't allow for sharing of wireless networks to Cat5 (I have wanted to do this at internet cafes to only pay one fee for two computers) most laptops will allow for auto-crossover so that would not be an issue.
This could certainly be done if the laptop were linux based (I have done this with VMWare with a Linux guest to share to my laptop and my brothers laptop)
If the desktop is merely at a location that needs to be connected by wireless (wires would be too ugly, internal cards not appropriate etc. you may be able to get a network bridge like the DWL-G810) But these bridges don't work on meshed networks (like some hotels)
There may be some other software options.

Answer 3

What you need to do is get a PATCH CABLE not a normal CAT5 the diffrence is the wiring. You use patch cables when hooking 2 computers together. Now if your other computer is using wireless internet im assuming you have a wireless router so why dont you just wire into the router?

Answer 4

First you should try both NICs to see if they work by connecting them directly to the wireless router, with the cat5 cable.
If they work, you have to acknowledge that the same cable you use from the router to any of your computers IS NOT the same cable you need to connect computer to computer. You need a special cable that goes from your laptop NIC to your PC's NIC and you can get it at Comp USA.
Now, lets say when you connect any computer to the router and any of them don't work. First try with a different cable and if still doen't work then the problem is any of you NICs

Answer 5

You can't connect the two computer directly together, you're going to need a router. The router gives each computer an "address" so they can send data back and forth. You'll also need to make sure the computers have permission to access the folders on each other.

Answer 6

use a crossover cable. Otherwise, you'd need either a wireless router or a wireless PCI card for your desktop... which i think would work a lot better, but costs more... around $30...

Answer 7

go on the internet and go to yahoo and type in romote desktop thats what your trying to do i have no idea how to do it