New aquisition of older laptop. Compaq armada 7400. I want to access files on my desktop with my laptop. Parallel port? Serial port? Which port to use (and thus which cable to purchase) to use the direct cable connection wizard. Wizard asks me to tell it which to use. Does either work? Is either better? Parallel port is, I believe, the 25 hole (female) port which I have used for a printer. According to laptop manual, serial port is the 9 pin (male) port. Both computers have each of these. Windows 98 on both.
2006-07-06 15:04:59 · 2 answers · asked by computernovice 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Laptops & Notebooks
If both computer have an Ethernet port, then get a Cross-over cable. This is the best way, since you can then SHARE drives and printers.
Without a router, you want to use fixed IP addresses. Set one computer to 192.168.0.1 and the other to 192.168.0.2. Then turn on Sharing as needed. The computers should have a different name, but the WORKGROUP name should be the same. Share the printer also.
IF you have high speed internet, you should get a router. This will allow the computers to share information, but also will access the internet. In this case, ethernet cables go from the router to the high speed modem, and ethernet cables go to both computers separately. In this case, all ethernet cables are so-called STRAIGHT THROUGH Patch cables.
2006-07-06 15:11:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Parallel cable will work. Serial NULL MODEM cable will work. Serial streight through cable WILL NOT work.
2006-07-06 15:08:45 · answer #2 · answered by tkquestion 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋