Connect laptop and desktop


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I have a Toshiba laptop, which runs Win 7, and a desktop with XP. The modem/router I use has one wire, I think its called an Ethernet cable, that runs from the modem to the desktop CPU. There's another slot for USB, but I've lost the USB cable.

What I want to do is connect the laptop and desktop so that I can transfer large files. I tried taking the cable out of the modem and plugging it into the laptop (with the other end in the desktop CPU), but 7 just detects an unknown network and nothing else. The laptop has inbuilt stuff. Its documentation says: 10/100 Ethernet, Wi-Fi Wireless networking (802.11b/g/n). The modem's not wireless, and neither is the desktop.

So how do I set up a network to connect the two computers?

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Ok, one thing I don't understand. Does your laptop connect to the Internet without the cable? I'm trying to figure out if you have a network in place or if your computer is the only device that connects to the Internet.

If you have a network, you just need to activate file sharing on both machines. If you don't have a network, I would suggest putting one together. Either that or buy a very big external hard drive and copy files from one machine to another using that.

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Get a router. You could pick one up under 20.

Location would help me to find an inexpensive one for you, or you could use eBay.

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His device could be a router already, just lacking in ports. See dsl routers all the time with just 1 lan port. Don't really see the point, but yeah does nat, just 1 port and no wireless.

Here you go - http://www.newegg.co...N82E16833367003

Router, with just 1 lan port. No wireless.

I have the same question about the laptop - is it on wireless?

If not -- then I would be with sc302 and suggest you go replace your current device with a wireless router, this way you can actually use your laptop ;)

And then either share files with laptop wireless, or if moving large files plug it with wire.

What would be a great help is the model number of your current modem/router. If you don't want wireless or your laptop does not have it, and you just want to use both at same time with wire - and your current device is actually a router and does nat, then a switch would work as well. Again the make and model number of the device your currently plugging into would be of great help in determining what you need.

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As stated by others above, more information please! What is the make and model of the network device you are using? Is it a modem, a router or modem+router?

Why would you connect the Ethernet cable from the desktop directly to the laptop as a test when your desktop receives its Internet connection from the "modem" that you speak of? If you get an Internet connection from the modem when the one Ethernet cable is plugged into the desktop, then just take the cable out from the desktop and plug it into your laptop's LAN port to test Internet access - this obviously will not get both the desktop and laptop on the same network, as the desktop is disconnected.

Does your modem have more than one Ethernet port?

Your laptop is provisioned for Wireless so if your financial situation permits it, go out and buy a modem+wireless router (with more than one Ethernet port if need be) so that your desktop can connect to the router via Ethernet (cable) and the laptop can connect to the router via Wireless (which needs to be setup on the router with an SSID, encryption, security key etc.).

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The modem's a Huawei MT 882.

Won't connecting the Ethernet cable on one end to the desktop and the other to the laptop make a connection between the two? Win 7 does show an unknown network. The Internet won't work at that time, but that's fine.

It has only two ports, one is used by the Ethernet cable that connects to the desktop; I used to use the other earlier when I connected by USB, but now I've lost the cable; its a different kind of port, not where the Ethernet cable can fit.

This is how it looks:

http://www.slax.org/modules/screenshots/2/2866_big.png

The laptop has wireless, but the modem and the desktop don't have wireless, and I'm not going to buy anything.

I've never used the Internet on the laptop, but it has a port for connecting the Ethernet cable. I use the Internet only on the desktop.

A long time back I had opened the 192.168.1.1 page, and I think it had stuff like DHCP and NAT. But now I can't open the page. Every time I switch the modem on, Windows gives a message that this connection has no or limited connectivity, but since the Internet works properly, I've never tried doing anything about it. Oh, and I connect by using the dialog box with username and password; when I had got it more than five years ago, it had the username and password set in the modem itself.

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Ok yes there is only one Ethernet port from the pictures I have seen in Google, and one port for your ADSL line. The USB port looks like it can also be used to connect the router to a desktop/laptop and provide Internet access over USB with the supplied drivers.

You can't use a 'straight' Ethernet cable (Category 5 or 6) to create a network connection between two devices; you need to use a Crossover cable and then you need to set static IP addresses etc. for both devices to talk to each other.

Looks like that USB port takes a Standard-B plug USB cable, so if you find that or buy one (same one that connects most printers to a desktop or laptop), then you may be able to connect that up to the laptop and get it onto the same network as the desktop.

It looks like that modem is a fairly old model and is limiting your network options for file transfers...

Yes, if you connect to the default gateway of your modem, you can edit its configuration provided you know the username and password (usually printed on a sticker on the bottom or back of the modem). You could also use the reset button if you can't access the router web GUI anymore, although I wouldn't recommend this if you aren't having any other issues with it.

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The laptop has wireless, but the modem and the desktop don't have wireless, and I'm not going to buy anything.

With the equipment you have, it will not work. This is the equivelant of trying to mow the lawn with a sock or stocking, taking a shower or a bath without water and soap, or trying to eat without food. Purchase or borrow the equipment to get the job done.

By chance is the nic in the desktop a gigabit nic card? If not see above...a gigabit nic card would be your only saving grace without having to buy anything (whether it be a cross over cable, a switch, a router, a usb stick, a usb harddrive, or a usb transfer cable).

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Yep that is a 10/100 nic. With your current equipment you have about as much of a chance to milk a bull as you do making this work.

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I took out the cable from the printer; it fits in the modem USB slot. But I don't know if my modem is a router or not. If it is, what do I do next?

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Usually modems don't allow you to connect through both the USB and Ethernet at the same time.

Your cheapest option is to just buy a crossover cable for a few bucks. Alternatively if you have a spare ethernet cable you can build your own crossover cable by cutting it open and crossing over two wires.

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He is right on the modem not doing both ethernet and usb, wrong on crossing over two wires.

You need to cross a min of 4 wires in an 8 wire cable for proper cross over.

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"I'm not going to buy anything."

This sort of statement just confuses the F out of me!! So you clearly want to be able to share files/resources between your machines. Your laptop has wireless. So why not spend like $20 and correctly solve your problem while at the same time drastically increasing what you can do.. Internet access on your laptop while being anywhere in your wireless range!

You have internet access - monthly bill I have to assume, you have a desktop, you have a laptop! But is your just so freaking cheap you will not spend like $20 to solve your issue? I am at a loss to even begin to understand that thought process.

That current device you have is a dsl modem/router -- you could continue to use that if you so desire, and just add a wireless router as an AccessPoint using its 1 lan port. This would give you more wired ports along with wireless for your network.

Any wireless router would work for this! I see 19 of them below $25 here

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100010076%204093&IsNodeId=1&name=%2410%20-%20%2425&Order=PRICE

For a few dollars more you could replace that OLD unit with a newer dsl modem/router with wireless and 4 lan ports, etc.

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"I'm not going to buy anything."

This sort of statement just confuses the F out of me!!

I'm assuming this is a kid with no money. Sure now I just go out and buy whatever I need, but when I was a kid $20 was a lot and I would try to make due with what I had. You never know, I could be wrong, but this is what I'm guessing.

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A kid with a desktop and laptop then ask the same person that gave him those devices - parents I would assume. Mom, need this router for $20 so can use internet on laptop.. You can view your email on it once we do, etc. etc..

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if it is a kid who doesn't have any money, how can he afford equipment like a desktop and a laptop or afford the internet connection? He either has money or his parents do. He wants it to work, he needs the right equipment. amazon and monoprice have cross over cables under 5 bux, you can pickup a usb transfer cable for 10 bux, you can pick up a 16gb flash drive for 6 bux, you can pickup a used dsl wireless router for under 5 bux or get a new router for under 20....spend a couple of bux and get it done the right way.

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I agree with you BudMan, I just sighed when he posted that he was not going to "buy anything" *sigh*. When your needs are limited by your hardware, then there is not really too much choice in the matter...

Honestly, I think that making or buying a Crossover cable will complicate things too much for him.

So here are the options (best options first):

  1. Buy a Wireless Router (with more than one Ethernet port if need be) to connect to your DSL modem.
  2. Buy or utilise a large capacity external hard disk drive (or just a USB flash drive depending on the file sizes) to transfer files between devices.
  3. Make or buy a Crossover cable (too much hassle IMO as you need to configure static IP addresses etc. to get it working, if I'm not mistaken).

I wouldn't be surprised if the current modem doesn't provide an Internet connection using both the Ethernet cable AND USB port...

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If he wants to network his computers he is going to have to either beg, borrow or steal - or purchase something! Or if he has a normal patch create a crossover cable.

Be it a switch, new gateway (modem/router combo) or just a new router or at min a crossover cable since his interfaces are not 10/100/1000 which would support autocross over. There is some cost that is going to have to happen with his current hardware.

it is most effective to spend the $20 or so and get a wireless router that he can connect to his current device (less understanding required) and now both of his devices will be able to use the internet at the same time, and share files/resources between them.

Your talking $20 freaking dollars here.. Come on if a kid and no money, than wait for the next birthday, xmas or start picking up change you find in the street, etc. **** if you add up the time spent on us trying to help him we have spent way more than $20 for sure.. I know what my hourly rate is ;) And could of bought 2 routers for the time I have wasted on this thread ;)

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Just purchase a good quality KVM switch - make sure that it will connect mouse/keyboard/sound and that the KVM switch IS compatible with Windows 7.

Then your connections will be as permanent as you like.

I run grid computing on my Dell 545ST Tower and use the Dell N4110 99.99% of the time.

Bon chance!

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That is nice and all but he is trying to trasfer files. not do that.

For the same price or less than a kvm he could get a router and be on the internet with both devices at the same time and transfer files. And if he wanted to access either computer he would just need to enable rdp, no need for a kvm.

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Solved, and without buying anything. The Ethernet cable works as a crossover cable:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic453697.html

The person there has written: "Some newer network adapters automatically "cross over" when they detect that they are connected directly to another network adapter using a regular Ethernet cable."

I don't understand what got everyone so fussed up. And people seem to have taken for granted that I'm a kid, and that I live in a country where you get things for dollars. I did a brief search; here in India, it costs something like the equivalent of 40 dollars, and that's not cheap for me. If not a lot of money, it does mean a decent amount to me. I could get a bigger USB drive for that amount, and that would be of use to me in other situations as well.

Thanks to everyone who took an interest though. :)

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