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Just bought a Satellite! Can I hook up with USB?

  • Thread starter swords
  • Start date
Well, it's a Toshiba Satellite Notebook PC, not an actual Satellite! :-D

I was wondering, if I buy a USB cord can I plug it into my desktop PC and move files back and forth so I don't have to keep burning disks each time I update a story or article on one machine or the other?

Sorry if this was a dumb question but it's my first Notebook PC.
 
Network cable yes,usb I'm not sure.Or get a router,cable will be cheaper.


Jerry
 
I transfer files between my laptop and desktop by emailing them to myself. That's also how I print things from the laptop, since the printer is connected to the desktop.
 
I don't have web access with my laptop (I may get it later) but I will see about a network cable that's the big yellow cable my DSL runs on correct?
 
Before I set up the wireless, I'd switch the internet line from the desktop to the laptop. It wan't very convenient, but I only did it a short time.
 
NOTE: Don't connect them with a USB cable that doesn't have anything regulating current between the two ends. You don't see many USB cables that'd let you plug two computers in to each other (and even less without any sort of protection) but there are those that will let you. Bad times will ensue if you do so (or so I've been told.)
 
get a ethernet cabe then setup them to allow netowkring works great and is cheap.
 
Thanks for all the input guys, I guess I'lll get one of those USB keys that D muscipula linked to, I think that's the simplest answer that resembles the classic floppy disk. I do have an ethernet cable on my DSL that I could use but moving the cords around and figuring out networking between XP pro 64 bit (desktop) and Vista basic (laptop) is probly more hassle than one of those USB keys.
 
  • #10
I used to do the email thing, but then I got in the bad habit of not putting subjects with the emails and no text and wouldn't delete them after downloading them. Then I just got too confused on what was what and could never search to find old documents because of no text. "Junk drives" are definitely the way to go. Just work off the drive and transfer it to your computers for backup.

xvart.
 
  • #11
Est is right, you cannot hook up directly with the USB cable as it will short everything out, burn up the computers, and light the house on fire. (well maybe not that far)

You can do a direct connection between the two, but you need a ethernet cable called a cross over cable if you're going to do it directly with no hub or switch in the middle.

I'll make one for you if you want it. There's a lot of directions out there on how to setup the connection between them too.

Nate.
 
  • #12
I'm definately looking for the easiest way to do it, looks like the pop in USB flash drive is the simplest no-brainer. While buying a USB flash drive off ebay a few minutes ago (4GB for $27 (with shipping) I found a thing called a USB Datalink to connect PC to PC using USB cable ports @ 12 mbps for file sharing. I bought one of these too since it was made to do just what I'm looking for and also cheap. If it doesn't work then at least I have the USB flash card as a "failsafe".

here's a link to the USB Datalink cables

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=usb+datalink&category0=
 
  • #13
Nobody's used these USB Datalink cables? They look to be manufactured and not some homemade job.
 
  • #14
All you need is an Ethernet crossover cable. Your DSL modem cable may or may not be a crossover cable. Usually it is but it depends on the modem. You should be able to by a crossover cable at Best Buy etc.

Here's a tutorial how to do it with two XP machines. I can't imagine Vista would be too much different that you can't figure it out.

http://www.conniq.com/WinXPNetworking_Ethernet_direct_connection.htm
 
  • #15
The USB transfer cables are workable, but kind of like taping a flashlight to the ceiling instead of buying a lamp. USB isn't designed specifically for computer-to-computer communication, and as far as I know, there aren't any standard protocols for that kind of connection, meaning your cable probably came with a custom bit of software to make it work. Ethernet works with the universally accepted protocols that drive the internet, your phone services, and most of the other data channels in use today, so you don't need anything except the wire itself (because most any consumer computer nowadays can handle an ethernet connection out-of-the-box.)
Please don't email files to yourself unless it is your last and only option. It makes the internet (and Jesus) cry. There are at least a half a dozen ways to move files available to most users that don't entail generating useless network traffic. Your attachments cause my lag. :p
Network file sharing primer: http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1427
You do serious work on your computers; you should invest in a router. You don't even need to spend on a wireless one. Cables really aren't as bad as everyone would make you think. And managing a wireless network is a pain. Your neighbors always try to steal your connection or some grief. (Lots of fun to get letters threatening lawsuit because your neighbors are distributing pirate pornos via Limewire on your connection.)
~Joe
 
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