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Can you connect 2 PC's via USB?

Posted: 2004-07-01 06:29pm
by 2000AD
Can you connect 2 PC's with a USB cable and transfer files between them?

Posted: 2004-07-01 06:34pm
by General Zod
You need special drivers and some type of hub. The USB cords alone isn't enough, iirc. Devices such as this are handy for that type of thing.

Posted: 2004-07-01 06:43pm
by 2000AD
So i can't just hook the two up using a normal USB cable. Doh!

Posted: 2004-07-01 06:44pm
by Shinova
Also, IIRC, you're better off with a normal 10Mbps or 100Mbps ethernet cable I think.

Posted: 2004-07-01 06:49pm
by 2000AD
I'm not actually planning on setting up a network. I'm just so lazy that i'm getting annoyed at all the floppy disk swapping, or having to fetch my brothers MP3 player for large files. I was wondering if i could just hook them up with USB like i do the digi-cam or MP3 player.

Posted: 2004-07-01 06:52pm
by Shinova
2000AD wrote:I'm not actually planning on setting up a network. I'm just so lazy that i'm getting annoyed at all the floppy disk swapping, or having to fetch my brothers MP3 player for large files. I was wondering if i could just hook them up with USB like i do the digi-cam or MP3 player.
It's just that I think an ethernet cable is faster than USB.....I think.

Posted: 2004-07-01 06:53pm
by General Zod
2000AD wrote:I'm not actually planning on setting up a network. I'm just so lazy that i'm getting annoyed at all the floppy disk swapping, or having to fetch my brothers MP3 player for large files. I was wondering if i could just hook them up with USB like i do the digi-cam or MP3 player.
ever consider opting for a USB Flash Drive? they're relatively cheap and can hold anywhere up to 4gigs of data, for the more expensive range. the typical range is about $80.00 for 256 megs of storage that doesn't require any type of installation on computers with up to date operating systems.

Posted: 2004-07-01 06:58pm
by 2000AD
That's pretty much what my brothers MP3 player is (It's a Creative MuVo IIRC), the problem being that since it's his, he normally keeps it with him or in the car.
I am tempted by the device that resembles a highlighter pen though. One of my friends at uni has one and it is quite useful.

Posted: 2004-07-01 08:09pm
by Vendetta
Connecting PCs by ethernet is a shitload cheaper than any USB solution you care to mention.

Posted: 2004-07-01 08:34pm
by Spanky The Dolphin
IIRC, Dell has actually offered a USB cable with a programme for that specific purpose for some time.

Posted: 2004-07-01 09:52pm
by Plekhanov
Vendetta wrote:Connecting PCs by ethernet is a shitload cheaper than any USB solution you care to mention.
Much cheaper + easier to set up, faster and more reliable.

My uncle got one of those usb network kits because he’d run out of slots on his (microaxt) mother board and it was a complete pain in the arse, we had no end of trouble with drivers and reliability. In the end he took it back, ditched his tv-card and installed good old Ethernet instead which was far cheaper.

Why not go for a network? As long as the pcs are reasonably close together it’s really cheap (you don’t need a hub just get a crossover 100base cable), easy and you can not only share files and your printer over it but play games as well.

Posted: 2004-07-01 11:21pm
by Pu-239
Plekhanov wrote:
Vendetta wrote:Connecting PCs by ethernet is a shitload cheaper than any USB solution you care to mention.
Much cheaper + easier to set up, faster and more reliable.

My uncle got one of those usb network kits because he’d run out of slots on his (microaxt) mother board and it was a complete pain in the arse, we had no end of trouble with drivers and reliability. In the end he took it back, ditched his tv-card and installed good old Ethernet instead which was far cheaper.

Why not go for a network? As long as the pcs are reasonably close together it’s really cheap (you don’t need a hub just get a crossover 100base cable), easy and you can not only share files and your printer over it but play games as well.
Even better, make your own cable- though I made my own crossover without a crimper, with a screwdriver, and get only 11Mb/s, probably due to low quality. Slightly cheaper- cable is still expensive- 40$ for a 100ft spool- probably cheaper online.