# How to connect laptop to PC via ethernet cable?



## douglasdelay

How do I setup a direct connection between my laptop running Win2000 and my pc running XP. I don't want to use a router, I just want a direct connection using a ethernet crossover cable. I can't seem to find any step by step guides on how to do this. Hope someone can help.


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## StumpedTechy

In the TCP/IP properties of one client type in 192.168.1.1 for the IP and the Subnet of 255.255.255.0 and in the other clients TCP/IP properties type in 192.168.1.2 for the IP and the same subnet. Then if you want to file share you need to enable file and print sharing and set them both to the same workgroup and all that jazz.


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## telegramsam

You're going to need a crossover cable or switch. If you're sharing an internet connection, I'd recommend getting a 4-port switch. They're super cheap, and make your network run well.


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## douglasdelay

How do I set them to the same workgroup? Also, I don't want them to share an internet connection, I'm just interested in sharing files between them. Can I just plug the crossover cable direct from the laptop to the PC without the use of a router?


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## TerryNet

"How do I set them to the same workgroup?"

On XP right click on "My Computer" - Properties - Computer Name tab - change - will give you the opportunity to change the name and/or workgroup. I think Win 2k Pro is the same. Restart the PC after making a change.

Direct crossover cable is fine. If you want to test for communication between the PCs, here is one way.

To open a Command Window: Start - Run &#8211; cmd (command in 98SE) - OK

To determine a computer's IP address: open a Command Window and type
ipconfig /all

Now for some troubleshooting:

1. On each PC open a Command window and type
ping IPofOther (where IPofOther is the IP address of the other PC)

Do you get Replies, or do you get packets lost? Packets lost usually means bad cable or a firewall is blocking.

If you got Replies,

2. Do the same ping except use the Computer Name of the other computer:
ping NameOfOtherPC

Replies or lost packets?

If you got Replies to either or both,

3. Then
Start - Run - \\IPofOther - OK

With luck after about a minute you should get an explorer window showing the other PC's shares. If not, what is the error message?


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## douglasdelay

Hooked up both computers using a brand new crossover ethernet cable. When I tried to ping the other's IP address all packets were lost.

Sent = 4 Recieved = 0 Lost = 4 (100% Loss)

I turned off all firewalls on both computers, including windows firewall. The ethernet cable is brand new, so I cannot figure out why they won't communicate.

If I hover over each computers LAN connection in the system tray, it says that they are connected.


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## TerryNet

Many people have found the 3rd party firewalls "disabled" or "turned off" still block various access. They have to uninstall or properly configure them for LAN access.


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## douglasdelay

I'm using Zonealarm and Bitdefender. Any suggestions?


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## TerryNet

"I'm using Zonealarm and Bitdefender. Any suggestions?"

At the risk of stating the obvious, do what others have done: uninstall or properly configure them for LAN access.


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## StumpedTechy

Now for the other obvious question why run firewalls between 2 locally connected and hardwired conmputers in the first place?


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## douglasdelay

The reason they both have firewalls is because I am only connecting them to share files and that's it. I have huge files to transfer from my laptop to my PC and the laptop does not have a burner on it. Only have a 256 usb key. The only way for me to get the large files off the laptop is to connect these buggers together. But unfortunately, I don't think that's going to happen.


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## telegramsam

Wait a minute..

Run and ipconfig on both machines and see if your gateway and subnet mask are the same on both machines. Since you aren't using a switch or router (or other DHCP server), you'll have to manually configure your TCP stack.

Make sure the gateway and subnet mask are the same. You can assign any 2 IP addresses you want. (The gateway should come from whatever you use to connect to the internet, assuming that it's not a dialup)

If your subnet isn't the same, your computers won't see each other, because they don't know they're on the same LAN. That's a security measure. Make sure the subnet mask is the same on the 2 machines.


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## douglasdelay

The subnet mask number is the same on both machines. The default Gateway is blank on both machines. Yes, I am using dial-up if this makes a difference.


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## JohnWill

You'd streamline the process a bit if you'd just post the output of IPCONFIG for the two machines.


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## douglasdelay

I have given up on this. This is classic computer networking b.s. It's just not going to work, and I'll never know why.


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## TerryNet

True that you may never know why. But rest assured that there's about a 90% probability that it's what I said in post #7. 

I've learned that fix over the past year or so, not from personal experience, but from reading the posts of JohnWill, StumpedTechy and others, and from noticing that lots of other threads get solved after the firewall issues are taken care of by configuring or uninstalling.


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## douglasdelay

Are you saying that I have to permanently uninstall Zone Alarm. Or that I just need to uninstall, get the ping to work and then reinstall?


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## TerryNet

Yes, just uninstall the firewall long enough to determine if that is in fact the problem. If it is the problem, then when you reinstall it you know you have to get it configured properly. Assuming you haven't taken somebody's advice to set static IPs, you probably want to put the range 169.254.0.0 through 169.254.255.255 into the 'trusted zone.'


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## douglasdelay

Well, it's official. I uninstalled all firewall programs and computers still won't communicate. I think I'm going to return my crossover cable to Staples. Nothing worse than wasting your money on something that's never going to work. Thanks to all that tried to help.


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## JohnWill

Never did see the IPCONFIG results... 

Pretty hard to resolve issues if you won't supply the requested information.


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## karthik_freaky

TerryNet said:


> "How do I set them to the same workgroup?"
> 
> On XP right click on "My Computer" - Properties - Computer Name tab - change - will give you the opportunity to change the name and/or workgroup. I think Win 2k Pro is the same. Restart the PC after making a change.
> 
> Direct crossover cable is fine. If you want to test for communication between the PCs, here is one way.
> 
> To open a Command Window: Start - Run  cmd (command in 98SE) - OK
> 
> To determine a computer's IP address: open a Command Window and type
> ipconfig /all
> 
> Now for some troubleshooting:
> 
> 1. On each PC open a Command window and type
> ping IPofOther (where IPofOther is the IP address of the other PC)
> 
> Do you get Replies, or do you get packets lost? Packets lost usually means bad cable or a firewall is blocking.
> 
> If you got Replies,
> 
> 2. Do the same ping except use the Computer Name of the other computer:
> ping NameOfOtherPC
> 
> Replies or lost packets?
> 
> If you got Replies to either or both,
> 
> 3. Then
> Start - Run - \\IPofOther - OK
> 
> With luck after about a minute you should get an explorer window showing the other PC's shares. If not, what is the error message?


Terry, I gotta thank yu.. man, thanx a million.. i hv been tryin to connect my laptop to my PC for nearly 4 hours from midnight.. and browsed say 20 to 30 sites.. nothin was useful till i saw ur tips.. it was piece of cake aftr tat.. t firewal did turn up.. but i deactivated and i hv jst transferred 60 GB... Thanx a million again buddy...,


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## TerryNet

You're welcome, karthik_freaky. And welcome to the forum.

Everybody needs a couple pings in their toolkit!


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