Tranfer files between two computers using USB cable

1: If you have ethernet cards on both machines then you can setup a simple network as in my answer on this link.

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21700731/Set-up-a-network-between-computers-connected-to-the-same-router.html

You don't even need to have a router.  All that is needed is a simple lan cable top plug into both machines and you can share or view files from both pc's/laptops.

Elvin

elvin's post reinforces what I said earlier -- "... A less expensive alternative -- if both the notebook and PC have ethernet ports -- is to simpy buy a crossover cable and connect them via the ethernet ports ..."

Sorry gary, I didn't see your post until now :)

Microsoft provides Active Sync software just for your purpose

Start Here
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/downloads/activesync41.mspx

Software
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=4C254E3F-79D5-4012-8793-D2D180A42DFA&displaylang=en

But Ethernet file sharing may be blocked by firewalls. So if it doesn't work, you need to set each of the computers to allow the other's IP address to connect. Post more info about your firewalls & antivirus software if you need help with this.

While Ethernet may be cheaper, USB may be easier. Still, a crossover cable won't cost much, so it's worth a try.

To my knowledge Activesync is only for syncing PDAs to a computer.
Am I missing something, I've used the program since 1997 and there's never been a hint that it could be used to sync two computers (except of course by syncing comp1->PDA and then PDA->comp2). But there was no PDA here, so shouldn't apply.

Ethernet will be faster then USB 2.0 wouldnt it ? When I set up Peer to Peer via a cross over ethernet cable, it was great :) Fast and it wasnt too hard to setup.

Actually USB v2.0 is probably faster -- unless both PC's have gigabit ethernet (unlikely for a notebook).
But actual transfers rarely hit the theoretical limits (disk access; software overhead; etc.).    I suspect they'd both be very acceptable.   ... and both are very easy to setup.

Hey gecko au2003

USB 2.0 is the fastest single data transfer cable on the market it even beats firewire

"... USB 2.0 is the fastest single data transfer cable ..." ==>  NO!!  As I noted above, it depends on whether or not the PC's have gigabit ethernet.   If so, that's over twice the rate of USB 2.0 :-)

I remember when I was using a peer to peer connection that was at the time 100mb NIC's on both machines and it was a lot easier to setup and transfer things then someone I knew who was using USB with a USB hub and other stuff like that. Not just that but if the other machine(s) are in another room and they go to sleep and you enable WOL ( Wake On Lan ) you can wake them up and send them stuff or recieve stuff from them etc etc which is nice to be able to use.

Not that I have anything against USB just I prefer using the NICs lol.

Me too -- I can click on an icon on my desktop and turn on every other machine in the house :-)

What app do you use that creates that icon to do that ?

The icon simply executes a trivial batch file that has one line per PC to send a magic packet.

Looks like this:

mc-wol aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff
mc-wol aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff
mc-wol aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff

where the aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff on each line is the NIC address for the different computers I want turned on.

mc-wol is a simple utility that just sends a magic packet -- available free here:  http://www.matcode.com/wol.htm

They also have a free utility (mcgetmac)  to show you the NIC address for each of your PC's.

I actually have three different icons that execute three different batch files -- one called "Turn On Everything", and two others to turn on specific computers.   Works slick !!

lol I know, I participated in something like this with egl1044 and we were trying to do it programatically and we went through all the documentation about the magic packets and how it works and what bits you have to send etc to make the magic packets. It was very neat thats for sure.

When you said "works slick!!" It reminded me of MIB where will smith is like "you know the difference between me and you ?"


" I make this look gooood !!! " 

LOL

sorry just had to add that in there :) Although saying that its prolly the other way around :P doh !! lol

Also with regards to this :

mc-wol aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff

You mean where the aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff is the mac address of the NIC :)

Or as in the IP Address of each machine ?

Also I thought FireWire 800 would be faster then USB 2.0, USB 2.0 May be faster then firewire 400 but im not so sure :) Thats another question though I think.

Yes, the MAC address of the NIC.   You can determine that with "mcgetmac <IP Address>"
... and yes, Firewire 800 is faster than USB v2.0   800mb vs 480mb  (vs 1000mb for gigabit ethernet)

I have to say graycase the amount of accurate uptodate knowledge you retain is truly impecible.  I have never been left speechless until you post a comment.  
 
All USB Hubs support Full Speed.
A Hi-Speed rate of 480 Mbit/s (57 MiB/s)

FireWire 800. This newer 1394 specification and corresponding products allow a transfer rate of 786.432 Mbit/s with backwards compatibility to the slower rates and 6 pin cables

I know this is drifting away from the topic. But I have used an ordinary firewire cable to transfer data between two computers and it works fine. Theoretically it should be the fastest method.
however as far as USb goes this shoudl work
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5860137508
or http://www.ebusinesscables.com/USB_Data_Transfer_cable.htm  or anything similar .

Thanks for the response:-)

But when using the router, I always need to turn off all my firewalls to make the transfer possible...Is that always the cases?

One end using Norton Internet security, the other end using McAfee Personal Firewall.

Thanks again:-)