Help with file sharing/networking

[Blaez]

Alrighty, so I have a new pc for my schooling. I need to transfer about 5gb from my laptop(XP) to my new pc (Vista). Is there any file things online or way to connect it without buying more cables. I have an ethernet cable and it doesn't work. this is how they are set up

PC:
Vista
Connected through internet by ethernet

Laptop:
XP
Connected wireless

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance ^^b

[Feba]

Re: Help with file sharing/networking

the ethernet cable probably works, but you need either a crossover cable (think you can build this with the ethernet cable you have if you have the right tools and know-how, or buy one) or a router between the two computers.

Easiest way if you don't want to hook them up over a LAN would be to burn some DVDs or CDs.

Anything other than that is going to involve uploading over the internet which is hella slow, and not even worth considering. It would be faster to drive to a friend's house and hook them up on a LAN than it would be to upload/download all that.

[Blaez]

Re: Help with file sharing/networking

hmm.. you make a good point. so i need to connect the pc and the laptop both to a router, and have the internet into it kinda like

Internet------ router--------(two cables) Pc and Laptop

correct?

I thought I could just wirelessly connect to my network and transfer files

[Feba]

Re: Help with file sharing/networking

You might be able to, but a wireless connection is going to be somewhat slow and unreliable.

You don't need to involve the internet at all. Just have two computers on the same LAN and then use the method of your choice to transfer the files.

[Ameroth]

Re: Help with file sharing/networking

You can do it wirelessly as long as the PC is connected to the wireless router, or is at the very least in the same IP range as the wireless router. I may just be easier to get a cheap switch/hub and directly plug the laptop and PC into it effectively making a crossover.

[KingOfZeal]

Re: Help with file sharing/networking

I would suggest trying to set up one of the many (free) virtual FTP servers onto either your laptop or desktop. Since my laptop can somehow get this ungodly connection to the internet and download things faster than my desktop ever could, I use my laptop to download things I need (large programs and the like). However, since my desktop has 2 gigantic (200 gig) hard drives, I store everything on my desktop's space. Transferring over the wireless, though, was slow and prone to router crashes.

However, I installed a virtual FTP server onto my desktop (Xlight, if you're interested), and crimped a long ethernet cable between where my desktop is and my laptop normally is. I'm getting about 10mb/s downstream to the desktop, which means I can transfer a full length movie (like one I ripped from a DVD not to long ago) in just over a minute. That's nothing to shake a stick at, and you're not wasting DVD-R/DVD-RW discs in the process.