Hardware·18,976 discussions

linking two laptops

Locked

Looking to link two laptops together so I can load sopme of my software onto my slimline laptop that does not have a cd rom drive.
I have a Compaq presario with cd romm and a Toshiba R100 without a cd rom, can someone please help.

Topic

Clarifications

In reply to linking two laptops

Clarifications

get a crossover cable

In reply to linking two laptops

and then share the cd drive out and map to it from the second system

Mini-Network with Crossover

In reply to linking two laptops

Afternoon,
The previous reply is correct. You need to get an Ethernet Cross over cable.
Which is one side 568-A and the other 568-B.
Or easy id of wires from left to right –
Side 1: WO, O, WG, WB, B, G, WB, B
Side 2: WG, G, WO, WB, B, O, WB, B

Then build a small network between the two computers. Make sure the two computers are in the same subnet.
Computer 1: 10.1.1.1 255.255.255.0
Computer 2: 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.0

Last step would be to share out the two drives in windows so you can surf to them from explorer.
net use \\10.1.1.x\shared-drive-letter m:

That should work.

linking two laptops

In reply to Mini-Network with Crossover

Thx for the info Chris just a little more help, I have the crossover ethernet cable
I have both computers connected do I have to reboot them?
I need to rt click network places then get to IP adress right, enter what for the Ip addresses for each computer then include these subnets.
Now how do you share out the cd drive in the Compaq to gain access to it from the toshiba.

If you have the LAN correctly setup

In reply to linking two laptops

All that should be required is to right click on the CD Rom Drive and scroll down the menu till you come to sharing. Left Click on Sharing then the next option that tells you about Security and enable sharing on the Optical Drive.

Col

linking two laptops to use the cd rom of one

In reply to If you have the LAN correctly setup

cool, as for the #’s for the ip address what do you recommend?
Sorry but this is real confusing but I will not learn without trying, never set up a network before.
This step is confusing me, Last step would be to share out the two drives in windows so you can surf to them from explorer ( explorer you mean to rt click start ) and use \\10.1.1.x\shared-drive-letter m:( is this the Share name for the box listed in sharing & security?
Thx for all your help Chris

You can allow Windows to Auto Detect the IP Addresses

In reply to linking two laptops to use the cd rom of one

And you are correct once you share the Optical Drive you should be able to see it from the other computer in either Explorer or My Computer.

Col

linking two laptops to use the cd rom of one

In reply to You can allow Windows to Auto Detect the IP Addresses

I connected the cable, then ran tthe setup home network wizard, set the ip addresses for windows to search, then set the CD rom for sharing ( I think I did this one right )set the folder to network sharing, the name box just has the letter D and it will not let me change it.
then I did the same thing on the new laptop I put in the letter D in the name box,
the network name is MSHOME but when I click on that name in explore it tells me I am not the administrator, although I am logged into that account ( I did not set up a password for administrator )and cannot access MSHOME?
At this point I am lost, anyone have a suggestion.

Charlie

What OS in in use here?

In reply to linking two laptops to use the cd rom of one

Also what Security have you got in place?

Col

Re: your letter D in the new laptop – this is wrong…

In reply to linking two laptops to use the cd rom of one

The box that you put the letter ‘D’ in, in the new laptop, is for the name of the computer on the network. It HAS to be a different name, so that the network consists of TWO identities (A to B, rather than A to A [which doesn’t make any sense]).

I’d also add that you will probably have more luck if you change the name of the network. For some odd reason, Microsoft networks usually work better if they are NOT CALLED ‘mshome’. Give both laptops the same network name but not ‘mshome’. Then run the Network Setup Wizard.

Don’t forget, make the CD-equipped laptop the ‘HOST’ and the other laptop the ‘GUEST’. The GUEST can access the HOST easier that way.

I’d forget the IPs and the Subnets – let the wizard sort that out for you.

Good luck.

[Author]

Replies