connecting desktop to laptop for sharing hard disk of each other and sharing internet

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pgeneral

Disciple
I want to connect desktop to laptop for sharing hard disk of each other and sharing internet.
I have a desktop having XP, laptop also has xp.

Desktop is connected to adsl router glb-502t on mtnl broadband thru lan cable. It also has usb cable which is connected to usb hub (a socket external to my desktop), which has multiple USB connection facility.
Now I want to share this internet connection to my laptop as well. And also laptop disk and desktop hard disk should be accessible from each other. For any technical reasons if sharing is not possible both ways, then at least in a single direction at least.

Laptop has both usb port and lan port. Thing to note, this is my company laptop so I don't wish to do many changes in configuration as far as possible (I am open to it, as I can try to get it approved).

Also a thing to note is I don't wish to make this connectivity/hard disk/pc access/internet access available to anybody else on internet.

I am not sure how to make it happen. Please inform if any further details are required. Can you guide? Thanks.

Regards,
PGeneral
 
One more thing...I will be disconnecting the laptop often as I need to carry it to my office as well. So when I do it I don't wish it to result in loss of internet connectivity for my desktop. What I found is mtnl broadband internet goes down often and when you call up their call center they say because of port problem in your exchange or so. Then they do some changes at their end or reset the machid...ikm not sure...I just want to ensure that such a connection won't affect the internet connection for the desktop.

May Be I am asking little more...but thought would cover maximum scenarios as this could be useful to wider range of people. Thank You once again.

Regards,
PGeneral
 
what you need is a cross over cable ...which in layman terms is a cat-5 cable (THE ONE THAT GOES TO TH LAN CARD) with connecters at both ends...

Step 1. Plug the cable in the lan cards of the desktop and the laptop

Step2. Give an ip to the respective lan cards on the desktop and lappy e.g 192.168.0.x where x is ..1<x<255

Step3. Enable File Sharing ...by right-clicking on any folder/drive....click on properties and enable file sharing and share the particular folder/drive

Step4.To access the lappy from the desktop and vice-versa type \ip_address....i.e \\192.168.0.x in Start\run in windows

Step5. Download and install a proxy software on your desktop e.g spoon proxy and install in desktop * this is for sharing the internet

Step5. *Do the following in your lappy

Go to your web-browser prefer mozilla and in the connection configuration select proxy config as auto for this network or if u want to do it manually select the manual proxy config and write the ip address of the desktop and port as 80 ....default for HTTP

Where is the Internet Connections Configuartion ?



Mozilla

Tools>Options>Advanced>Network..then click on settings

I.E



Tools>Internet Options>Connections>Lan Settings...Click on use proxy server

hope this helps
 
^^ i think u forgot to ask something....

@pgeneral : does the desktop have two lan ports ?? if yes, then connect one lan cable to internet and other to the laptop as said above by abhishek....else u will need one usb to lan converter to connect the laptop and desktop...i dont have first hand experience in this...so some1 else wud throw more light on this maybe...shudn't be much of a hassle i guess...connecting usb side to desktop and lan side to laptop shud do it i think...
 
also u MIGHT need a router/gateway software, like wingate or something to be installed on the desktop so tht it cud use both the networks...sum1 please help him on this...
 
You guys ROCK!

Everybody is replying as if their own work is held up without this. I SINCERLY APPRICIATE you ALL and this FORUM!!!
FYI
1. I don't have 2 lan cards in my desktop.
2. The only lan card, which is being used to connect with router (for internet).
3. Router has only 1 lan port.
4. Router has a USB port.
5. I have a usb hub which is connected to the router [mentioned above]. The outgoing wire/cable from this USB hub is connected with desktop. [12Mbps only as against 100Mbps using lan cable]. I can get internet using USB as well. well, I have not tried this, but earlier it had worked with my laptop.
6. I have 2 LAN cables. One of them is used to connect router to desktop. The other one is available.

Going by this info, i think i have 3 options:
1. Make it a wireless connection. I have not mentioned any details about this above. But would like to know.
2. Buy USB to lan converter cable and connect the laptop to desktop, as guided by you in earlier thread replies.
3. Connect desktop to router using USB [thru usb hub as it had worked earlier for my laptop]. And then connect desktop to laptop using lan cable [now I am not sure whether that works] on their respective lan ports.

For all above - For internet sharing using one of the freeware like wingate [or else as applicable]. For hard disk sharing, use IP settings etc. as suggested above.

Your guidance is requested.

Regards,
Pravin
PS - Please bear with me as I am not networking expert like you. and so will have N number of thoughts [many of which will be scrap] coming up.
 
methinks option 3 will work

that is if you can get connected to the internet thru USB on your desktop all u have to do then is set up a proxy and connect desktop and lappy with cable

but if u ask me i would do the wi-fi thingy ................
 
Or you can just run the inbuilt Internet Connection Sharing wizard in XP instead of using other proxies. For a 2 machine hook up, ICS is enough.
 
I wish to know technically whether there is any problem if I connect desktop to router using usb and laptop using lan cable and share internet to both desktop and laptop? (or desktop using lan and laptop using usb)

Will it affect in any fashion? May be MachId(to be pronounced MAK-ID) mismatch/conflict for ISP?

When I do this, I get internet on both desktop and laptop...both of them get different IPs.

So is it safe/recommnded/allowed to use like this? I am ok if it results in sacrifise of speed. Also sharing the data across laptop and dfesktop may not be possible using this, which also is ok for me.

If yes to above then all other questions get sorted out automatically.

Also if I do this, do I need to explicitely logout/close the conneciton so that no such machid mismatch/conflict is avoided? Also any recommandations for starting the connection?

Please inform. Thanks.

Regards,
PGeneral
 
pgeneral said:
So is it safe/recommnded/allowed to use like this? I am ok if it results in sacrifise of speed. Also sharing the data across laptop and dfesktop may not be possible using this, which also is ok for me.
Click to expand...

If u could connect them to the internet, then file sharin is possible by setting up Private Network.. Not sure :ashamed: but shld work !!
 
@pgeneral: which router do u have...does it have wifi ?? if not then do as already said by abhisheksahas...connect to internet using usb cable and connect the desktop and laptop using lan cable...and use connection sharing...

else if u can go for wifi...it wud b much less trouble.. :) just get a wifi router and connect ur desktop thru lan cable and laptop thru wifi (which is wht im currently using)..
 
hey..i have not gone thru all the posts.But the easiest way imo is

1)get a switch/hub(i strongly suggest a switch) & connect the lan cable from the modem to switch & get another 2 lan cables & connect each from each pc to switch.

2)i assume the modem is set in PPPoE mode which means to access u just turn the modem on & to disconnect from net u turn off the modem ?..if yes then this is fine procedure..:D

3)chk if DHCP is enabled in the modem...

if yes than all shd be done automatically. :)

if not then pop a message here...(u have to set the ip .. tats all :) )

& as far as file sharing is considered..u can share files/folders here..no issues at all.:)

edit: u could use the usb cable also..but i'm not very sure abt usb connections from modems to pc..(all i've tried were unstable connections..:lol: )
 
you could change your single port adsl router for a router with 4 port switch. that way u can share the internet connection as well as use the networking capabilities of the switch to share files between upto 4 comps.

router will have inbuilt nas and firewall - so no fear of other comps connecting to ur laptop/comp.

u just need one extra cat5 lan cable for connecting laptop to the router.

then u can just remove the lan cable from laptop end (not router end) whenever u need to carry ur laptop. :)
 
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