How do you make a LAN network between windows XP pro and windows Vista Home Premium to share files/folders?

Question

I'm trying to transfer 30gb of file, and fast! so that i can reformat my computer before i move into school (tomorrow). I don't have an extra router, but I have an Ethernet cable to connect Windows XP pro and Windows Vista Home Premium. When I go check network connections in vista and XP, they are apparantly hooked to "Network 2". But it doesn't show each computer's shared docs folders.

What are the steps after connecting both to "Network 2", which the computers do automatically?

Answer 1

You must have a router, theres no way, beside if both are wireless you can.

Answer 2

You don't have the proper equipment to hook the two computers on a network.  You need a crossover cable, which looks similar to an ethernet cable, but isn't the same.  Or you need a router.

And then once you have that, you need to load Link Layer Topology Discovery on the XP computer.  Free download from Microsoft.

Then they have to be in the same workgroup.

Define a network and turn on file sharing on both computers.

Set the properties to share for the folder of data to share.

I really think you should consider an external hard drive to copy to and transfer from.  

Answer 3

Vista has the ability to setup an 'ad hoc network'.  press F1 and search for ad hoc networking.  Sometimes having the correct terminology can help you figure it out using google too.  I don't know about doing this over Ethernet.  It would be possible, but you may have to buy a wireless card for your second PC (or borrow someone's external USB adapter).  Good luck.

Answer 4

You need a crossover cable or buy a really cheap hub.

Then make sure "Sharing" is enabled for the folders you want to transfer from/to.

Answer 5

first have a router.

then enable file sharing on both computers.