Is special parallel cable needed for direct connection?

Fellow Geeks,
I've tried connectioning my laptop to my desktop via DCC - Diect Cable Connection.
Mine is a special case: win 98 laptop - WinXP desktop , but I downloaded the special directions and I should be connected.
I'm using a basic parallel cable with a double male adapter. Do I need a special cable to connect two computers?
Thanks
DCO

 

A regular parallel printer cable with the adapter dongle will work.

 

You will need a crossover cable! This is just like a regular parallel cat5 cable, but the transmit and receive pins are "crossed over".

You should also give both your machines a static IP. Something like 192.168.0.100 and 192.168.0.101 would be ideal.

You will also need to make sure that both machines are in the same workgroup, and that file and printer sharing is enabled for both network adapters.

Just post back if you have any questions.

Good luck!

 

Mada Milty - thanks. I though perhaps it was something like a null modem cable that was needed, but since NMC's are serial, I wasn't sure how the parallel cable would work.
I'll also try the static IP's. Thats not going to disrupt my internet connection, since my XP desktop connects to the Net with a dynamic IP.
Thanks, DCO

 

There's some confusion here, I think. Win98 DCC is achieved using a parallel cable with an adapter to change the Centronics connector on one end to a DB25 that will attach to the other computer's LPT port. DCC software is invoked on each machine, with one set to "listening" mode, and they negotiate a connection via the DCC software. That's not the same as using an ethernet crossover cable. Regular ethernet cables are referred to as "straight-through", rather than "parallel". Two PCs with NICs can communicate with each other via a crossover ethernet cable and TCP/IP, but it's not a considered a DCC connection.

 

Check this out: http://www.windowsnetworking.com/j_helmig/dccmain.htm

Gives a walk-through for most combinations near the bottom as well.

Hope this helps.

 

im using a serial cable going through serial ports for gaming

 

I think this is an update to the link by ejsilver26 above.

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wxpdcc9i.html