Networking without the internet

Is there a way to network a desktop and a notebook in the same house without using the internet?

 

Of course. You can use a hub, a switch, or even a multi-port cable/DSL router-- because those ports in it are really a switch in the same housing with the router that allows internet connectivity/sharing amongst multiple computers. You can even create a two-computer LAN--without any of the afrorementioned devices-- by using a crossover cable between the ethernet cards of the two computers.

 

Tell me more about this "crossover" cable and the two computer LAN please.

 

Typical network cables you buy are known as "straight-through" cables. Crossover cables are wired differently so that the transmit conductors at one end are connected to the receive conductors at the other end. Your local computer store should have at least a few crossover cables in stock, and they will be labeled as such. You may have to enter each of your computers' TCP/IP properties and set their IP addresses both to specific and different from one another. If left to the typical Automatic setting, they may each assign themselves the same private IP address, and then they won't be able to communicate with eachother.

 

Now here we are in an area that I have no knowledge. I thank you for your help. How do I edit IP addresses and TCP/IP?

 

Is there a way to connect two pc's through USB?

 

Assuming Windows XP: Don't worry about it unless you have an IP address conflict message pop up. If you power up one computer while the other is off, and then power-up the second, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

I'm sure there is a proprietary product available to allow such.