fastest way to transfer files between computers

[Nigmafyre]

well, i was talking with my computer science buddies here, and we were thinking, can you connect two computers through their network cards, with just one cable??? a null calbe perhaps??? im thinking of this, because, concievably, this will allow both network cards to run at their optimum speeds. does anyone have any idea how to do this?? with xp, 2000 or 98, hell, linux even.

[thirdfey]

A crossover cable, nothing new, been around for a long time, should be any other place that sells cat5 cable and easy to make, I think its switch wire 1 with 3 and 2 with 6, haven't made one in a while since we get all our cables pre-made now.

tony

[Nigmafyre]

okay, thats good, but then what? what protocols, etc? settings? that kinda thing?

[tha 4NiK8R]

seriously man...you should be posting this in the network thread...this thread is for techs (thus the "Tech-to-Tech") and with this kind of question you have pegged yourself as a non-tech and possible even what most of us would consider a "user". Goto your closest computer store and buy a crossover cable. Plug one end into one PC's nic and the other into the other PC's nic. Install a common netwroking protocol on both machines, i.e. NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, TCP/IP...be sure you have the same protocol on both machines. If you can't accomplish this, you may want to pickup a Network+ or Networking Essentials book at your local bookstore.

[WebHead]

BTW,.. the crossover cable can easily be identified by it's orange color. And then make sure Client for Microsoft Networking, TCP/IP (or whatever your favorite protocol is), and file/print sharing is installed. Then one last step, make sure you give both PC's the same workgroup name (case sensitive I believe).

Personally, I don't like doing it this way because the network connection seems slow. It's almost like trying to network using a serial cable (but definately much faster than serial). It has to authenticate everytime the 2 PC's link up. A more ideal way would be to have some kind of dedicated server and a small 10/100 4 port hub (or an equivalent setup).

[Sowulo]

Moved to Networking....

[Stalemate]

[quote]Originally posted by WebHead:
<strong>BTW,.. the crossover cable can easily be identified by it's orange color. And then make sure Client for Microsoft Networking, TCP/IP (or whatever your favorite protocol is), and file/print sharing is installed. Then one last step, make sure you give both PC's the same workgroup name (case sensitive I believe).

Personally, I don't like doing it this way because the network connection seems slow. It's almost like trying to network using a serial cable (but definately much faster than serial). It has to authenticate everytime the 2 PC's link up. A more ideal way would be to have some kind of dedicated server and a small 10/100 4 port hub (or an equivalent setup).</strong><hr></blockquote>

Crossover cables can be any color. I use bright yellow. It's the "pin out", for lack of a better term, which can indicate if it's a crossover or not - cables 2 and 6 / 1 and 3 are swapped <a href="http://www.cabletron.com/support/techtips/tk0231-9.html" target="_blank">RJ45 Crossover</a> details this.

I can't see why it would be slower though - there are no hubs / switches interfering with the signal.

Make sure your NICs are communicating at peak efficiency if they are 100MBps full duplex.

[condor]

the fastest way to move data between two computers is just taking out the hard drive from one computer and connecting it to the other (if you're moving 20GB of data the difference can be huge)

as netowrking solution:

get two 10/100 NICS and a cross over cable.
install client for M$ networks, Netbeui and file & printer sharing..

[thirdfey]

I think using firewire cards as network cards is suppose to be even faster, I think firewire is 150 megabit per second, again as Condor says, use NetBEUI. Common network protocol's from fastest to slowest: NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, then TCP/IP. And as stated above you can get any cable in any color so don't rely on cable color.

[WebHead]

[quote]Originally posted by adept:
<strong>

Crossover cables can be any color. I use bright yellow. It's the "pin out", for lack of a better term, which can indicate if it's a crossover or not - cables 2 and 6 / 1 and 3 are swapped <a href="http://www.cabletron.com/support/techtips/tk0231-9.html" target="_blank">RJ45 Crossover</a> details this.

I can't see why it would be slower though - there are no hubs / switches interfering with the signal.

Make sure your NICs are communicating at peak efficiency if they are 100MBps full duplex.</strong><hr></blockquote>

True, they can be any color. Heck, you can easily make one from a cat5 cable if you want. I just usually see them in orange when I go shopping for crap. But have you ever tried a peer to peer this way? If not, try it out and see for yourself. Even when it's set to 100MBps full duplex. I've just found that speed transfer is much faster when using a dedicated server and decent hub. Anyway, I agree. The fastest way is to just hook up the HDD as a slave drive or something and just straight up copy data directly over.

[thirdfey]

[quote]Originally posted by WebHead:
<strong>

True, they can be any color. Heck, you can easily make one from a cat5 cable if you want. I just usually see them in orange when I go shopping for crap. But have you ever tried a peer to peer this way? If not, try it out and see for yourself. Even when it's set to 100MBps full duplex. I've just found that speed transfer is much faster when using a dedicated server and decent hub. Anyway, I agree. The fastest way is to just hook up the HDD as a slave drive or something and just straight up copy data directly over.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Webhead, I gotta ask, we're talking 2 computers here, where does the server come into place? Lose the word hub from your vocabulary and replace it with switch :)

[Gabriel]

[quote]Originally posted by condor:
<strong>the fastest way to move data between two computers is just taking out the hard drive from one computer and connecting it to the other (if you're moving 20GB of data the difference can be huge)
</strong><hr></blockquote>

As always me and condor share equal thoughts...
Don't forget to connect the HDDs into seperate controllers - you will gain additional speed this way.
First HDD to IDE0 and the second to IDE01.

P.s.
Some will argue about it -BUT- Windows Commander do copy faster than windows explorer/command prompt.

[Nigmafyre]

[quote]Originally posted by tha 4NiK8R:
<strong>seriously man...you should be posting this in the network thread...this thread is for techs (thus the "Tech-to-Tech") and with this kind of question you have pegged yourself as a non-tech and possible even what most of us would consider a "user". Goto your closest computer store and buy a crossover cable. Plug one end into one PC's nic and the other into the other PC's nic. Install a common netwroking protocol on both machines, i.e. NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, TCP/IP...be sure you have the same protocol on both machines. If you can't accomplish this, you may want to pickup a Network+ or Networking Essentials book at your local bookstore.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I have a wee smidge of a reply for that particular point. I happen to work in a tech shop in a small town, and as such, I have gotten away with not having all those certs that you sound like you hold so highly. however, the fact that I work in a small town and as such dont generally touch networking (no DSL or cable here) does that make me less of a tech? no i think not. i believe that this little dig "pegged yourself as a non tech" is something that was far above and beyond what was your right to say. also, just a little FYI for an apparently so observant tech, the networking forum happens to also be under the "For Techs Only" section, which, by coincidence i happen to be a member of because,... I AM A TECH. simple. thankyou gentlemen, and to the moderators, if this post was too much, pm me and I will gladly remove my words, but i feel a little bit put out that just because I do not have the certs, and I dont work in a large town where there is a demand for networking, that I should recieve this insult.

thankyou

[DiR[ëctory]]

[quote]Originally posted by tha 4NiK8R:
<strong>seriously man...you should be posting this in the network thread...this thread is for techs (thus the "Tech-to-Tech") and with this kind of question you have pegged yourself as a non-tech and possible even what most of us would consider a "user". Goto your closest computer store and buy a crossover cable. Plug one end into one PC's nic and the other into the other PC's nic. Install a common netwroking protocol on both machines, i.e. NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, TCP/IP...be sure you have the same protocol on both machines. If you can't accomplish this, you may want to pickup a Network+ or Networking Essentials book at your local bookstore.</strong><hr></blockquote>

LOL! I have been posting in all these tech to tech forums for awhile...guess what... I am a 19 yr. old kid with little bits of computer knowledge. No one has ever whined at me to quit posting. I am sure you do not know everything either. Are you familiar with PLC's...? Anyhow, just make sure to check yourself before laying into others...

I hope I didn't sound harsh...just my .02