Linking xp windows pc to vista laptop via ethernet cable?

[lacuna bless]

Have ethernet cable connected and laptop will not recognize connection. I want to transfer my ipod library from pc to laptop. If I do it all by key it will take ages and also not be as true a copy. Can anyone help???
Laptop is Acer Aspire 7520 running Vista.
PC running xp.

[ChuckFickens]

A single normal ethernet cable won't work.

You need two and a switch or a hub (or your broadband router if you have one will probably have a switch built into it)

Or a crossover ethernet cable

[ACtheTROLL]

unusual these days not to have a router in there somewhere - it would make life much easier

better to nip to pc world tomorrow and get a real one ....

if you are desperate

carefully strip about 15-20 cm from the insulation from the middle of the cable

cut the orange / orange white and green / green white wires

carefully remove about 1.5 cm of the insulation from each wire then twist the
orange to green
orange white to green white
green to orange
green white to orange white

the blue and brown wires are straight through

wrap each join in tape ... and you have a crossover cable

vista can be bit odd ... so use the xp machine to share the files
http://www.itweek.jaded.co.za/110/filesharing- between-xp-and-vista

[lacuna bless]

I have netgear router. Ethernet from laptop to router wouldn't work. Do I still need crossover?
Thanks Chuck.

Is ACtheTROLL serious or overdosed on the cream eggs???

[lacuna bless]

Thanks for the link ACtheTROLL, it's very good.

[VHG]

If you have a router plug both devices into it with Ethernet cable (or use the laptop wirelessly it does not matter). Make sure both PCs can use the internet to prove the connection works.

Next you need to make sure there is a shared folder on each computer. Right click on a folder and select Share.

A computer cannot "see" a folder on another computer that is not shared. You need at least one shared folder on each PC before Windows will even let it work.

Also make sure your firewalls are set so it will allow the other PC access or it will be blocked, use the IP address or IP range (or temporarily turn the firewall off on both PCs to see if that helps).

Also set the Windows Workgroup name on each computer to be the same.

After making all those changes reboot both computers (firewall will come back on after reboot so make sure it is turned off if needs be).

I also have an XP and Vista box, and I find it easier to "drive" things from the XP end rather than the Vista end when moving files (although it can work either way).

You MAY find that you need to set a userid and password on both computers (the same if possible). You do not need to be actually logged on with those userids, but they do need to be created. I think Vista is more of a stickler for this than XP.

You can create a new userid in the Windows control panel.

[VHG]

Note you only need a crossover cable when connecting two PCs directly to each other without any router, switch or hub in the connection.

So if the ethernet cable goes directly from the network card in the PC to the network card in the laptop then it needs to be a crossover cable.

If both PCs are plugged into a router they can be "normal" Ethernet cables.