USB to USB networking to second comp

[Jeynesey]

Hi all,

i bought a USB to USB cable as a quick way to connect a second comp (i hope) but im having problems!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

basically im connected to NTL through my comp, via my only network cable slot (hence the need for USB networking) to a standard NTL modem and need to know what to do next. ive tried setting up small office networks, but i ended up screwing up the internet connection on this comp!

soooooooooooo, could someone please tell me what settings i need to use when setting up the network? thanks kindly.

mike

[Neil]

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/fo...c&daysprune=-1

[Jeynesey]

i know you mean well by posting these links to other pages, but ive never found anything which helps - its ALL about second network cards and ADSL cables. i dont have another network card - thats why i bought this USB to USB cable.

i think the main problem i have is that it doesnt display the NTL modem / connection anywhere (that i can see), so i cant specify the connection to share.

[Rob]

I dunno whether you can run the internet connection sharing wizard using USB between the two PCs.

First I'd check that you can even get basic file sharing working OK on the PCs. Make sure you have the same workgroup settings and try it with an account that has admin rights.

[homealone]

Originally Posted by Jeynesey

<snip>

i think the main problem i have is that it doesnt display the NTL modem / connection anywhere (that i can see), so i cant specify the connection to share.

that is because it is connected via ethernet - as far as the sytem is concerned the modem is just another network address, rather than a 'device', as such.

I share Rob C's concern that what you want won't work - the usb cable you have is designed to transfer files between two computers - a driver would be necessary to get it to emulate a network device, which would have to be installed on both computers, before the ICS wizard was run.

To be honest I would think about getting a router, it is, by far, the easiest way to share an internet connection across a network.

[jellybaby]

Q5: How can I connect two PCs to each other with USB?
A5: You need a specialized USB peripheral known as a USB bridge (sometimes called a USB to USB adapter) to do this. Anchor Chips and e-Tek labs, among others, make USB bridges.

Q6: You mean I can't make a direct cable connection like a null modem?
A6: Correct. In fact, if you try this with an illegal A to A USB cable, you'll short the two PCs' power supplies together, possibly destroying one or both machines or causing a fire hazard. Even there were no danger to the machines from the problem with two power supplies, there still wouldn't be any way to get the two PCs talking to each other, since USB doesn't support that particular kind of communication. A reasonably priced solution to handle this need is the USB bridge.

Taken form http://www.usb.org/about/faq/ans5/

[Matt D]

Originally Posted by homealone

To be honest I would think about getting a router, it is, by far, the easiest way to share an internet connection across a network.

What he said ^^^


A router would be much easier. The modem would connect to the router via ethernet, & then the router would connect to the two PCs via ethernet.

You can get a good, cheap, router for around £30, e.g. Linksys BEFSR41



Alternatively....

Although ethernet is better than USB for connecting cable modems, as it uses less resources & is more stable.... you could connect the modem to the PC using USB, instead of ethernet, which would free up the PC's ethernet port, enabling you to set up a nice simple network between that PC & the other one, using ethernet. Easier (& cheaper) than buying extra things like a USB bridge to let you use the USB port to network the PC.

[Jeynesey]

thanks for taking the time to reply, i really appreciate it. i know i may sound like an ungrateful div here, but i know all these possible combinations.

1. basically i am £12k in debt and £30 is simply too much - this was meant as a short term solution as me and the missus are living with my folks for a month or so.
2. likewise i would connect it via usb and then to the missus' computer via the ethernet (thats what i did at my last house) but my comp is actually just under 10m away from the modem (im using a 10m ethernet cable up the stairs etc).

erm, thinking about it, could someone just point me to the "how to" set up the host computer to NTL, assuming (pretending) that i have 2 network cards. I just want to try doing it that way.

i have also found this http://www.usbgear.com/link/usb_cable_setup.html which suggests that it can be done. is there a different between a netlink and a direct link cable? this is certainly all very confusing!

anyway, again, thanks for your help so far guys and id certainly appreciate a link to the relevant how to (im not lazy just depressed and as pathetic as this might sound, i get very stressed trying to search for things).

thanks very much again,

mike

[David F]

cheapest way here would have been 2 ethernet card and a crossover ethernet lead less than a tenner the lot. Null modem ie serial is still an option open to you or buy the correct usb bridge a rtfm

[Matt D]

Originally Posted by Jeynesey

erm, thinking about it, could someone just point me to the "how to" set up the host computer to NTL, assuming (pretending) that i have 2 network cards. I just want to try doing it that way.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...e+Search&meta=

http://www.homenethelp.com/ics/ics-install-netxp.asp

http://www.networklab.co.uk/cmodem/winxpics.html


But you don't have two network cards though, & you can't use a normal USB lead to use USB instead of ethernet...

Originally Posted by Jeynesey

i have also found this http://www.usbgear.com/link/usb_cable_setup.html which suggests that it can be done. is there a different between a netlink and a direct link cable? this is certainly all very confusing!

That looks like a USB bridge, such as jellybaby suggested earlier.