"sandy58" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:f68ee0c5-900e-43f2-b4c6-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
> Terry Pinnell wrote:
>> I will need to transfer most of the data on my present ageing PC (XP
>> Home under SP1) to my new one (XP Pro, SP2). Do I just need to buy a 5
>> metre USB to USB cable please?
>>
>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK
> I just remembered LapLink. I used it a few years ago. Had a cable made
> up with a crossed over wire at one end. Did it run from com port to
> com port? I know there was something odd about it...apart from the
> fact that it was about 20metres long (I told my "lecky" mate that I
> needed a "bit of length"!!!) But it did work, & at that time, that
> alone was a great thing.
> How fast? No idea.

They are still going - http://www.laplink.com/ - but I wouldn't attempt
anything with a serial cable - slower than a slow thing, on his day off!

On 10 Mar, 22:49, "DaveW" <radiat...@nuclear.org> wrote:
> No; wrong cable. *You need to buy a Cat. 5 "Crossover Cable." *It's a
> special cable for doing just what you want to do. *A normal Cat. 5 cable
> will NOT work.
>
> --
> --DaveW


there are straight through, to cross-over adaptors, and vice versa.
Haven't tried them. they are cheap plastic things.

Incase it isn't clear.

If connecting computers to a router - and thus networking and
transferring that way. Computers and Routers have "unlike" interfaces,
so you use a straight through cable

For computers to computers, you use a crossover cable.

And once you buy the cable, label it! straight through or crossover.

There may be cases that network adaptors / thing behind the socket /
whatever you call it, can adjust and so it doesn't matter which type
you use.