Direct Cable Connection Transfers Data Too Slow

[Don]

I connected my Win98 computer (host) to my WinXP computer (guest) and can
now transfer files over a parallel cable.

After configuring my WinXP computer as a "guest", the pop up says I can
transfer at "4Mbps".

When I actually transfer a 3.127MByte file, it takes 72 seconds. This is
about 44 KBytes/sec. - less than 1/10 the speed I expect.

Why so slow? Is there some way I can configure the PCs to run at a faster
speed?

 

[Malke]

I connected my Win98 computer (host) to my WinXP computer (guest) and
can now transfer files over a parallel cable.

After configuring my WinXP computer as a "guest", the pop up says I
can transfer at "4Mbps".

When I actually transfer a 3.127MByte file, it takes 72 seconds. This
is about 44 KBytes/sec. - less than 1/10 the speed I expect.

Why so slow? Is there some way I can configure the PCs to run at a
faster speed?

This is slow because the parallel port is slow. If you want to create a
home network and transfer files on a regular basis, you should connect
over tcp/ip using ethernet cat5e cable (crossover if peer-to-peer) and
network interface cards (nic's), one in each computer. Here are some
links to help you with home networking:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/
http://www.wown.info/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/

Malke

 

[no_one]

also, there is the 4 mega bits per second vs the 44 kilo bytes per second (8
bits to a byte) that will be close to the numbes that you got. but a
network is a much better way to go.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I connected my Win98 computer (host) to my WinXP computer (guest) and can
now transfer files over a parallel cable.

After configuring my WinXP computer as a "guest", the pop up says I can
transfer at "4Mbps".

When I actually transfer a 3.127MByte file, it takes 72 seconds. This is
about 44 KBytes/sec. - less than 1/10 the speed I expect.

You ought to be able to do a bit better than that - though I think more
like 150 K is the sort of figure to expect. I would check on the WIn98
end particularly to make sure the port is in ECP mode - that is faster
than the others