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Direct-Cable Connection Introduction
  
You have the need to connect 2 Windows
systems to be able to exchange some data.
You are (not yet ?) willing to install
network cards and to deal with Ethernet cables
( coax, Twisted pair, hubs,.....) ?
Lets investigate some other options by looking at the back of
your system (desktop PC or
notebook):

You should have:
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1 or 2 Serial ports ( also called
COM-ports)
connector with 9 pins ( "9-pin male") |
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Parallel port ( also called printer
port )
connector with 25 holes ( "25-pin female" ) |
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1 or 2 USB (Universal System Bus)
Desktop system have usually 2 ports,
Notebook computers usually only 1port. |
These plugs/connectors can be used to connect 2 systems together.
Such connection is called : Direct
Cable Connection
( DCC )
Like with any component on your system, you need hardware and
software:
Hardware : all these connectors on the
back of your PC had been originally designed to connect
add-on components to a system ( like parallel port: Printers,
serial port : external modems,
USB: scanners, digital cameras,......) with 1 system as
"controller".
And the cables used to plug into these connectors are designed
for this use.
via USB (Universal System Bus) : Networking via USB cable
via Serial or Parallel cable :
Direct Cable Connection
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Software :
Included with
Windows95/98/ME/NT4/2000
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You may have decided to use DCC to avoid the
installation of a network, but for a Windows
system, the software setup/configuration of a
Direct-Cable-Connection is part of Networking
(although it may not be visible as part of networking)
Lets use Windows95, "Direct Cable Connections"
as example for a "DCC Network":

The installation and operation is similar to Ethernet and
"Modem" networking and involves setting up:
- Network Client
- Network Protocol
- Network Server ("File and Print Sharing")
- Network Adapter: your serial port COMx or printer-port LPTx.
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Direct cable connection setup and
Operation
is almost identical on Windows95, Windows98
and Windows ME |
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Modem Internet
Connection Sharing via Direct-Cable-Connection (DCC)
( using Non-Microsoft Internet
Connection Sharing.
Note: Although you can download most Non-Microsoft Internet
Connection Sharing programs as
shareware
to evaluate them, you will need to register ( and pay for them )
once the evaluation period has expired ,
usually 30 days).

ADSL/Cable-Modem
Internet Connection Sharing via Direct-Cable-Connection DCC
( using Non-Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing.
Note: Although you can download most Non-Microsoft Internet
Connection Sharing programs as
shareware
to evaluate them, you will need to register ( and pay for them )
once the evaluation period has expired ,
usually 30 days).
- Performance
of Direct-Cable Connection (Updated Feb.1,98)
- DirectParallel®
Connection Monitor (DPM) : Diagnostic, Troubleshooting and
Testing Utility
- Trouble
Shooting a DCC Connection ((created Feb.14,2000)
- Cable
Specification for Direct-Cable Connection (updated Feb.14,2000)
If you like some more
information on DCC, here some links to sites with excellent
information:
The
creators/inventors/developers of DirectParallel® Technology
Licensed
to Microsoft for DCC: http://www.lpt.com : Parallel Technologies
( see under "Questions +
FAQs",the documentation is also available
under "Downloads" as DOC or
PDF files )
http://www.kime.net/directcc/index.html
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