Microsoft KB Archive/814985

= How to Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 5) =

Article ID: 814985

Article Last Modified on 8/5/2003

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

-



SUMMARY
This article includes Part 5 of the &quot;Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition&quot; guide. Part 5 describes how to configure the direct cable connection.

Note To view the other topics of the &quot;Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition&quot; guide, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are listed in the &quot;References&quot; section of this article.

The &quot;Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition&quot; guide includes the following topics:

Part 1. Introduction: Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition

Part 2. Connecting the Cables

Part 3. Setting the Computer Names and Workgroups

Part 4. Sharing Resources

Part 5. Configuring the Direct Cable Connection

Part 6. Configuring TCP/IP

Part 7. Using NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS-Compatible Transport Protocol

Part 8. Connecting the Computers



Part 5. Configuring the Direct Cable Connection
Now you can set up the connection. You must configure the host computer and the guest computer.

Configure the Host Computer
 Click Start, and then click Control Panel. In Classic view, double-click Network Connections.





 In Network Tasks, click Create a New Connection. The New Connection Wizard starts.



 You may have to type your location information. To do so, type the area code, and then click OK to close the window.





 Click Next.



 Click Set up an advanced connection, and then click Next.



 Click Connect directly to another computer, and then click Next.



</li> Specify the role of the host, and then click Next.



</li> Click the connection device, and then click Next. In this case it is a null modem cable on COM2.





The next step is very important. You must make sure that the guest computer has the right to access the host. To do so, you may have to create a new user account for each user who wants to log on from the guest computer.

The configuration in this case will be as follows: <ul> Host computer:  with a user account for  .</li> Guest computer:  with a user account for  .</li></ul>

For  to access ,   must have a user account with the same name on.



</li> If necessary, create the corresponding user account, and then click Add.



</li> Type the user name and password, confirm the password, and then click OK.



</li>  can now access the host. Click Next, and then click Finish.



</li> The host configuration is now complete. The new connection appears in the category Incoming.



</li></ol>

Note For  to access   in a later configuration, the roles are reversed. Now  must have appropriate account on.



Configure the Guest Computer
<ol> Click Start, click Control Panel, click Network Connections, and then click Create a new connection to start the New Connection Wizard.</li> Type your location information here, click OK, and then click Next.





</li> Click Set up an advanced connection, click Next, click Connect directly to another computer, and then click Next.



</li> Specify the role of the guest, and then click Next.



</li> Type a name for the connection. The computer name is most appropriate for this. Click Next.



</li> Specify the communication device. On this computer, the null modem cable is connected to COM1. Click Next, and then click Finish.





First Connection</li> The guest immediately tries to establish contact with the host. Type the user name and password. Save them both for your own reference, and then click Connect.









</li> The new connection is established and appears in the category Direct.



</li> <li>To view the details, right-click the connection, click Status, and then click Details.





</li> <li>The successful connection is registered on the host. It appears in the category Incoming below the user name.



</li> <li>To disconnect, you can use either the General tab or right-click the connection.



</li></ol>

Optimizing the Connection
A connection with a null modem cable is relatively slow. Therefore, you may want to configure the optimum connection speed.

On the Host Computer
<ol> <li>Right-click Incoming Connections, and then click Properties.



</li> <li>Click the General tab, click your communications port, and then click Properties.



</li> <li>Increase the transfer rate to 115200 bit/sec, and then click OK to close the window.</li></ol>

On the Guest Computer
<ol> <li>Right-click the connection, and then click Properties.



</li> <li>On General tab, click Configure.



</li> <li>Increase the transfer rate to 115200 bit/sec, and then click OK to close the window.



</li> <li>The next time you establish the connection, the performance will be improved.



</li></ol>

Exchanging Roles
You can also create a configuration where the roles are reversed. Each of the two computers can then act as either the guest or the host computer without requiring any additional adaptations. Make sure you have the correct user account and verify that the connection rates are set to the same value before you make the first connection.

When you have finished all the configuration steps, all the connections appear.





<div class="references_section">