Microsoft KB Archive/814985

Knowledge Base

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 "Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition" guide. Part 5 describes how to configure the direct cable connection.

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

The "Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition" 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

MORE INFORMATION

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

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. In Classic view, double-click Network Connections.

   

   

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

   

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

   

   

5. Click Next.

   

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

   

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

   

8. Specify the role of the host, and then click Next.

   

9. 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:

   • Host computer: hostname with a user account for user1.
   • Guest computer: guestname with a user account for user2.

   For user2 to access hostname, user2 must have a user account with the same name on hostname.

   

10. If necessary, create the corresponding user account, and then click Add.

    

11. Type the user name and password, confirm the password, and then click OK.

    

12. User2 can now access the host. Click Next, and then click Finish.

    

13. The host configuration is now complete. The new connection appears in the category Incoming.

    

Note For user1 to access guestname in a later configuration, the roles are reversed. Now user1 must have appropriate account on guestname.

Configure the Guest Computer

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Network Connections, and then click Create a new connection to start the New Connection Wizard.
2. Type your location information here, click OK, and then click Next.

   

   

3. Click Set up an advanced connection, click Next, click Connect directly to another computer, and then click Next.

   

4. Specify the role of the guest, and then click Next.

   

5. Type a name for the connection. The computer name is most appropriate for this. Click Next.

   

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

   

   

   
   
   

   First Connection
7. 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.

   

   

   

   

8. The new connection is established and appears in the category Direct.

   

9. To view the details, right-click the connection, click Status, and then click Details.

   

   

10. The successful connection is registered on the host. It appears in the category Incoming below the user name.

    

11. To disconnect, you can use either the General tab or right-click the connection.

    

    
    
    

    

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

1. Right-click Incoming Connections, and then click Properties.

   

2. Click the General tab, click your communications port, and then click Properties.

   

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

On the Guest Computer

1. Right-click the connection, and then click Properties.

   

2. On General tab, click Configure.

   

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

   

4. The next time you establish the connection, the performance will be improved.

   

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.

REFERENCES

To view other topics in the "Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition" guide, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

814981 How to Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 1)

814982 How to Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 2)

814983 How to Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 3)

814984 How to Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 4)

814986 How to Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 6)

814987 How to Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 7)

814988 How to Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 8)

This article is a translation from German. Any subsequent changes or additions to the original German article may not be reflected in this translation. The information contained in this article is based on the German-language version(s) of this product. The accuracy of this information in relation to other language versions of this product is not tested within the framework of this translation. Microsoft makes this information available without warranty of its accuracy or functionality and without warranty of the completeness or accuracy of the translation.

Keywords: kbhowto KB814985

---

Send feedback to Microsoft

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.