How do i transfer files between 2 computers?

unifex said:

How do you connect to the internet? Do you have a router of some sort? Then just connect both computers to the network and transfer the files. You can use either Windows networking features (personally I don't, so can't advise on details here) or set up a ftp connection (follow this tutorial).

How do i do the connect both computers to the network? you mean create a network drive?

shaun166 said:

unifex said:

How do you connect to the internet? Do you have a router of some sort? Then just connect both computers to the network and transfer the files. You can use either Windows networking features (personally I don't, so can't advise on details here) or set up a ftp connection (follow this tutorial).

How do i do the connect both computers to the network? you mean create a network drive?

That depends on how you connect to the internet.

A very common device (which is what I have for example) is a DSL(cable) modem/router. Typically such router has several (usually 4) ethernet jacks for wired LAN connections and also a wireless connection. If that's what you are using, then connecting to the internet amounts simply to plugging in the ethernet cables or connecting your laptops to the wireless network. The router then assigns internal IP addresses to each computer, usually 192.168.x.x. In this case, once the ftp server is set up, you connect by using these internal IP addresses, without going to the actual internet.

Another possibility is using two separate devices - DSL(cable) modem and router. It is possible that you ISP only provided you with the modem - sometimes these are USB modems, which you plug into a USB port, sometimes these are "ethernet" modems, which you connect to your PC by the same ethernet cable, but typically they have only one jack. In the latter case you need a separate router to connect several computers. In the former case I am not really sure, since most routers connect by ethernet and not USB. I am not using these USB devices myself and so can't advise on details.

Now, a standalone router can be used to connect computers regardless of whether it then further connected to the internet or not. That said, some router models actually do require internet to functions, especially those that are really a router/modem combos.

If you want detailed help on how to connect your PCs with your particular devices you have to tell us which router (if any) you have, how do you connect to the internet (what kind of modem, etc.) and then we can give you details for your particular setup.

unifex said:

shaun166 said:

unifex said:

How do you connect to the internet? Do you have a router of some sort? Then just connect both computers to the network and transfer the files. You can use either Windows networking features (personally I don't, so can't advise on details here) or set up a ftp connection (follow this tutorial).

How do i do the connect both computers to the network? you mean create a network drive?

That depends on how you connect to the internet.

A very common device (which is what I have for example) is a DSL(cable) modem/router. Typically such router has several (usually 4) ethernet jacks for wired LAN connections and also a wireless connection. If that's what you are using, then connecting to the internet amounts simply to plugging in the ethernet cables or connecting your laptops to the wireless network. The router then assigns internal IP addresses to each computer, usually 192.168.x.x. In this case, once the ftp server is set up, you connect by using these internal IP addresses, without going to the actual internet.

Another possibility is using two separate devices - DSL(cable) modem and router. It is possible that you ISP only provided you with the modem - sometimes these are USB modems, which you plug into a USB port, sometimes these are "ethernet" modems, which you connect to your PC by the same ethernet cable, but typically they have only one jack. In the latter case you need a separate router to connect several computers. In the former case I am not really sure, since most routers connect by ethernet and not USB. I am not using these USB devices myself and so can't advise on details.

Now, a standalone router can be used to connect computers regardless of whether it then further connected to the internet or not. That said, some router models actually do require internet to functions, especially those that are really a router/modem combos.

If you want detailed help on how to connect your PCs with your particular devices you have to tell us which router (if any) you have, how do you connect to the internet (what kind of modem, etc.) and then we can give you details for your particular setup.

This sounds a bit confusing to me. I connect my laptop using wireless. I only have a moderm at home. Which have build in wifi(provided by my isp)
I want is like... example...I put whatever files in this drive/folder when i excess my laptop2 i can see it.

shaun166 said:

This sounds a bit confusing to me. I connect my laptop using wireless. I only have a moderm at home. Which have build in wifi(provided by my isp)
I want is like... example...I put whatever files in this drive/folder when i excess my laptop2 i can see it.

If you use a wi-fi connection, can you connect both laptops to the internet at the same time? If yes, then your modem also has the router function. If you did not touch its internal settings then DHCP is enabled and the modem assigns the default internal IP addresses. To find out which IP address each of your laptops has run the following command: ipconfig. If you see something like 192.168.x.x - these would be your internal addresses - then you're all set to transfer files between the laptops (of ocurse, after you have set up the ftp server, see the instructions quoted in my previous posts).

If you don't know how to network them together, then just use an external drive to copy data off of one to move it to the other. If all you have are laptops, you should own a back up drive regardless...so you can keep good back ups of your data.

Somehow the way you all are explaining is not i wanted...
I want something like...
EXAMPLE:
I put a music into a drive/parition using laptop1. And when i access laptop 2 i can also see the drive/parition and see the files inside. Is this called a network drive or something?

That is a whole different question than what you asked in your original post. In most cases, it would be called sharing a folder, which Windows 7 makes very easy (if both computers are Windows 7). A simple network setup would work if you were using a router, but it sounds like you don't use one. That will complicate things quite a bit.

You could use a crossover cable, but then they would have to be connected in order to share files. You could also connect them by two regular network cables and a switch. I'm honestly not sure the best way to go about this because I wouldn't be setting up a home network without a router.

shaun166 said:

Somehow the way you all are explaining is not i wanted...
I want something like...
EXAMPLE:
I put a music into a drive/parition using laptop1. And when i access laptop 2 i can also see the drive/parition and see the files inside. Is this called a network drive or something?

Indeed, DeaconFrost is right, this is a different question now. Let me try to summarize what can be done, this way you can choose out of several possibilities. There are three possible tasks that you might want to achieve:

1. Transfer files between two computers (this is what I originally understood you wanted to do). What I mean by that is that you have certain files on computer A and you want to copy or move them to computer B (for backup or any other purpose, but basically as a one-time operation). This can be done by (a) using an external drive, such as a USB flash drive or external HDD; (b) creating a direct connection between the computers by using a crossover cable; (c) connecting both computers to a network. In the latter case once may distinguish between a Microsoft network and simply a LAN connection, but both do require a router as far as I know.

2. Set up file sharing between your computers. This is a feature of Microsoft networking. When both computers are connected to a router at the same time, and you've set up the Microsoft network (or Home network) you can "share" the folders in question. In this case your files remain physically on one of your computers but are visible and accessible from both (or more, if you had more than two).

3. Network drive (or its more advanced version - storage server). In this case you have at least three devices connected by the router - two computers and a separate networked drive (or another dedicated computer that plays the role of storage or file server). In this case the files are physically residing on the network drive, but can be accessible from both computers (the two computers now need not be on simultaneously). This is similar to using a regular external drive, only now the drive is connected to the router by the ethernet cable rather than to a computer by a USB cable (if that were the case you would have to unplug the drive from one computer and plug it into another to access the files from the other machine).

I think this basically sums up all the suggestions in this thread. Notice that most of this actually requires you to set up a network using a router of some sort. You still haven't told us how exactly do you connect to the internet, so we don't know if your modem can also play the role of a router. In the absence of the router I am afraid that you're limited to options 1a and 1b.

Hope this makes things clearer.

unifex said:

shaun166 said:

Somehow the way you all are explaining is not i wanted...
I want something like...
EXAMPLE:
I put a music into a drive/parition using laptop1. And when i access laptop 2 i can also see the drive/parition and see the files inside. Is this called a network drive or something?

Indeed, DeaconFrost is right, this is a different question now. Let me try to summarize what can be done, this way you can choose out of several possibilities. There are three possible tasks that you might want to achieve:

1. Transfer files between two computers (this is what I originally understood you wanted to do). What I mean by that is that you have certain files on computer A and you want to copy or move them to computer B (for backup or any other purpose, but basically as a one-time operation). This can be done by (a) using an external drive, such as a USB flash drive or external HDD; (b) creating a direct connection between the computers by using a crossover cable; (c) connecting both computers to a network. In the latter case once may distinguish between a Microsoft network and simply a LAN connection, but both do require a router as far as I know.

2. Set up file sharing between your computers. This is a feature of Microsoft networking. When both computers are connected to a router at the same time, and you've set up the Microsoft network (or Home network) you can "share" the folders in question. In this case your files remain physically on one of your computers but are visible and accessible from both (or more, if you had more than two).

3. Network drive (or its more advanced version - storage server). In this case you have at least three devices connected by the router - two computers and a separate networked drive (or another dedicated computer that plays the role of storage or file server). In this case the files are physically residing on the network drive, but can be accessible from both computers (the two computers now need not be on simultaneously). This is similar to using a regular external drive, only now the drive is connected to the router by the ethernet cable rather than to a computer by a USB cable (if that were the case you would have to unplug the drive from one computer and plug it into another to access the files from the other machine).

I think this basically sums up all the suggestions in this thread. Notice that most of this actually requires you to set up a network using a router of some sort. You still haven't told us how exactly do you connect to the internet, so we don't know if your modem can also play the role of a router. In the absence of the router I am afraid that you're limited to options 1a and 1b.

Hope this makes things clearer.

Sorry for being unclear at the first post as it was difficult to express myself at that point in time.

Thanks! :) This is very clear!
How i connect to internet:
-i have a moderm that have a build in wireless.
-I dont have a router.
-Both of my laptop are able to connect to the wifi simultaneously.

If i want to use option 2 is it possible with how i am connected to the internet?