Laptop - Desktop Connection

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

I'll be getting a 40 gb laptop next week and I'm currently burning a lot of my files to discs for transfer (parents will have the desktop, I'll have the laptop).

 

However, my problem is that my movie files are too big to fit on discs. I won't be able to get internet for the laptop for a couple months.

 

Is there any other way to transfer files from the dekstop to the laptop?

 

Thanks for the help ^^

[Guest Princess Leena]

You could use FTP!

 

Search for guides how to do so online!

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

You could use FTP!

 

Search for guides how to do so online!

I attempted to do so for a bit, yet a few that I saw required money... which I don't have (the laptop is an offer from my college, to be paid back in a few months with all of my other loans).

 

But I did look up ways to network the two; most of what I saw in that search seemed to require a usb cable and some other router.. I forget the name -- hud? -- and yet others mentioned that if both have a wireless card, then such isn't required. I know the laptop has that, not sure about the desktop.

 

Question. Would a simple connection utilizing a single usb cable work just for file transfer?

[Jobber of the Week 0]

No, and even it did it would be horribly slow if it was not unless it was USB 2.0 or Firewire. You'll be waiting around all day.

 

Just use ethernet. Do you have a router in your home that shares the internet connection amongst all computers or just one computer directly hooked up to the modem?

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

No, and even it did it would be horribly slow if it was not unless it was USB 2.0 or Firewire. You'll be waiting around all day.

 

Just use ethernet. Do you have a router in your home that shares the internet connection amongst all computers or just one computer directly hooked up to the modem?

Don't have the laptop yet, so currently our setup is the desktop directly hooked up to the modem via USB. Called our provider about wireless - $30 for setup, $5 added each month on the bill - which we can't afford at the moment.

 

Thus, a not-so-legal curiosity arises: a neighbor two houses - we live in a building that has six apartments side by side - has wireless. In my readings for networking, I hear of 'hotspots' and how to connect to 'em. Sure you know where this is going... any way to connect to what he has?

[Jobber of the Week 0]

That's ridiculous! You can go wireless with any internet connection by just buying a wireless router. There's absolutely NO reason you should have to pay someone to bring you a router, and pay a monthly fee to have one. Ludicrious.

 

That said, wireless will only work if all your computers have wireless capability, so if you have computers that don't have wi-fi, you'll have to go buy cards for them and open your computer and stick it in an expansion slot. If you're not much of a hardware/upgrade person, this may be intimidating. It also adds to the cost, but is still no excuse for monthly fees.

 

The most work it involves is connecting some cables together, plugging in a box, then going to a web site in your browser to turn on security features.

 

If you have a wireless-enabled computer, you can see if there's any networks recognizable from your location by scanning for networks, but even if any show up they're likely passworded unless the owner is an idiot. There's more idiots than I wish there were in the world, but more and more people are beginning to catch on that encryption is a good thing.

 

If you don't want to pay to get everything on wireless, wired routers exist too, of course. Wireless routers look like wired routers with little broadcast antennas on them, and they have the same ports that wired routers do, so you don't have to buy a wireless card for EVERYTHING, just the stuff you want to use wirelessly. You can hook up your giant borg cube of a PC the traditional way, with a networking cable stretching from the BUTT of the PC to the BUTT of the router.

 

Lastly, keep in mind that wi-fi transmissions use the same frequency as microwave ovens and many other household appliances. So if you go that way and you live in tight quarters or an apartment building or something, the use of these devices by you or people who live near you can make your signal degrade or not work at all.

[tominator89 0]

Do you know a friend or anyone who has an external hard drive? They help out a lot. Or using a DVD-RW burner.

[tominator89 0]

Also, cross over cables work well.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

After searching around, I've decided to get a USB HUB - either Q-Stor or IOGear, depending on budget (I'd much prefer the latter ^^) - and use that to transfer files. That seems the cheapest route to go.

 

Sadly, I do not know a friend who has an ext. hard drive.

 

There's absolutely NO reason you should have to pay someone to bring you a router, and pay a monthly fee to have one. Ludicrious.

Indeed. But, that's Time Warner for you. To install cable tv - your basic, up to channel 70 kinda thing - to another tv entails a $20 set-up fee, although no added extra on the bill.

 

I really do appreciate all the assistance and help that has been posted. Just wanted to mention that ^^

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

If you have a wireless-enabled computer, you can see if there's any networks recognizable from your location by scanning for networks, but even if any show up they're likely passworded unless the owner is an idiot. There's more idiots than I wish there were in the world, but more and more people are beginning to catch on that encryption is a good thing.

This laptop is quite nifty - it has the wireless card, so it automatically seeks out nearby networks. Most are secured and locked, yet there is one that isn't. Out of curiosity, I clicked connect just to see if I could...and it was successful ^^ Pretty fast 'net, too.

 

Though, I do have a few questions. In using this unsecured network, am I detectable? Could they access anything on my computer?

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Indeed. But, that's Time Warner for you. To install cable tv - your basic, up to channel 70 kinda thing - to another tv entails a $20 set-up fee, although no added extra on the bill.

Yeah, but 802.11g routers can be bought at Best Buy and hooked up to their connection with no problems, at a price that makes their rental fees look crazy. Look around for a sale.

[ZGangsta 0]

If you have a wireless-enabled computer, you can see if there's any networks recognizable from your location by scanning for networks, but even if any show up they're likely passworded unless the owner is an idiot. There's more idiots than I wish there were in the world, but more and more people are beginning to catch on that encryption is a good thing.

This laptop is quite nifty - it has the wireless card, so it automatically seeks out nearby networks. Most are secured and locked, yet there is one that isn't. Out of curiosity, I clicked connect just to see if I could...and it was successful ^^ Pretty fast 'net, too.

 

Though, I do have a few questions. In using this unsecured network, am I detectable? Could they access anything on my computer?

Yup, and if you have any shared folders they'll helpfully pop up right in that person's 'My Network Places.' So disable your shares if you're ever stealing someone's connection.