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How do I connect my laptop to my computer?

B

Brian V

Flightless Bird
Is there a way to connect my laptop to my desktop? Not just to the screen I
have.

Would the laptop be viewed as a seperate drive like an external usb drive?
Does it matter if it has a different OS?

I want to do this to more easily transfer files and update my favourites, etc.
 
D

David Webb

Flightless Bird
Methods for networking two computers
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/homenetworking/a/connecttwocomp.htm

--
Google is your friend.....

"Brian V" <BrianV@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B32B9F81-1E59-49E5-A6F6-1FA2B8DEB5C1@microsoft.com...
> Is there a way to connect my laptop to my desktop? Not just to the screen I
> have.
>
> Would the laptop be viewed as a seperate drive like an external usb drive?
> Does it matter if it has a different OS?
>
> I want to do this to more easily transfer files and update my favourites, etc.
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Flightless Bird
Brian V wrote:
> Is there a way to connect my laptop to my desktop? Not just to the screen I
> have.
>
> Would the laptop be viewed as a seperate drive like an external usb drive?
> Does it matter if it has a different OS?
>
> I want to do this to more easily transfer files and update my favourites, etc.


Home Networking
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/homenet/default.asp

Networking Information
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking.htm

PracticallyNetworked Home
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/index.htm

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
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http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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~ Denis Diderot
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

Flightless Bird
On Sun, 11 Apr 2010 02:03:01 -0700, Brian V
<BrianV@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Is there a way to connect my laptop to my desktop?


Yes. What you want to do is create a *network* with both computers
connected to it.


> Not just to the screen I
> have.
>
> Would the laptop be viewed as a seperate drive like an external usb drive?


No, it would show as another computer on the network. The drives (and
printers, etc.) on each computer could be shared and made accessible
to the other computer.



> Does it matter if it has a different OS?


A different version of Windows? No, it doesn't matter. Create a
"workgroup" network.


> I want to do this to more easily transfer files and update my favourites, etc.


You've already gotten two replies with links to sites telling you how
to do this. I won't repeat them, but I wanted to answer your questions
above.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
 
R

Roger

Flightless Bird
Brian,
Network your computers as recommended. Then, if you wish to have full
control on both computers install TeamViewer. This way you can even
work on your desktop from your laptop, wherever you are.

Brian V wrote:
> Is there a way to connect my laptop to my desktop? Not just to the screen I
> have.
>
> Would the laptop be viewed as a seperate drive like an external usb drive?
> Does it matter if it has a different OS?
>
> I want to do this to more easily transfer files and update my favourites, etc.
 
B

Brian V

Flightless Bird
I thought it would probably be networking. I had assumed a router would be
involved, but I thought that would just be for the internet connection (I
will read more because some may take this comment as wrong). So no direct usb
connection then. Ok.

If I ran my own business I think that option would be highly important and
necessary. Right now, I am not thinking networking is.

Thank you all for the replys.
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

Flightless Bird
On Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:18:01 -0700, Brian V
<BrianV@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> I thought it would probably be networking. I had assumed a router would be
> involved, but I thought that would just be for the internet connection (I
> will read more because some may take this comment as wrong). So no direct usb
> connection then. Ok.
>
> If I ran my own business I think that option would be highly important and
> necessary. Right now, I am not thinking networking is.



You wanted to connect your two computers. If you want to do that,
networking *is* necessary. As I tried to explain in my previous
message, that's the way you connect computers.

If you are connecting more than two computers, a router (or hub or
switch) needs to be involved, but with only two computers, they can be
connected directly; you have to use a *crossover* cable if you don't
use a router, hub, or switch.

And the crossover cable, router, hub, or switch connect to a Network
Interface Card (usually abbreviated NIC), or equivalent built into the
motherboard, in each computer

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
 
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