I don't want to risk anything going 'BANG!', so I thought I'd just ask - Can I just plug a USB lead from my desktop to my laptop to transfer data? or am I going to have to do the IR thing I asked you guys about before?

You might be better to by a crossed network cable. I am guessing your laptop will have a network card in it and a good chance your PC has. A crossed / twisted network cable has transmit and recieve lines crossed over so its like networking two computers together without the hassle of a hub. You would just need to connect it ot both and set up basic tcp/ip network and share the drives and you can copy stuff as fast as the network cards can handle! They only cost about three quid. where as a USB connection and software will set you back considerably more.

IR stick for the dangling USB lead from the PC (for camera and memory stick) it is then!

Cheers, Neeeeeeeek

Plugging a USB lead between the two machines will emit a smokey haze from the general direction of the PC and\or laptop! I wouldn't bother with IR, it's painfully slow for anything more than a few bytes, and a bit flakey too.

I'd go for the network option, but I assume you haven't got a network card in one or both machines?

If you've got a USB memory card type thing why not use that?

Originally posted by Lurch
If you've got a USB memory card type thing why not use that?
It's just slower, fiddlier and they're so portable I keep forgetting where I had it last - extending the whole excercise by half an hour each time :hihi:

Ah, I see! IR isn't much quicker than your current method.

If you're transferring files quite often then definitely go for the networked option. What bits are you missing for the network? The other advantage of having them networked is that you can share the printers and internet connection from the desktop to the laptop.

USB printer. Wireless broadband.

But thanks for the advice. :thumbsup:

Will let Mr Strix read up on network equipment on his train journeys ;)

Why the but? You can share whatever the desktop has, including any USB printers and internet connections that it may have.

Originally posted by Lurch
Why the but?

But the laptop has wireless broadband. Printing is rare. USB printer plugs in quickly and easily. File transfer isn't too frequent either.

'Spose if I got XP on the desktop I'd make better use of a network arrangement, if I could syncronise properly. (E-mails are a nightmare to keep track of at the moment)

Ah, with you now. ;-)

You can network any versions of windows together so you don't need to wait till XP arrives on the desktop.

A somewhat quicker, but pricier, interim solution is a USB hard drive. You could also use it for backups too.