How To: Serial network

Twiggy

I have an Idea, as of later today, I should have two Toshiba laptops, one from early 1995 with a 486 and 20mb of ram running WFW3.11 now, and the one I am picking up later today is one from early 200 with a pentium 3 700mhz, 512 mb ram with Windows 98SE.

I am wondering, if it'd be possible to make a serial network between these too laptops, sure would make getting programs and drivers onto the older toshiba easier, than having to put everything on floppy discs. (Especially considering I should be able to get the Penitum 3 onto the internet, including this website).

Anyone know how?

02k-guy

That is after all, what software like Laplink and Brooklyn Bridge were designed to do (parallel is faster).

Do not both computers have ethernet?

A CAT5 crossover patch cable would be so much simpler under Windows.

Twiggy

02k-guy wrote:

That is after all, what software like Laplink and Brooklyn Bridge were designed to do (parallel is faster).

Do not both computers have ethernet?

A CAT5 crossover patch cable would be so much simpler under Windows.

The T2100 does not have an ethernet port. I twas made in early '95 though, I could get a card for it, but Windows 3.x compatible cards may be more expensive than the laptop itself.

calvinb

PCMCIA Ethernet is pretty damn cheap, and almost all of them would have compatible drivers. Most would be an NE2K clone or an EtherLink of some sort.

Twiggy

ampharos wrote:

PCMCIA Ethernet is pretty damn cheap, and almost all of them would have compatible drivers. Most would be an NE2K clone or an EtherLink of some sort.

Bear in mind, I paid $25CDN for the laptop from some kid in Toronto who didn't know what he was looking at.

altracker9

I have all my Win9x and up PCs on the Windows Network. But for Dos/Win31 PCs, I use Laplink Pro v4.0 for Dos to transfer files.
All that is required is a serial cable and a null modem (or parallel cable) to connect PCs.
It avoids the memory overhead of Dos based network software and is easy to use.

I currently use LLPro 4.0 for Dos to also transfer files to my W98 PC from the Dos/W3.1 PC.
It runs from the W98 Dos window with no problem. Once you set up the correct Com link, the PCs connect automatically.

I have never tried the Laplink for Windows, but that is also an Option.
Winworld has both versions available for download. All you need to add is the serial or parallel cable.
I have always used the serial cable (with 115k xfer speeds) and it is fast enough.
My parallel ports are connected to printers, but serial ports are abundant.

For occasional file transfers, I have always found Laplink sufficient.