Connecting laptop to desktop

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dennis Allen
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Dennis Allen

Hi. I have a question, was wondering if someone here could help. I want to remote control a laptop with a desktop computer using a
100' cat5 line. The laptop's serial and parallel ports are used, but it's USB is free. Question. Could we connect using the cat5
line? If so, how? Is the cat5 length a problem? Can XP on the desktop do a full remote control on the laptop, or do I need
something like PC Anywhere? Any advice is greatly appreciated...Dennis
 
USB and CAT 5 are very different cable construction. If
both the laptop and the desktop have Ethernet RJ45 ports,
you can use CAT 5 at 100 feet without any problem. Unless
you use a hub, switch or router in between you'll need to
use a cross-over cable.

USB is limited to about 25 feet. If you have XP Pro you can
use remote desktop.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


| Hi. I have a question, was wondering if someone here
could help. I want to remote control a laptop with a
desktop computer using a
| 100' cat5 line. The laptop's serial and parallel ports
are used, but it's USB is free. Question. Could we connect
using the cat5
| line? If so, how? Is the cat5 length a problem? Can XP
on the desktop do a full remote control on the laptop, or do
I need
| something like PC Anywhere? Any advice is greatly
appreciated...Dennis
|
 
That'll work. I think there's already an ethernet adapter in the desktop.

Couple of more questions. One, I'm not familiar with the XP network/remote software. WIll I be able to remote control the laptop
from the desktop (everything I see and do on the desktop is happening on the laptop)? Two, since the cat5 will be an ethernet cable
I will be able to add a T-adapter to the cat5 and connect to a third laptop (and so on) right?
 
The short answer to your question is . . . no.

Not with old stuff, and it depends on your video card rather than your
desktop. You did not mention what video card you have in the desktop but I
bet it is an old one. Any laptop you buy today will allow you to connect to
another monitor or TV. If you are trying to cut corners financially, I would
say you are wasting your time and your money. You more than likely are going
to have to buy a new video card for your desktop to get your laptop to do
what you are wanting to do.
 
Symantec also makes pcanywhere, but I did not mention this method because
both are very slow and require money, which I would assume he is trying to
save.
 
We also use multiple copies of Maxivista here in our office and it
really works like a champ.

Kevin
 
I don't have time to read the replies of the few people who responded to
you, and I suspect you are not following this thread anymore since you have
not followed up. However, here is something you ought to try.

Go get a bridged USB cable. It should come with software for it to be
installed on both computers. This is actually 5 times faster than using the
standard network connection. Once you get the cable plugged up, set up your
nework and set everything to share on the desktop. Then you can go into My
Network places anytime you want to access your desktop files. Of course,
this requires you to use the laptop as the main processing tool, which I do
not think you want to do. I bet others have suggested third party software
that would allow you to share monitors, but that too is going to require you
to use the laptop to access the desktop and still do all your input from the
laptop.

As I read your post, you want to do all your work on the desktop while just
using the laptop as the monitor only. So also go buy one of these:

http://tinyurl.com/abp5w

This kvm switch will have you up and running in minutes.
 
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