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 Direct-Cable Connection :Introduction (created Feb. 3, 2001) |
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Direct-Cable Connection : Introduction (created Feb. 3, 2001) |
You have the need to connect 2 Windows
systems to be able to exchange some data.
You are (not yet ?) willing to install
network cards and to deal with Ethernet cables
( coax, Twisted pair, hubs,.....) ?
Lets investigate some other options by looking at the back of
your system (desktop PC or
notebook):
You should have:
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1 or 2 Serial ports ( also called
COM-ports) connector with 9 pins ( "9-pin male") |
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Parallel port ( also called printer
port ) connector with 25 holes ( "25-pin female" ) |
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1 or 2 USB (Universal System Bus) Desktop system have usually 2 ports, Notebook computers usually only 1port. |
These plugs/connectors can be used to connect 2 systems together.
Such connection is called : Direct
Cable Connection
( DCC )
Like with any component on your system, you need hardware and
software:
Hardware : all these connectors on the
back of your PC had been originally designed to connect
add-on components to a system ( like parallel port: Printers,
serial port : external modems,
USB: scanners, digital cameras,......) with 1 system as
"controller".
And the cables used to plug into these connectors are designed
for this use.
via USB (Universal System Bus) : 
Networking via USB cable
via Serial or Parallel cable : Direct Cable Connection
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When now using these
plugs to connect 2 systems (= 2 "Controllers"), you need special cables (either purchased or self-made) taking care that the 2 systems are communicate with each other. Note: when using a parallel or serial connection, you can only connect 2 systems, not more ! Depending on the cable, you will get different data-transfer speeds: - Serial cable (1 bit connection) up to 10 KBytes /sec ( * ) - Basic Parallel cable (4 bit, LapLink compatible cable) up to 60-80 KBytes /sec ( * ) - DirectParallel® Universal Fast Cable ( with electronics in one end of the cable , from Parallel Technologies' ) up to 500+ Kbytes /sec ( * ) on ECP ports ( up to 10 times that of the Basic 4-bit parallel cable ! ) . ( * ) Effective data transfer rates are depending upon PC type, CPU speed, parallel port type, data compressibility and protocol overhead |
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Software : Included with Windows95/98/ME/NT4/2000 |
You may have decided to use DCC to avoid the
installation of a network, but for a Windows
system, the software setup/configuration of a
Direct-Cable-Connection is part of Networking
(although it may not be visible as part of networking)
Lets use Windows95, "Direct Cable Connections"
as example for a "DCC Network":
The installation and operation is similar to Ethernet and
"Modem" networking and involves setting up:
- Network Client
- Network Protocol
- Network Server ("File and Print Sharing")
- Network Adapter: your serial port COMx or printer-port LPTx.
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Parts of these pages on Direct-Cable
Connectivity are a cooperation with Parallel Technologies, the creator/ inventor/ developer of the DirectParallel® technology licensed to Microsoft for the Direct Cable Connection (DCC) feature in Windows 95/98/2000/ME ( supplier of the fast DirectParallel® cable and of USB connection cables). |
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Direct cable connection setup and
Operation is almost identical on Windows95, Windows98 and Windows ME |
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- Performance
of Direct-Cable Connection (Updated Feb.1,98)
- DirectParallel®
Connection Monitor (DPM) : Diagnostic, Troubleshooting and
Testing Utility
- Trouble
Shooting a DCC Connection ((created Feb.14,2000)
- Cable
Specification for Direct-Cable Connection (updated Feb.14,2000)
If you like some more
information on DCC, here some links to sites with excellent
information:
The
creators/inventors/developers of DirectParallel® Technology
Licensed
to Microsoft for DCC: http://www.lpt.com : Parallel Technologies
( see under "Questions +
FAQs",the documentation is also available
under "Downloads" as DOC or
PDF files )
http://www.kime.net/directcc/index.html
DirectParallel® is a Registered
Trademark of Parallel
Technologies, Inc.
