Direct cable connection - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Direct Cable Connection (DCC), is a feature of Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

that allows a computer to transfer and share files

Computer file

A computer file is a block of arbitrary information, or resource for storing information, which is available to a computer program and is usually based on some kind of durable storage. A file is durable in the sense that it remains available for programs to use after the current program has finished...

(or connected printers) with another computer, via a connection using either the serial port

Serial port

In computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time...

, parallel port

Parallel port

A parallel port is a type of interface found on computers for connecting various peripherals. In computing, a parallel port is a parallel communication physical interface. It is also known as a printer port or Centronics port...

or the infrared

IRDA

IRDA may refer to:* Infrared Data Association, in information and communications technology , a standard for communication between devices over short distances using infrared signals...

port of each computer. It is well-suited for computers that do not have an ethernet

Ethernet

Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....

adapter installed, although DCC in Windows XP can be configured to use one (with a proper crossover cable

Ethernet crossover cable

An Ethernet crossover cable is a type of Ethernet cable used to connect computing devices together directly. Normal straight through or patch cables were used to connect from a host network interface controller to a network switch, hub or router.A cable with connections that "cross over" was used...

if no network hub is used) if available.

DCC with Serial Port

If using the serial port

Serial port

In computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time...

s of the computer, a null modem

Null modem

Null modem is a communication method to connect two DTEs directly using an RS-232 serial cable. The name stems from the historical use of the RS-232 cable to connect two teleprinter devices to modems in order to communicate with one another; null modem communication was possible by instead using...

cable (or a null modem adapter connected to a standard serial cable) must be used to connect each of the two computers to communicate properly. Such connection uses PPP

Point-to-Point Protocol

In networking, the Point-to-Point Protocol is a data link protocol commonly used in establishing a direct connection between two networking nodes...

protocol.

DCC with Parallel Port

If the parallel port

Parallel port

s are used, Windows supports standard or basic 4-bit cable (commonly known as LapLink cable

LapLink cable

A LapLink cable is a cable that allows one to connect two computers together to establish a direct cable connection. The connection is achieved via the parallel ports on the two computers. No networking hardware such as a network interface card or a modem are required...

), Enhanced Capabilities Port

IEEE 1284

IEEE 1284 is a standard that defines bi-directional parallel communications between computers and other devices.-History:In the 1970s, Centronics developed the now-familiar printer parallel port that soon became a de facto standard...

(ECP) cable, or Universal Cable Module (UCM) cable (which was known as DirectParallel cable by Parallel Technologies).

DCC with IR

Infrared communication ports, like the ones found on laptop computers (such as IrDA

IRDA

IRDA may refer to:* Infrared Data Association, in information and communications technology , a standard for communication between devices over short distances using infrared signals...

), can also be used.

DCC with USB

Connecting any two computers using USB requires a special proprietary bridge cable; the usual USB-to-USB cable does not work as USB does not support such type of communication and attempting to do so may even damage the connecting computers as it can short the two computers' power supplies together, possibly destroying one or both machines or causing a fire hazard. Therefore, Direct Cable Connection over USB is not possible; a USB link cable must be used, as seen in the Microsoft knowledge base article 814982. However, with a USB link cable, a program which supports data transfer using that cable must be used. Typically, such a program is supplied with the USB link cable. The DCC wizard or Windows Explorer cannot be used to transfer files over a USB link cable.

Windows Vista changes

Windows Vista drops support for the Direct cable connection feature as ethernet

Ethernet

, Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...

and Bluetooth

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...

have become ubiquitous on current generation computers. To transfer files and settings, Windows Vista includes Windows Easy Transfer

Windows Easy Transfer

Windows Easy Transfer is a file transferring program included in newer versions of Microsoft Windows operating system which allows the switching files and settings between two PCs. The program aides migration of Windows XP or earlier to a new computer running Windows Vista or Windows 7. It...

, which uses a proprietary USB-to-USB bridge cable known as the Easy Transfer Cable

Easy Transfer Cable

The Easy Transfer Cable is a USB 2.0 device which is used to connect two computers together. The connectors are both USB-A male connectors to connect to each PC, but the cable also has a small box in the middle which contains the needed electronics and chipset to allow the two connected computers...

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