Connecting a couple of devices

bluenose1940

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Is it at all possible to link my laptop to my desktop pc please.

Most of the things that I do on a daily basis are done sat at my desk and using my computer. However, in the evening when I am sat with my wife and she is reading or watching TV, I would like to be able to continue my work by using my laptop. What I am wondering is, can I link the two together so that I can get at what is on my pc. Can this be done wirelessly or would they need to be connected by cables.

If they can be connected wirelessly, would I be able to get at say, Microsoft Office or, would I also have to have this programme on the laptop as well as my pc? Am I allowed to put 'Office' on my laptop as well as it being on my pc, I do have the original disks.

I have the latest releases of Windows 10 on both pc and laptop.

I know that in an office environment computers are linked but, I understand that they do this via a 'server' which obviously I don't have.

Is there something that I could purchase in order to achieve my goal. I wouldn't want to be spending a lot of money though. as it's not critically important.

Many thanks
 
There is a thread on here about this very subject. There are various ways but the cheapest and easiest way that I have found is to use a crossover ethernet cable. It can be done via USB but I find that method cumbersome but I suppose it does depend on what you are used to.

Connect Two Computers using a Crossover Cable

There are other links. Google "connecting two computers together using a crossover cable."

I cannot that other post so i may have answered it on the "computer forum" anyway my answer and the link were the same.
 
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Thank you for your input pete.i.

Unfortunately my set-up would need to be wireless as my pc is in my study and I would be in the sitting room during the evening when the laptop is to be used. A cable set-up would not be practical I'm afraid.
Just had a further thought whilst typing this, my router is behind the sofa in the sitting room. Would that be of any help.

I have to go out now but I will have a look at your links when I get back. Thanks again.
 
I assume that both machines are already connected to your home network (either with a cable or wireless (e.g. both can access the internet.)


there are basically two ways to do what you want to do.

Either, you put a load of file shares on the desktop for all your folders, and use either Chrome or firefox that have bookmark syncs, (and I think can see what tabs are open on other sync'd devices. so that you can "get to" your documents, and see what links etc you may have had open pages reading etc.


Or, you can run some program on your desktop to literally connect to that desktop from the laptop. in this way you work during the day on your stuff. you leave everything on in the study.
go to the lounge and open the laptop, start up a program and connect directly to the desktop, everything is open and you carry on using stuff on the same desktop.
(this can be accomplished using a program like VNC)

(you can't use the desktop whilst you're controlling it from the laptop.)
 
If you go the VNC route, look at splashtop. I LOVE IT! very fast screen refresh rate AND audio pass through. Even over local 802.11N wifi, it is very good; like good enough to watch a movie. I use it on my ipad to control my computer from across the house, but they have client apps for android, windows, and mac too. The ONLY downside is that there's no server app for linux, but i don't use linux for anything other than my raspberry pi.

You could also look into powerline networking if the wifi in your house isn't fast enough, only half as fast as ethernet, but still has low latency. combining this with splashtop would be my suggestion for the best performance.
 
Yes using a crossover cable is okay if you are transferring stuff stuff from one computer to another as a one off and if your computers are close. If both your computers are connected to a router then why not set up a home network. A network would only allow you to transfer files but you can certainly share a printer between computers and Office will allow to install the programs on to, I think, two other computers. It tells you in UELA that you can do that when you install Office.

How to set up a home network - PC Advisor
 
Pete.i, thanks again for your input.

Setting up a home network seems the ideal answer for me but, it does appear to be a little complicated. I will read it all again and see if I can cope with it. Not sure if the router that I have will be up to the job though, it was supplied by Sky to enable their Sky Q system.
 
You are 110% correct. Setting up a network is an absolute nightmare and it doesn't stay working so there is a lot of fiddling about to do. The other way I do it is to use Tight VNC but to be honest none of this stuff is easy in spite of what the keyboard warriors on this, and the other computer Forum, will tell you. Having said that it does work eventually. Maybe the esiest way is cloud storage but I wouldn't trust the security with that or buy abig USB stick/drive andtransfer filers thatway.
 
Since you have a router, you don't need a crossover cable. You just need to connect both computers to the router, either by cable or wireless. Both computers can be wired or wireless or one wired and one wireless, doesn't matter.

A crossover cable would only be necessary if you wanted to connect both computers together directly with a single cable between them. Technically, crossover cables are no longer necessary anyway since Ethernet ports have had auto crossover capability for about 10 years now.

A Home network is not particularly hard to setup and once the network is setup should continue to function without any further action on your part.
 
Since you have a router, you don't need a crossover cable. You just need to connect both computers to the router, either by cable or wireless. Both computers can be wired or wireless or one wired and one wireless, doesn't matter.

A crossover cable would only be necessary if you wanted to connect both computers together directly with a single cable between them. Technically, crossover cables are no longer necessary anyway since Ethernet ports have had auto crossover capability for about 10 years now.

A Home network is not particularly hard to setup and once the network is setup should continue to function without any further action on your part.

Rather than sitting in front of your computer and jawing away maybe put up some instructions or a link that points to an easy way to set up a network. It isn't easy it is a pain in the ass. It doesn't stay working for ever that is why big companies employ techs who have to keep running round keeping stuff working. We have already come to the conclusion that a crossover cable was NOT what the OP wanted because the OP actually said that.
 
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