If you want to connect two computers running Win95/98 building
a direct cable connection is a cheap and fairly easy way to go.
What you will need:
Two 25 PIN D-SUB MALE connectors. (Got some old printer
cables?)
At least a 13 line ribbon cable or two 8 line network
cables.
Win95/98 (You may need your setup CD.)
Approximately 45 minutes to kill.
How to do it:
Obtain the 25 Pin Male connectors and ribbon cable from
Radio Shack or scavenge old printer cables.
Wire the two ends according to the table below. Pins 1
through 13 run left to right on the top row. Pins 14 thru
25 run left to right on the bottom.
Name
Pin
Pin
Name
Data Bit 0
2
15
Error
Data Bit 1
3
13
Select
Data Bit 2
4
12
Paper Out
Data Bit 3
5
10
Acknowledge
Data Bit 4
6
11
Busy
Acknowledge
10
5
Data Bit 3
Busy
11
6
Data Bit 4
Paper Out
12
4
Data Bit 2
Select
13
3
Data Bit 1
Error
15
2
Data Bit 0
Reset
16
16
Reset
Select
17
17
Select
Signal Ground
25
25
Signal Ground
It should look something like this when completed. ;)
That was the easy part! Now click Start, Settings,
Control Panel and Add/Remove Programs. Select the Windows
Setup tab, check communications, click details, and check
Direct Cable Connection. Then click OK.
Now click Start, Settings, Control Panel, Network. Then
click File and Print Sharing.
At this point you probably have to restart your computer
to get things working.
Go to My Computer and right click on the C: drive. There
should be a menu item labelled sharing. Use this to make
your files visible to other computers.
Click Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications,
Direct Cable Connection.
Follow the instructions to setup one computer as host and
one as visitor.
You can now transfer files, run programs and share
resources across your cable!
