I'd like to try and connect my old notebook (Win98SE, no USB) to a desktop PC (also Win98SE) to transfer some data. I've connected a null modem cable to both via a COM port (both DB9) but what now? Can I build a network to transfer data between them? Many thanks for your help!

Okay, so I found Direct Cable Connection and setup my PC as the host and enabled file sharing and then setup my notebook as a guest however whenever the notebook tries to connect it says its connecting and then verifying username and password and then just says that the cable is disconnected?! Which makes me wonder about the username and password thing because I never specified nor was asked about a username and password?? Do I need to do this somewhere?

I could never get DCC to work. Try LapLink M2 If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

I've been doing a bit of researching...I checked the Log file for each of the COM ports and it seems the Host modem is hanging up because both error control and data compression are either off or unknown. There is an option for this in the Advanced Settings of each COM modem port however it is gray and doesn't allow me to enable it. Anybody any ideas please? I'll have a look at LapLink Mechanix, cheers.

Hi M2, I just got an error with LapLink: "The system is unable to open COM4 port as requested by this program...." type of thing?!

Maybe DCC has COM4 in use. M2 If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

I use physical com ports (Com1, Com2) for dcc, laplink, or interlnk and stay away from virtual (Com3, Com4) com ports. DCC procedure is make sure you have a null modem cable, run dcc on one machine and set it to Com1 as the host...go the the other machine and set it up as guest on Com1. Both will have to use the same connection parameters so make sure they both use "serial cable on Com1" and, you don't need password protection enabled. The com ports need to have the same port settings. 9600,8,None,1,XonXoff should be default...you can check the settings in device manager. I use an Itronix laptop for work and without a floppy or cd-rom, installing Win98se over dcc was my only option at the time. It took about 30 hours but went off without a hitch. Moving the entire Win98 folder from cd-rom to the Itronix hdd was about 5 hours. It ain't fast but it does work. If you use a serial mouse on Com1, just use Com2 on both machines. Skip