Hi There. I'm new to Networking. I just bought a laptop running Win Vista home premium. I also have a desktop computer running Win XP. I want to transfer about 150Gb of data from the desktop to the laptop. I have a basic hub, if that helps ? but no router. Is there a way to do this without more hardware than Ehternet cables?

You don't need a hub or switch. Put the ethernet cable in and set up static ip's in the private range (every modern computer auto corects for the cable). Set firewalls to allow sharing. Set one users folder to share. The user needs a password on the share. The easy way is a usb flash, cd, dvd rom. Other ways are Infrared, serial, usb, parallel, wireless, phone, upload to site and back down. Playing to the angels Les Paul (1915-2009)

Use your hub and connect both to that. Then setup your network and share the drive or folder you'd like to transfer and copy the files. It's normally much faster than burning the 150gb to another device and then copy it again to your laptop. Please send a reply, if you solved the problem !!!

Allright, but how do I do that? I'm green ... I need step by step instructions if possible. Thx Tim

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=... Please send a reply, if you solved the problem !!!

Sorry paulsep.... I have the computers hooked up to the hub. One is XP (the desktop) and one is Vista Prem. I go to control panel on the XP machine > Network Cnnections > New Connection Wizard adn it wants Infrared, serial or parallel? I can't find an option for using the hub? ethernet direct? and it's my first day on Vista. I'm in the "Network and Sharing Center" have all sharing activated but I can't see each computer on either machine. Just the one I 'm on.

There is no connection specially for a hub. You do have already a LAN-Connection I think. So the only thing you have to do is, to share a drive or folder. Please send a reply, if you solved the problem !!!