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Would a USB -> USB cable work for this??

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Duct tape! ;-> .. – Moab Dec 27 '10 at 16:28
What are you trying to do once you connect the two computers? – ngen Dec 27 '10 at 17:19

4 Answers

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The easiest options are (in rough order of practicality):

  • connect both devices to the same hub/switch/router via Ethernet - easiest option if you have Internet via ADSL or cable, then you usually already have a switch/router
  • connect both devices to the same WLAN network (similar to first option, just wireless instead of wired)
  • cross-over ethernet connection (may need a special "cross-over" cable, modern systems will do this automatically)
  • USB-to-USB connection; this requires a special cable however, as pointed out by Moab, and special software

Desperate options:

  • Parallel-to-parallel (aka LapLink) cable
  • serial-to-serial (aka nullmodem) cable

Both are very slow, and have little software support on modern OSes (though they can be made to work, at least under Linux)

In practice, I'd always advise to use option 1 (connect both devices to a router/switch), unless this is totally impractical. That gives you a standard network connection, which is what most software expects.

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Firewire-to-Firewire is also an option (at least on Macs, but since DarkLightA didn't specify his systems...) – Daniel Beck♦ Dec 27 '10 at 16:22
I'd put a direct Ethernet connection at #2 right underneath hooking them to the same switch. Auto-MDIX is part of the GigE spec -- no cross-over cables required. However, if one (or both) systems is only 10/100, then a cross-over cable works best. – afrazier Dec 27 '10 at 18:37
@Daniel - Windows XP can also do IP-over-Firewire, but I've never tried hooking 2 systems together via Firewire to see what would happen. – afrazier Dec 27 '10 at 18:38
up vote 1 down vote

No, you need a special usb cable and software like this one

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=1504&sku=39977

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up vote 1 down vote

Yes, it would. But if you connected them via an ad-hoc WiFi network, there might be more things that you can accomplish like file sharing / media streaming etc.

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I just wondered if you used two iPod chargers and cut the ends off to make a double USB, but I think you may still need software

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no way it would work, ever. – Journeyman Geek Mar 29 at 6:43
I've cut wires my whole life and put them together like that and it has always worked but I didn't know about this one because there is no software – Hunter Mar 29 at 6:45

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