the simplest network?
 

Is it possible for me to simply connect my old PC with my laptop via an ethernet cable? I want to transfer some data, that's it, nothing spiffy, nothing complicated. Is that the best and easiest way?

They make data transfer cables. We have this at work, but I've never actually used it.

It is possible, but it's not entirely straight forward.

You'll have to manually set an IP address for each computer, which is easy to do. But you'll also need a special kind of ethernet cable called a "crossover cable". They're cheap and available at any decent computer supply store.


ETA: Oh yeah, BtD's right, crossover cables are sometimes referred to as data transfer cables. But don't waste your money on any sort of data transfer software, just get the cable and do it manually.

Okay, this is great and useful info. Thanks BtD and GD.

Nowwwwwwwwwwwww, another question. I want to use my old monitor (17 in flat panel) as the primary display. I've hooked it up via a Kensington dock and I the monitor shows the desktop wallpaper, but nothing else. No icons, nada. For the record, running XP SP3 on the laptop and the device manager shows the monitor hooked to the dock but nothing else.

I'm wondering if the second cable that came with the monitor is different than the one that is plugged in now, of if there is a setting I need to use on the laptop? The troubleshooter has only confused me.

Sounds like you are set up for two monitors - if you dragged your mouse off-screen on your laptop you'd see the cursor appear in the other monitor. I believe you can fix this in your display settings - just set up for the one monitor you want to use.

On many laptops, you can switch between display modes by hitting Fuction and F4. (It's a different F key on some laptops.)

You'll toggle between having the display on one monitor, the other, then both.

On our laptop, it's F8, and the key says "CRT/LCD" on it.

Oh duh! Thanks everyone! I will try this once I get home. :blush:

It may not say "CRT/LCD", it may just have a little square icon or something on yours.

the fact that you see the wall paper and nothing else makes me think you are in duel screen mode instead of toggled to the wrong screen, but report back and let us know.