If you would like to use the direct cable connection for sharing an Internet connection, check Plug the cable RJ-45 male connectors firmly into Ethernet ports on both computers.ģ. You may choose internal (PCI card) or external adapter (USB or PCMCIA PC Card)Ģ. If you can't find an Ethernet port, then your computerĭoesn't have an Ethernet adapter. It looks like a wall telephone jack (RJ-11) but a bit larger. An Ethernet port is an RJ-45 female connector (socket). Make sure your computers have Ethernet ports. Picture: Diagram of Ethernet (RJ-45) socket compared with telephone (RJ-11) jack.ġ. Moreover, Ethernet cable can reach longerĭistance (up to 100 meters) without repeater and you don't need to buyĭirect connection. Therefore, a direct connectionīetween two computers using Ethernet crossover cable is faster than usingĮither serial or parallel cable. Mbps link speed depending on line condition. Which means the direct Ethernet connection can switch from/to 10 Mbps or 100 Most consumer Ethernet adapters in use today are Fast Ethernet (10/100BaseT) with autosensing

To share an Internet connection or play a networked game. It can be used to share files, folders, drives, printers, and peripherals. The direct Ethernet connection works like an Ethernet network that is equipped with Ethernet hardware, i.e. Other computer using a standard Ethernet cable. Therefore, if you have it installed in one computer, you can connect it with Most GigabitĮthernet (10/100/1000BaseT) adapters have auto MDI/MDIX function. Please note, if one of your computers has an auto-crossover (a.k.a.Īuto-switching or auto-MDI/MDIX) Ethernet port, you canĬonnect them using either crossover or straight-through cable. Like standard (straight-through)Įthernet cable, crossover cable is also terminated with RJ-45 connectors. That has pins 1, 2, 3, 6 on one end crossed to pins 3, 6, 1, 2 on the other end respectively.

You can connect both computers directly using a crossover cable.Ĭrossover cable is an Ethernet cable (Cat 5, Cat 5e If you have only two computers (desktop PCs or laptops) and both computers have either built-in or Exploring workgroup computers and shared folders-printers Part Two : Direct Ethernet connection setup from Network Connections folderĪrea Connection details on Network Connections folderĬonnecting the crossover cable and acquiring IP address Part One : Direct Ethernet connection setup using the Network Setup Wizard How to create a direct connection using Ethernet crossover cable in Windows XP?

Ethernet loopback cable diagram