Direct-Cable Connection : Introduction (updated : Sept. 2, 2001)

You have the need to connect 2 Windows systems to be able to exchange some data.
You are (not yet ?) willing to install network cards and to deal with Ethernet cables
( coax, Twisted pair, hubs,.....) ?

Lets investigate some other options by looking at the back of your system (desktop PC or
notebook):


You should have:

	1 or 2 Serial ports ( also called COM-ports) connector with 9 pins ( "9-pin male")
	Parallel port ( also called printer port ) connector with 25 holes ( "25-pin female" )
	1 or 2 USB (Universal System Bus) Desktop system have usually 2 ports, Notebook computers usually only 1port.

These plugs/connectors can be used to connect 2 systems together.
Such connection is called : Direct Cable Connection ( DCC )


Like with any component on your system, you need hardware and software:

Hardware : all these connectors on the back of your PC had been originally designed to connect
add-on components to a system ( like parallel port: Printers, serial port : external modems,
USB: scanners, digital cameras,......) with 1 system as "controller".
And the cables used to plug into these connectors are designed for this use.

via USB (Universal System Bus) : Networking via USB cable

via Serial or Parallel cable : Direct Cable Connection

When now using these plugs to connect 2 systems (= 2 "Controllers"), you need special cables (either purchased or self-made) taking care that the 2 systems are communicate with each other. Note: when using a parallel or serial connection, you can only connect 2 systems, not more ! Depending on the cable, you will get different data-transfer speeds: - Serial cable (1 bit connection) up to 10 KBytes /sec ( * ) - Basic Parallel cable (4 bit, LapLink compatible cable) up to 60-80 KBytes /sec ( * ) - DirectParallel® Universal Fast Cable ( with electronics in one end of the cable , from Parallel Technologies' ) up to 500+ Kbytes /sec ( * ) on ECP ports ( up to 10 times that of the Basic 4-bit parallel cable ! ) . ( * ) Effective data transfer rates are depending upon PC type, CPU speed, parallel port type, data compressibility and protocol overhead

Software : Included with Windows95/98/ME/NT4/2000

You may have decided to use DCC to avoid the installation of a network, but for a Windows
system, the software setup/configuration of a Direct-Cable-Connection is part of Networking
(although it may not be visible as part of networking)

Lets use Windows95, "Direct Cable Connections" as example for a "DCC Network":


The installation and operation is similar to Ethernet and "Modem" networking and involves setting up:
- Network Client
- Network Protocol
- Network Server ("File and Print Sharing")
- Network Adapter: your serial port COMx or printer-port LPTx.

Parts of these pages on Direct-Cable Connectivity are a cooperation with Parallel Technologies, the creator/ inventor/ developer of the DirectParallel® technology licensed to Microsoft for the Direct Cable Connection (DCC) feature in Windows 95/98/2000/ME ( supplier of the fast DirectParallel® cable and of USB connection cables).

Direct cable connection setup and Operation is almost identical on Windows95, Windows98 and Windows ME

	Direct Cable Connection with Windows95 / 98 / ME Using DCC and DUN at the same time Modem Internet Connection Sharing via DCC ADSL/Cable Modem Internet Connection Sharing via DCC
	Direct-Cable Connection between Win95/98/ME and NT4
	Direct-Cable Connection between NT4-systems
	Definition of Direct Cable Connection as Host Definition of Direct Cable Connection as Client / Guest Getting an DCC Call Windows 2000 DCC and ICS ???
	Win95/98/ME DCC Connection to Win2000 Win2000 DCC Connection to Win95/98/ME Modem Internet Connection Sharing via DCC ADSL/Cable Modem Internet Connection Sharing via DCC

Modem Internet Connection Sharing via Direct-Cable-Connection (DCC)
( using Non-Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing.
Note: Although you can download most Non-Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing programs as shareware
to evaluate them, you will need to register ( and pay for them ) once the evaluation period has expired ,
usually 30 days).

ADSL/Cable-Modem Internet Connection Sharing via Direct-Cable-Connection DCC
( using Non-Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing.
Note: Although you can download most Non-Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing programs as shareware
to evaluate them, you will need to register ( and pay for them ) once the evaluation period has expired ,
usually 30 days).

Parallel Technologies, Inc offers for its parallel DCC-cables very nice package deals, which include already the license for WinrouteLite.

- Performance of Direct-Cable Connection (Updated Feb.1,98)
- DirectParallel^® Connection Monitor (DPM) : Diagnostic, Troubleshooting and Testing Utility
- Trouble Shooting a DCC Connection ((created Feb.14,2000)
- Cable Specification for Direct-Cable Connection (updated Feb.14,2000)

If you like some more information on DCC, here some links to sites with excellent information:

The creators/inventors/developers of DirectParallel® Technology Licensed
to Microsoft for DCC: http://www.lpt.com : Parallel Technologies
( see under "Questions + FAQs",the documentation is also available under "Downloads" as DOC or PDF files )

http://www.kime.net/directcc/index.html

DirectParallel^® is a Registered Trademark of Parallel Technologies, Inc.