Only use a cable that you know to be a crossover cable when connecting two computers.
If you have two Dell Dimension computers that you would like to connect, but no network to connect to, you can connect the computers using a crossover cable. A crossover cable is similar to an Ethernet cable, but it is designed to allow two computers to connect directly, without a router. With the two Dell Dimension computers connected, you can quickly and easily transfer files and folders between the two machines.
Instructions
1. Connect the two computers by plugging one end of the crossover cable into each computer's Ethernet port.
2. Open the "Start" menu of one of the computers, then click "Control Panel."
3. Click "Network and Internet" from within the Control Panel, then click "Network and Sharing."
4. Double-click the icon labeled "Unidentified Network," then click on the information bar at the top of the window that will appear. Clicking on the information bar will bring you to the Network Discovery and File Sharing screen. Enter the computer administrator password if prompted.
5. Select the option labeled "Turn on network discovery and file sharing," then select "No, make the network that I am connected to a private network."
6. Repeat this process on the second Dell Dimension computer. Once this is complete, you can share folders between the computers by right-clicking on any folder and selecting the "Sharing" option. The other computer can be accessed from the "Network" screen, which is accessible by clicking "Computer" from the "Start" menu, then clicking "Network" on the left sidebar.
Tags: crossover cable, Dell Dimension, then click, Control Panel, Dell Dimension computers, Dimension computers