From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Dec 31 15:46:55 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8B1C016A4CE for ; Fri, 31 Dec 2004 15:46:55 +0000 (GMT) Received: from srv1.cosmo-project.de (srv1.cosmo-project.de [213.83.6.106]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7E55643D1F for ; Fri, 31 Dec 2004 15:46:54 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from ticso@cicely12.cicely.de) Received: from cicely5.cicely.de (cicely5.cicely.de [10.1.1.7]) iBVFkoHo006572 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA bits=168 verify=OK); Fri, 31 Dec 2004 16:46:52 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from ticso@cicely12.cicely.de) Received: from cicely12.cicely.de (cicely12.cicely.de [IPv6:3ffe:400:8d0:301::12]) by cicely5.cicely.de (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id iBVFjuUU071137 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NO); Fri, 31 Dec 2004 16:45:57 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from ticso@cicely12.cicely.de) Received: from cicely12.cicely.de (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by cicely12.cicely.de (8.12.11/8.12.11) with ESMTP id iBVFjupO016556; Fri, 31 Dec 2004 16:45:56 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from ticso@cicely12.cicely.de) Received: (from ticso@localhost) by cicely12.cicely.de (8.12.11/8.12.11/Submit) id iBVFjuiH016555; Fri, 31 Dec 2004 16:45:56 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from ticso) Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 16:45:56 +0100 From: Bernd Walter To: Douglas Allen Message-ID: <20041231154555.GX81585@cicely12.cicely.de> References: <20041231063607.42912.qmail@web60604.mail.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20041231063607.42912.qmail@web60604.mail.yahoo.com> X-Operating-System: FreeBSD cicely12.cicely.de 5.2-CURRENT alpha User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.6i X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-4.9 required=3.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham version=2.64 X-Spam-Report: * -4.9 BAYES_00 BODY: Bayesian spam probability is 0 to 1% * [score: 0.0000] X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.64 (2004-01-11) on cicely12.cicely.de cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Networking Two Computers via USB X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list Reply-To: ticso@cicely.de List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 15:46:55 -0000 On Thu, Dec 30, 2004 at 10:36:07PM -0800, Douglas Allen wrote: > Hi hackers, > > I am interested in connecting my Linux machine to my windows XP machine. Neither Linux nor Windows is FreeBSD, why do you ask in a FreeBSD list? > I was going to try the USB ports first. Now I've opened a can of worms. > > Assuming one could buy a USB A-male to A-male cable, is there a danger in connecting > > each computer directly? Where can I get more information on the pin outs of the USB ports? > > I see that adaptors are sold for such purposes. Is that because there is some danger of > > frying those ports? I know there is a power connection on a USB port. I don't need to supply > > power to any PC port. What leads may I use just for data? Do they need to be like a null- > > modem cable? Probably that's why there are so many schemes to xfer data such as flash > > memory keys. I want to go direct without a hub or an adaptor. Is there a cable to make it > > all work ok? Any reply would be greatly welcome. 73s all. USB is single master. You can't connect two masters (hosts) directly together. A-A cables are illegal in sense of the USB specs, they don't work and can even damage the systems. Thosese cables are mostly sold because in a early USB specification there was only A connectors and a early hardware designs used A connectors instead of B. I personally would avoid such hardware. There are other options to connects computers together via USB. - Use two USB-Ethernet adapters and X-link them together and do Ethernet. - Use two USB-serial adapters and X-link them together and do ppp, slip, xmomdem or whatever. - Use a special host to host adapter - those simulate an serial adapter at each host side. AFAIK those adapters are all limited to USB-1.1 speed, so the Ethernet way can be faster if both sides can do high speed. -- B.Walter BWCT http://www.bwct.de bernd@bwct.de info@bwct.de