Content

• Steps
• Advice

With two computers (PCs) with USB ports, you can connect them together using a special USB cable - the "bridging" cable. Technically, we can also connect two Mac computers via a USB cable, but you'll need a USB-to-Ethernet adapter and an Ethernet cable. After establishing a connection, you can quickly share files from one computer to another.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Connect two PCs with a USB cable

1. 

   Prepare a USB-to-USB bridge cable. Since there are so many types, it's important to use the correct USB-to-USB cable. Only a USB-to-USB cable can connect two PCs (often called a "bridge cable", sometimes called a "USB data sharing cable", "USB network cable" or "USB connection cable"). . Standard cables will have electronic bulge in the middle and male USB connectors at both ends.

2. 

   
   
   Install the software on two computers. You need to do this before you plug the cables into the computers. The bridge cable usually comes with a CD or DVD that contains software. Start by inserting the disc into your computer and launching the installer when the window appears on the screen. If the software does not start automatically, you need to press ⊞ Win+E to open File Explorer, then go to your CD / DVD ROM drive on the left side of the screen. Double-click the file "setup" or "installer".
   • If the cable is not included with the software, you can go to the manufacturer's website and look for the “Software” or “Drivers” section. Then, download your cable-specific software to both computers.
   • If you have the opportunity to choose the mode (mode), please choose "link" (another name is "bridge" or "transfer").

3. 

   
   
   Plug each end of the USB cable into the USB port on each computer. Avoid over-stretching the cable. If you have to stretch the cables to connect, move the computer closer together to avoid damaging the cable.

4. 

   Launch the data sharing software on both computers. No matter how the software is installed, a shortcut icon will appear in the Start menu. Click on “Start”, go to “All Programs” or “All Apps” and select the software from the menu. From now on, you don't have to switch back and forth between two computers to share files because all operations will be done on one computer.

5. 

   
   
   Browse for files of one computer on the other. Note: the software will look like a file manager with two windows (named "local" and "remote"), one for each computer. The Local window displays the files on the computer that you are using, while Remote displays the file on the other computer.

6. 

   File sharing. If you want to copy the contents of the remote computer to the current one, drag the desired file from the Remote window to the destination folder in the Local window. You can also pull data from local computer to other computer in a similar way. advertisement

Method 2 of 2: Connect two Mac computers using a USB cable

1. 

   Prepare the necessary equipment. Technically, Mac cannot connect to each other via a USB cable, the most likely way to create a USB-to-USB connection on a Mac is to connect the cable from the USB port on this computer to the Ethernet port on the computer that.
   • USB-to-Ethernet connectors: These connectors are universal, meaning you don't have to buy a dedicated Apple computer connector. One end of the adapter has a male USB connector, the other end is a female RJ-45 port for the Ethernet cable.
   • 10 / 100BASE-T Ethernet cable: This cable is a standard cable with RJ-45 connectors and is sold at most electronics stores.
   • You can search online for ways to share files between two Macs for more simple methods.

2. 

   Connecting the USB adapter to a USB port on Computer 1. If only one of the machines has an Ethernet port, plug the USB adapter into the computer. If not, you can plug in any device first.

3. 

   Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into the RJ-45 port on Computer 2. This port is usually located on the side or back of the computer.

4. 

   Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable (connected to Computer 2) into the USB adapter. Physical connection is completed.

5. 

   Open the Sharing preferences on both computers. On each computer, open the Apple menu, click “System Preferences”, then select “Sharing”. When the Sharing preferences appear on the screen, you will also see the name of the computer you are using.

6. 

   Use Finder on one computer to connect to the other. Choose one of the two optional computers to begin this process. Start by opening the Finder, selecting “Go” then clicking “Connect to server”, then clicking “Browse” to display a list of connected computers. Find and double-click the name of the second computer that appears in the list of results, then enter the password (if prompted).

7. 

   Copy files back and forth between two computers. The second computer's file list will appear on the first computer. You can drag and drop files between two computers using a Finder window. advertisement

Advice

• If both computers have Ethernet ports and you don't want to buy additional hardware, see How to connect two computers together using a network cable for more options (potentially more cost savings). .
• If you want to learn more about how to share files between two computers, you can see How to transfer files between two laptops.