Should I use a null modem & how do I install & use it?

[jbrooks]

Hello,

Can you please help?

1. I have a new Pentium 4, with Windows 2000 Professional.

2. I have an old Pentium (with Win 2000 Pro), in working order, that I wish to transfer several GB of information to the new computer.

3. The old computer is running NetBeui & TCP/IP and which is also a member of a private network & accesses the internet via a T1 line.

4. Both computers have a modem.

5. I'd like to continue using the old computer (because it has my whole office setup on it) while I gradually transfer all data while I minimally interupt my daily office work.

6. We have limited TCP/IP addresses so I don't want to assign a TCP/IP address to the new computer.

My questions are:

Should I install a null modem for the transfer? Is the transfer rate very slow?

If a null modem is the solution, what do I buy? Just a cable? Can I transfer without extra software?

What is the best way to use the null modem for the transfer? I don't have an extra phone line, the old computer ONLY would be plugged into the T1 line, I don't want to assign TCP/IP to new computer. Could the new computer dial into the old computer via it's IP address(remember I don't have a phone number to dial into, it's T1)?

I would appreciate your advice and how-to's. Can you please be specific with your response.
Thank you very much.

 

[paulsbbc]

The simplest way, as you've already reasoned would be to put both machines on the network. I get the impression that there's no easy way of doing this as a temporary thing.

There we fall back opn good ol' DCC.

Null modem cables are reasonably easy to get. In the UK, TANDY, MAPLIN, PC World or similar would be the best bet. Stateside I'd guess Radio Shack may be the best solution. Sorry, I don't know what chains there are outside Europe.

Failing that - if you have the facilities - make your own. The pinout is reasonably simple, you need two "female" Db-9 connectors, which I'll call A and B, so pin 2 on A will be A2.

Here goes with the simple bit.

A2 goes to B3
A3 goes to B2
A5 goes to B5
A7 goes to B8
A8 goes to B7

Now it gets complicated!

Loop A1 and A6 together THEN connect them to B4
Loop B1 and B6 together THEN connect them to A4

Leave A9 and B9 un-connected.

Here's what the pins actually do.
1 Data Carrier Detect. - The modem makes this high when its happy with what's coming from the other modem.
2 Receive Data - From the equipment's perspective.
3 Transmit Data - ditto
4 Data terminal Ready - Data Terminal = The Computer
5 Signal ground - the reference point for everything.
6 Data Set Ready - Data Set = the modem
7 Ready to Send. Computer to Modem.
8 Clear to send. Modem to Computer
9 RING INDICATE Modems make this waggle when someone rings it.

What I'd also do is check out the TEK-TIPS FAQ's for the best way to set up the Direct Cable Connection on the two machines.

Also, check out....

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/5704/dcc1.html

Its a bit wordy, but it works.

All the best,
PaulS