hey there,

i just wanted to know if it was possible to connect two linux computers together 56k modem to 56k modem dirrectly by a phone line between them ?

i have a small laptop, dinosaur, that i want to be able to connect to my desktop for file share or internet share, but dont want to go all out and buy all the stuff necessary to make an ethernet or wireless lan.

i never hear about it, but can it be done?

oh, another thing, i don't have a dial tone on my phone line, we get internet through cable, and dont really need a phone.

whaddaya say - possible?

thanks.

Yes, it can be done.

The ironic thing is that it wasn't too long ago the scenario you described was the *predominant* means for Unix boxes to talk to each other - RS-232 cables strung across the lab, or an RS-232 cable from your modem to the back of the host compueter.

If it doesn't already come with "uucp", you can certainly find it on the web for your distribution. This will let you talk directly from one host to another over a serial line (you don't need the modems).

With a modem, of course, you can use "uucp" (although I can't imagine why you'd *want* to), you can use direct dial-up (e.g. call up and log in to your Linux box with "Hyperterm" or a similar package), or PPP.

But if you want to get a Linux PC talking to your Windows PC - Ethernet is probably the fastest, cheapest and easiest solution.

'Hope that helps .. PSM

yeah, this helps a lot.
i dont know where i can get an RS232 cable long enough to reach the computer i want to have plugged in to my computer. um... thats the nine - pin connector right ? i didn't know that an RS 232 has modems. Or is an RS-232 the same thing as phone cable?

this does help though, so my desktop system would be the host ( Arch Linux ) and the laptop (Vector) would be the client? could they do the same thing as a regular LAN could do ? share a printer, internet connection, files, right?

this is great. The laptop is for my daughter to Instant message her friends, not worth the investment i would put into a newer better system.

thanks for everything

RS-232 is standard used for serial communication. RS-232 use the 9-pin or 25-pin DSUB connector found on most computers. These are what usually are called COM1 COM" etc in windows.

The solution to connect two computers using serial cable is to get a special cable called a null-modem cable. In this cable a few of the connections are crossed so that the send from one computer ends up at the receive pin on the other computer.

Once you get this cable you will have to configure both machines to set up a point to point connection using the serial port. There are a few guides and how-to:s on the web. Have a look at www.tldp.org, they have much documentation you will need. Once setup it will look like any network to you, the user.

Things look up is SLIP (Serial Line Interface Protocol), also take a look at the wiki pages of linuxquestions.org. (Link is on left at the main page of linuxquestions.org).

here is a suggestion... if your Parallel port is not in use, you can use PLIP ... you would need a parallel port cross cable. RadioShack / CompUSA etc. may have one.

thanks much guys, will look into it
let you know how it turns out