This article includes Part 1 of the "Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition" guide. Part 1 provides an introduction to this guide.

Note To view the other topics of the "Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition" guide, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are listed in the "References" section of this article.

The "Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition" guide includes the following topics:

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Part 1. Introduction: Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition

For the occasional exchange of data between a laptop computer and a desktop computer, you do not have to use a whole network. If you use only a direct cable connection and a cable, you create a real network connection that you can quickly create and disconnect.

The direct cable connection is a connection between a guest computer and a host computer. When you use this connection, you can connect two computers to each other.

•	The host computer provides resources such as folders, drives, or even a printer.
•	The guest computer uses the resources that the host computer provides.

Strict task sharing results in a one-way direct cable connection. The resources can only be accessed in one direction. To change the direction, disconnect an existing connection, reassign the tasks, and then reestablish the connection.The guest computer uses the resources of the host computer.

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To view other topics in the "Configure a Direct Cable Connection with Windows XP Home Edition" guide, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

This article is a translation from German. Any subsequent changes or additions to the original German article may not be reflected in this translation. The information contained in this article is based on the German-language version(s) of this product. The accuracy of this information in relation to other language versions of this product is not tested within the framework of this translation. Microsoft makes this information available without warranty of its accuracy or functionality and without warranty of the completeness or accuracy of the translation.

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