Cannot Create Direct Cable Connection from Windows 95/98 to Windows 2000 with Infrared Port

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This article was previously published under Q259819

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SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to create a direct cable connection from a Windows 98-based or Windows 95-based computer to a Windows 2000-based computer by using infrared (IR) ports, you may receive the following error message:

Cannot connect to the host computer. Make sure you have run Direct Cable Connection on the host computer and you have connected your cable to both computers.

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CAUSE

Direct cable connections over IR ports between computers running Windows 95/Windows 98 and Windows 2000 are not possible or supported.

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RESOLUTION

Use a serial or parallel cable between the computers to make the direct cable connection.

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MORE INFORMATION

Windows 98 maps virtual COM ports to IR ports to enable direct cable connection over IR ports. Windows 2000 uses a new technique for enabling direct cable connection over IR ports that allows a direct cable connection over IR ports between two Windows 2000-based computers.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

252795 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/252795/EN-US/ ) Windows 2000 Does Not Support Mapping Virtual COM Ports to Infrared Ports

For ore information about IR networking and Windows 2000, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc778789.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc778789.aspx)

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