Networking Amiga <> PC

[3246251196]

1. how exactly do you network your A to PC? using a pcmcia card - can someone give me a simplified stepbystep guide of how they did it personally?

2. how can you connect your Amiga via a serial connection - step by step if can?

[3246251196]

its just i have heard that connecting amiga to pc is hard to do??

so, is setting up a serial connection easy?

[tonyvdb]

From what I understand you need a program like Amiga forever with Amiga explorer on the pc. Connect the PC-Amiga using a NUL modum cable but I have not tried it.

[moominpapa]

I have just done this with a null modem cable and Amiga Explorer, which you can get from the winuae website.  And i hardly know how to use Amigas at all, except for games.

Plug one end into the amiga, the other into the serial port on the pc (com1) and run the program on the amiga(or put it in the start up drawer) and the pc.  It just worked, i did not have do do anything else, untill i needed to increase the speed, which only took a few seconds.  It was a case of making sure the settings were the same on the amiga and the pc.

The only thing i have against this connection is that I can only manage a stable conection of 33kbps, which can cause delays.  But it is easier than compressing files onto disk, and splitting them up.

I suspect the hardest part of this task would be to purchase a null modem cable with the correct conectors.

I cant really do step by step 'cos i am a lousy teacher.

[3246251196]

i have the explore. i just dont know what the null cable is. may have a look around for one

[orange]

I haven't tried that Cloanto thingy, but I'd suggest smbfs.
Its not too hard to configure it. If your LAN is setup correctly, smbfs will work fine. I even had more success accessing shared 'folders' with Amiga than with another windoze.

couple of tips:
enable 'simple file sharing' somewhere in windows explorer
enable guest account on win
don't forget to configure firewall
edit lmhosts in windows dir so that it has Amiga name and IP; do the same on Amiga side

can't think of anything else right now..

oh, and forget about nullmodem if you have pcmcia ethernet

[Effy]

A null modem cable is a special networkcable that allows two computers to have a direct connection. If you use a standard networkcable then it won´t work, if you use two pc´s or a pc and an Amiga won´t make any difference. But if you are using a router then there´s no problem, just plug your Amiga in the router with a normal networkcable next to the pc cable. Then you need to set up the software on Amiga side, probably Miami Deluxe. This way you can network the Amiga with the pc and get filetransfers at maximum 10 Mbit ...
If you just want to get software from the pc to the Amiga then there´s another option : use a pcmcia CF card !! Most pc´s have an usb cardreader so you just plug the empty cf card into the pc and fill it and then plug the card into your pcmcia slot using a cf-to-pcmcia adapter (cheap on Ebay in the laptop sections). The installation of software on Amiga side is easy, just download two programs from Aminet, one to recognize the CF card and the other one to use the Fat filesystem of Windoz. Very easy and very fast !!

[3246251196]

so the ends of the nullmodem cable - what are they?

serial... parallel?

thanks !

[amigagr]

serial of course. just go to a computer shop and ask for a null modem female to female serial cable. buy and a 25 female to 9 male pin adapter and you are fine.

[moominpapa]

Might be a good idea to ignore effy's post as i think he/she is getting confused with a cross over cable for ethernet.

Look up Null modem in ebay and you'll get loads of results.  A null modem cable is aparently the same as a modem cable (lol), but one or two of the pins cross over in between the plugs, to enable the machines to both send and recieve, ie the upload pin on one computer links to the download stream on the other.  With a normal modem cable the upload pin leads to the other upload pin. Dont ask me what a modem cable is though, i assume it is a cable for originally comecting modems to computers.  

The cable i have i bought originally for my old amiga years ago.  Both ends of it are the same layout as the serial port on the back of an amiga.  To get it to connect to the pc i have an adaptor.

[ivang]

Nullmodem cable is for serial connection. Just google for "nullmodem pinouts" and you'll find the schematics for cable. Minimal connection requires only 3 wires (GND/TD/RD)

When usung nullmodem connection A<>PC you can transfer files in various ways. I haven't tried AmigaExplorer solution.
You could use some comm program (ncomm, term on amiga and Hyperterminal or something like that on WIN) and transfer files using zmodem file trensfer.

Maybe little bit harder to setup but you could make PPP connection to PC using miami/amitcp, that way you could share internet connection, files (samba/ftp...).
Friend of mine had NULL modem cable 10-15m long connected to his neighbours PC and shared his wireless internet connection.
Check this http://www.thecryptmag.com/Online/24/NullTCP.html

But the speed of serial connection could be the issue..
If possible go for network card.

[amigagr]

moominpapa wrote:
Look up Null modem in ebay and you'll get loads of results.

the cost of p&p would be 3 times the value of this cable from a shop. cool down boys :crazy:


-edit-
the best solution for an a1200 is this pcmcia baby :-)

[3246251196]

amije wrote:

moominpapa wrote:
Look up Null modem in ebay and you'll get loads of results.

the cost of p&p would be 3 times the value of this cable from a shop. cool down boys :crazy:


-edit-
the best solution for an a1200 is this pcmcia baby :-)

the best solution = pcmcia - yeah i know, but is it just as easy to use pcmcia than null cable? i hear it is hard to use pcmcia.... ?

[amigagr]

3246251196 wrote:
i hear it is hard to use pcmcia.... ?

not hard at all. just plug the card run tcp/ip and ready to go. with any problem that will be arise just drop a fiew lines here and a lot of us will give you specific advice/solutions to try :-)

[3246251196]

excellent. thanks. i really would prefer PCMCIA anyway because i can then use the internet. in fact, there is a list of things i need:

- PCMCIA card
- 3.1 ROMS
 - 3.5 OS (cannot really afford 3.9/4.0 ***1)
- CD DRIVE (probo use my PC one though)
 - a FEW 3.5" to 2.5" IDE cables!

***1 think i will be ok with 3.5?