If you have both a desktop computer and a portable computer, chances are that you’ll want to transfer files between them. You can use various methods of file transfer:

Use an Ethernet network or wireless network If you’ve connected your computers to an Ethernet network or a wireless network, you can easily transfer files across the network.

Burn a CD or DVD This method is good for moving large amounts of files, but it tends to be awkward for frequent file sharing.

Use a USB flash drive A USB flash drive provides an easy way of moving up to several gigabytes of data from one computer to another.

Use a USB Easy Transfer cable A USB Easy Transfer cable as discussed in Appendix B allows you to create a network between two computers using the USB ports. As long as the ports are USB 2.0, you can transfer files at a useful speed.

Use a FireWire cable If both the computers involved have FireWire ports, you can connect them directly to each other using a six-pin-to-six-pin FireWire cable. See Article 27 for details.

Use an infrared connection Infrared lets you connect two computers that are very close to each other. It’s not ideal for file transfer, but if it’s your easiest option, you’ll probably find it effective enough. See the next section for details.

Use a Bluetooth connection Bluetooth lets you create low-speed connections among networks. Like infrared, Bluetooth isn’t ideal for file transfer, but it can be good enough. See the next section but one for details.

Use a Briefcase A Briefcase is a special type of folder that lets you keep its contents synchronized with copies that you make on another computer. See the section “Using Briefcase to Synchronize Files between Two Computers,” later in this article.

Using an Infrared Connection

If your laptop has an infrared connector, you can use it to transfer data between computers. Infrared used to be a popular technology for data transfer between portable computers, and most laptops used to have infrared ports built in. These days, infrared has largely been superseded by other data-transfer technologies such as USB Easy Transfer, wireless networking, Ethernet, FireWire, or even Bluetooth. But infrared still works well enough, giving data transfer speeds of up to 4Mbps, and you may find it convenient.

Windows Vista Doesn’t Support Parallel Connections or Serial Connections

Windows XP and most other earlier versions of Windows enabled you to connect one computer to another via a cable between the parallel ports or the serial ports. The parallel port is the large, 25-pin port used by old-style printers, while the serial port is a smaller, 9-pin port used for serial modems and other legacy devices. Windows could manage data transfer speeds of around 400Kbps with a regular parallel cable and 4Mbps with a special-purpose parallel cable. Serial cable connections could manage only 115Kbps, but this was enough for occasional file transfer in a pinch - for example, when you needed to move files from your old computer to your new computer.

Windows Vista supports neither parallel connections nor serial connections, either because the technology is outmoded many new computers have neither serial ports nor parallel ports or because the Incoming Connections feature required for cable connections represents a potential security threat. Instead, you need to use other data-transfer technologies - for example, USB Easy Transfer or Bluetooth.

Configuring Your Infrared Hardware

To configure your infrared hardware, follow these steps:

1. Choose Start Control Panel. Windows displays a Control Panel window.

2. In Control Panel Home view, click the Hardware and Sound link. Windows displays the Hardware and Sound window.

3. Click the Infrared link. Windows displays the Infrared dialog box .

4. Choose settings on the Infrared page:

Display an Icon on the Taskbar Indicating Infrared Activity Select this check box to make the notification area display an infrared icon when there’s another infrared-enabled device within range. This icon is usually helpful.

Play a Sound When an Infrared Device Is Nearby Select this check box if you want Windows to play a sound when it detects an infrared-enabled device within range. Depending on the situation, you may not need the aural alert as well as the visual alert.

Allow Others to Send Files to My Computer Using Infrared Communications Select this check box if you want to be able to receive files via infrared.

Notify Me When I Receive Files Select this check box if you want Windows to display a pop-up telling you when you’ve received files via infrared.

Send Received Files Here In this text box, enter the folder in which you want Windows to store files you receive via infrared transfer. Windows suggests your Desktop by default, which is handy for temporary storage of items you don’t want to lose but not a good place for storing many files. Type the folder path or click the Browse button, use the Browse for Folder dialog box to select the folder, and then click the OK button.

5. If you have an infrared digital camera, choose settings on the Image Transfer page: Allow Digital Cameras to Use Infrared to Transfer Images Directly to My Computer

Select this check box if you want to transfer images via infrared. Infrared transfer is much slower than using a USB connection or a media card reader, but you may find it convenient. Save Received Images Here In this text box, enter the folder in which you want Windows to store images you receive via infrared transfer. Windows suggests your Pictures folder by default, which is normally a good choice. To change the folder, type the folder path or click the Browse button, use the Browse for Folder dialog box to select the folder, and then click the OK button. Open Folder after Receiving Pictures Select this check box if you want Windows to open an Explorer window automatically showing you the pictures you’ve received via infrared. This option is usually helpful, as it lets you make sure that the images were transferred successfully. 6. Click the OK button. Windows closes the Infrared dialog box and applies your choices.

Your computer’s now set up to connect via infrared. If necessary, set up infrared on the other computer that you’ll be using for the connection.

Connecting via Infrared

You’re now ready to connect via infrared. To do so, bring the computers within range of each other, and make sure the infrared ports are pointing at each other. If you’re not sure where the infrared port is on a computer, consult its documentation. When the computers establish communication, Windows displays a pop-up message, as shown here, telling you that the other computer is within range if you selected the Display an Icon on the Taskbar Indicating Infrared Activity check box. If you selected the Play a Sound when an Infrared Device Is Nearby check box, Windows also plays a sound. Click the pop-up message to display the Infrared dialog box , which you use for sending files. Windows also displays a Send Files to Another Computer icon on the desktop, as shown here. You can drop files on this icon to send them to the other computer.

Sending and Receiving Files

To send a file to the other computer, navigate to the file in the Infrared dialog box, select it, and then click the Send button. Windows displays the Sending Files dialog box, as shown here, while it prompts the recipient to accept the file and if they do transfers the file. When the other computer sends one or more files to you, Windows displays the Infrared dialog box as shown here to ask if you want to receive the file or files. Click the Yes button or the Yes to All button, as appropriate, if you want the file or files. Otherwise, click the Cancel button to decline the offer.

While you’re receiving one or more files, Windows displays the Receiving Files dialog box, as shown here. You can select the Close This Dialog Box When the Transfer Is Complete check box if you want Windows to close the dialog box automatically at the end of the transfer. When the transfer is complete, Windows changes the Receiving Files dialog box to tell you that the files were successfully received, as shown here. Click the Close button to close the dialog box. If you selected the Close This Dialog Box When the Transfer Is Complete check box, Windows simply closes the dialog box without displaying this message.

Closing an Infrared Connection

You can close the Infrared dialog box by clicking its Close button, but there’s no way of directly closing an infrared connection. To stop the connection, simply bring your computer out of range of the other computer. Windows closes the connection automatically and removes the icons from the notification area and the Desktop.

Troubleshooting: Infrared Connections

To establish a connection via infrared, keep the limitations of infrared firmly in mind and position the computers accordingly:

Make sure the infrared ports are enabled Many laptops ship with the infrared ports disabled partly to conserve battery power, partly as a security measure, so you have to turn them on before you can use them. In some cases, you must change a BIOS setting or use a manufacturer-supplied configuration utility to enable an infrared port, but you can usually enable it via Device Manager. Take the following steps:

1. Press Windows Key+Break. Windows displays a System window.

2. In the left panel, click the Device Manager link, and then authenticate yourself to User Account Control. Windows displays a Device Manager window.

3. Expand the Infrared Devices item in the tree. If the infrared device is disabled, it appears with an arrow pointing downward, as shown here.

4. Right-click the infrared device, and then choose Enable from the context menu. Windows enables the device, refreshes the display in Device Manager, and removes the arrow.

5. Choose File Exit. Windows closes Device Manager.

6. Click the Close button the  button. Windows closes the System window.

Distance Keep the distance between the computers as short as possible. In theory, infrared works over distances of up to 3 feet. In practice, you’ll find it much more reliable over distances of an inch to a foot.

Horizontal alignment Keep the angle of alignment between the infrared ports as close to 90 degrees as possible. An infrared port throws out a 15–30-degree arc of infrared light, but the signal is strongest in the middle of the arc.

Vertical alignment Position the two infrared ports on the same level as each other. infrared ports don’t spread the beam out much vertically, so if the ports are at different levels, you may not be able to establish a satisfactory connection.

Clear path Make sure the path between the infrared ports is clear. Even a sheet of paper can block infrared transmission quite effectively.

Avoid direct sunlight Direct sunlight can interfere with an infrared signal because sunlight contains infrared rays. Besides, your laptop won’t thank you for being placed in direct sunlight.

Reading this list may make you think that the infrared ports should be just about touching each other for maximum effect - and that’s not far off. Get the ports as close to each other as is practical, and you’ll experience fewer problems.