Editing Direct cable connection (section)

{{short description|Feature of Microsoft Windows}}
{{Other uses|DCC (disambiguation)}}
[[File:DCC Win95.gif|thumb|300px|A Direct Cable Connection dialog box on Windows 95]]
'''Direct Cable Connection''' ('''DCC''') is a feature of [[Microsoft Windows]] that allows a computer to transfer and share [[computer file|files]] (or connected [[Printer (computing)|printers]]) with another computer, via a connection using either the [[serial port]], [[parallel port]] or the [[IrDA|infrared]] port of each computer. It is well-suited for computers that do not have an [[Ethernet]] adapter installed, although DCC in [[Windows XP]] can be configured to use one (with a proper [[Ethernet crossover cable|crossover cable]] if no [[Ethernet hub]] is used) if available.

The software is available in [[Windows 9x]], [[Windows 2000]] and Windows XP; communication is also possible with [[Windows NT 4.0]] although not under the DCC name.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-12-12 |title=Direct-Cable Connection between Win95 and NT4 |url=http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/dccnt4.htm#nthost |access-date=2024-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001212032400/http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/dccnt4.htm#nthost |archive-date=12 December 2000 }}</ref> [[Windows Vista]] drops support for the Direct Cable Connection feature <ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct cable connection not available in Windows Vista |url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930086/en-us}}</ref> as Ethernet, [[Wi-Fi]] and [[Bluetooth]] have become ubiquitous on newer generation computers. To transfer files and settings, Windows Vista includes [[Windows Easy Transfer]], which uses a proprietary USB-to-USB bridge cable known as the Easy Transfer Cable.