Editing Direct cable connection

{{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.

==Connection types==
If using the [[serial port]]s of the computer, a [[null modem]] cable (or a null modem adapter connected to a standard serial cable) must be used to connect each of the two computers to communicate properly. Such connection uses [[Point-to-Point Protocol|PPP]] protocol.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tldp.org/LDP/LG/issue41/smyth.html|title=Windows 95 to Linux Direct Cable Connection LG #41|website=tldp.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://howto.gumph.org/content/xp-direct-cable-to-linux/|title=XP Direct Cable to Linux|website=howto.gumph.org}}</ref>

If the [[parallel port]]s are used, Windows supports standard or basic 4-bit cable (commonly known as [[LapLink cable]]), [[IEEE 1284|Enhanced Capabilities Port]] (ECP) cable, or Universal Cable Module (UCM) cable (which was known as DirectParallel cable by Parallel Technologies).

Infrared communication ports, like the ones found on [[laptop computer]]s (such as [[IrDA]]), can also be used.

===USB===
Connecting any two computers using [[USB]] requires a special proprietary '''bridge cable.''' A directly connected pin-to-pin USB type A cable does not work, as USB does not support such a type of communication. In fact, attempting to do so may even damage the connecting computers, as it will effectively short the two computers' power supplies together by connecting their 5V and GND lines. This can possibly destroy one or both machines and cause a fire hazard since the two machines may not have exactly the same USB source voltage.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.usb.org/about/faq/ans5/ |title=USB FAQs |access-date=2007-10-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002085049/http://www.usb.org/about/faq/ans5 |archive-date=2007-10-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Therefore, Direct Cable Connection over [[USB]] is not possible; a USB link cable must be used, as seen in the [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814982/zh-tw Microsoft knowledge base article 814982]. However, with a USB link cable, a program which supports data transfer using that cable must be used. Typically, such a program is supplied with the USB link cable. The DCC wizard or Windows Explorer cannot be used to transfer files over a USB link cable.

====Newer hardware technology with identical functionality====
There are at least 2 known USB-crossover cables capable of bidirectional data-transfer between computers similar to RJ45/Ethernet cables: ProlificUSA.com's TE-C0372 High Speed USB 2.0 Host to Host Bridge Cable (PL25A1 Chipset) and ProlificUSA.com's TE-C0363 Superspeed USB 3.0 Host to Host Bridge Cable (PL27A1 Chipset), and drivers for these seem to have been included in newer versions of the [[Linux]] kernel.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://prolificusa.com/product-category/chips/i-o-products/usb-connectivity/ | title=USB Connectivity Archives }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://prolificusa.com/product-category/cables/usb-connectivity-cables/ | title=USB Connectivity Cables Archives }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://prolificusa.com/products/ | title=Products Archive }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/search?q=prolificusa+linux+driver|title=prolificusa linux driver - Google Search|website=www.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/drivers/usb/musb/musb_core.c | title=Torvalds/Linux | website=[[GitHub]] | date=9 July 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/drivers/usb/musb/musb_host.c | title=Torvalds/Linux | website=[[GitHub]] | date=9 July 2022 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Interlnk]] (on DOS)
* [[Null modem]]
* [[LapLink cable]]
* [[Serial line internet protocol]] (SLIP)
* [[Parallel line internet protocol]] (PLIP)
* [[Point-to-Point Protocol]] (PPP)
* [[OBject EXchange]] (OBEX protocol often used via Bluetooth or via USB-cables)
* [[Android Debug Bridge]] (adb)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/dccmain.htm Direct-Cable Connection Introduction from WindowsNetworking.com] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20001206055900/https://www.wown.com/j_helmig/dccmain.htm archived link])
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/305621 How To Set Up a Direct Cable Connection Between Two Computers in Windows XP from Microsoft Support] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150331124957/http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/305621 archived link])
{{DEFAULTSORT:Direct Cable Connection}}
[[Category:File sharing]]
[[Category:Discontinued Windows components]]