File transfer by cable between Win10 PCs.

Although moving files between PCs via USB stick is quite simple and easy to do, I wonder whether a direct USB cable connection between PCs would have some merit. I have experience of doing that through lap-link (PC-Linq) between Win98E and WinXP. Its driver/software is of 2003, and might not be suitable for 'now', but there is a 2018 post on the web [Is PC-Linq really working with Windows 10? - PC-Linq] that claims it works for Win10, provided it is installed and run As Administrator, and that the compatibility mode is set (for WinXP). I have done that and when it failed, I ran the Troubleshooter which came back with 'Mdi is incompatible'. Knowing that PCs often tell diagnostic lies, I figure the fault could be in the leads, the USB ports as well as in the software. I have not found an update to the 2003 software - despite the post being of this year 2021. Is it a pipedream or really feasible ? I read that file-transfer can be done through ethernet cable, but having read up on that, have decided its a maresnest of self-invited trouble including disabled internet.

Sure, that could be done, but how about a pair of USB Ethernet adapters? They are extremely inexpensive, and you would simply attach one to each machine and run an Ethernet cable between the two machines. You do not even need a hub to connect two machine directly.

Note that if either one of the systems or both already have Ethernet, then you are ahead of the game already.

Each PC is connected by ethernet to the same modem/router. Can that existing arrangement be used ? As I said in my post- I have read up on the use of ethernet and it just seems to be inviting trouble with the internet functionality.

"You do not even need a hub to connect two machines directly." Can't see the relevance of that.

"a pair of USB Ethernet adapters?" In addition to the existing ethernet connections to the modem, add a PCI ethernet card with USB sockets to each ?

You were asking about the feasibility of transferring files between machines using USB. Because of the line of questioning, I assumed that the machines did not have already existing Ethernet connections. If these machines already have network connectivity, what's the point of trying to transfer files over USB? You already can transfer files over the network, faster and more efficiently than you would be able to over a USB connection.

The bottom line is that you likely have everything needed in place to share and transfer files over the network. Note that this won't affect your ability to access the internet in any way.

For details on how to accomplish this, please see this tutorial:

Share Files and Folders Over a Network in Windows 10

If you have any further questions, please do let us know.

I hope this helps!

EDIT: You had asked about the relevance of my statement that that a hub was not needed. If my erroneous assumption that you did not already have Ethernet connections had been correct, then the point of that statement was simply to let you know that you can connect 2 machines using a direct Ethernet connection - simply run a cable between the two machines - without needing any hub / switch / router.

Sebastian42 said:

Although moving files between PCs via USB stick is quite simple and easy to do, I wonder whether a direct USB cable connection between PCs would have some merit. I have experience of doing that through lap-link (PC-Linq) between Win98E and WinXP. Its driver/software is of 2003, and might not be suitable for 'now', but there is a 2018 post on the web [Is PC-Linq really working with Windows 10? - PC-Linq] that claims it works for Win10, provided it is installed and run As Administrator, and that the compatibility mode is set (for WinXP). I have done that and when it failed, I ran the Troubleshooter which came back with 'Mdi is incompatible'. Knowing that PCs often tell diagnostic lies, I figure the fault could be in the leads, the USB ports as well as in the software. I have not found an update to the 2003 software - despite the post being of this year 2021. Is it a pipedream or really feasible ? I read that file-transfer can be done through ethernet cable, but having read up on that, have decided its a maresnest of self-invited trouble including disabled internet.

Think of it like walking up the street to the store. Normal ethernet is walking. usb to usb would be walking with one arm and one leg, just to say you did it.

Sebastian42 said:

I have read up on the use of ethernet and it just seems to be inviting trouble with the internet functionality.

If doing a file transfer on your network disables your internet, you have something else going on.

tomdsr - "If doing a file transfer on your network disables your internet" I have not tried it, but read comments to that effect on-line.
hsehestedt- The ethernet connections are for internet - so an ethernet from each PC to the modem (router ?). Is that all the hardware needed for file transfer ?

So an ethernet cable from each PC to the modem (router ?) is all the all hardware that is needed for file transfer ?

Why not ? because I'd be delving into the unknown. Cables make sense to me.