computer-to-computer communication over USB

[Joseph Mack NA3T]

On Thu, 8 Sep 2005, Brian Henning wrote:

> Joe,
>  A PC-to-PC USB connection is possible, but it requires active electronics 
> along the way; although adapters are sold which can passively produce a USB 
> cable with Type-A Male plugs on both ends, if you plug two computers together 
> like that you'll melt stuff and/or release the magic smoke.

I didn't like the idea of connecting two power providing 
plugs together without knowing more.

> What you need is (I think) called a USB Bridge.

thanks, didn't have any idea of what I needed.

> http://www.sewelld.com/UsbCable.asp

OK

> At any rate, you'll notice the lump in the middle of the cable in the 
> picture; that's the important bit for making such a connection.

yes

Presumably as far as the USB bus is concerned, each computer 
thinks is connected at the transport level, to a USB client 
(or whatever the other end of a USB connection is called).

> According to the product description on that site, that package includes 
> software for transferring files; however, I'm sure it doesn't include 
> software for doing exactly what you want to do..  Perhaps someone else can 
> offer insight into the possibility of achieving your ultimate goal.

hmm. At the next level up, the USB software running on the 
laptop is running a USB host controller and is not running 
as a USB client keyboard. Presumably this could be fixed in 
Linux, but the machine involved is a windows laptop. I'd be 
suprised if there's software to do this.

However I've got a few hints here for things to google for.
Maybe I can go to the Linux USB mailing lists.

Thanks Joe

-- 
Joseph Mack NA3T EME(B,D), FM05lw North Carolina
jmack (at) wm7d (dot) net - azimuthal equidistant map
generator at http://www.wm7d.net/azproj.shtml 
Homepage http://www.austintek.com/ It's GNU/Linux!