Re: [gentoo-user] OT: PC as USB client

[Stroller <stroller@stellar.eclipse.co.uk>]

On 7 Oct 2009, at 22:08, Alex Schuster wrote:

> Stroller writes:
>
>> On 7 Oct 2009, at 18:38, Alex Schuster wrote:
>>> Rohit writes:
>>>> I have seen a cable and a box (USB powered only) which used to make
>>>> drives of one machine available to the other.
>>>> It was available from scan.co.uk - 2 years back.
>>>
>>> I didn't find it there, but now that I looked for such a thing I
>>> think I found a similar one. Thanks! Linux is not being mentioned,  
>>> but
>>> at least it says there are no drivers needed. I wonder how it  
>>> would be
>>> possible that two system use the system at the same time.
>>> As the cable is cheap, I think I'll just get one and try it.
>>
>> Do you have a link for this, please?
>
> Only in German:
> http://www.pearl.de/a-PE187-1414.shtml?query=USB data link
>
> It says there is no driver or software installation necessary. When
> connected, a data transfer program will open automatically. Does  
> this mean
> there is some program that is executed automatically when  
> connecting, or is
> this just the usual Windows feature that opens a new drive and shows  
> its
> contents?
>
>> I'm very unclear how this could be achieved without drivers.
>
> Me too, after some thinking I believe this will not be what I need.  
> How
> would the cable know the location where to store data it receives  
> from the
> other client?

I'm not able to answer any of your questions, but I've seen similar  
products advertised before which were clearly 2 USB network adaptors -  
like this <http://ledshoppe.com/Product/com/CA3005.htm> - in a single  
cable. In fact, looking up that example I found the same store  
explicitly selling exactly as I describe: <http://ledshoppe.com/Product/com/CA3004.htm 
 >.

In this case the "no drivers needed" would suggest to me that the  
drivers are installed by default under XP.

Stroller.