Direct Connection - Firewire to Thunderbolt ??

[grapii]

Hi All,

I have a 2010 MBP and a 2011 MBA, and I would like to connect the two up for file sharing notibly using ChronSync.

I know I can do this over WiFi, but was wondering if there are any direct connection methods available.

I believe it can't be done using USB to USB as one acts as master and the other slave, or something like that.

I can do IP firewire to firewire or ethernet to ethernet using crossover cable, but the MBA doesn't have firewire or ethernet (unless I buy the USB-Ethernet dongle)

Can I accomplish this by firewire(MBP) to thunderbolt(MBA)?? if so, where to get cable and what needs to be done.

Currently I've set this up over WiFi, but would love to be able to make a direct connection for those times when I've no WiFi connections.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Labaguette]

Hello,

unfortunately there is no cable as you described. The only possibility is in fact the USB Ethernet Adapter. Otherwise you could create an ad-hoc connection between the two MacBooks so no infrastructure is required.

 

[grapii]

Thanks, by Ad hoc, I assume you mean using the USB-Ethernet dongle on the MBA and connecting directly to the ethernet port of the MBP. If so, would I need a crossover cable or a normal straight cat5 cable?? and is there anything I would need to configure on either of the macs? IP etc...

Thanks

 

[grahamnp]

You can create an Ad hoc network using wifi only. Go into System Preferences -> Sharing -> Internet Sharing and set up a wifi network there. Connect the 2nd computer to the network host and both computers will see each other as if connected on the same LAN. Neither computer can connect to the internet via wifi when this is active, but if you connect your MBP via ethernet (or MBA via usb->ethernet) the 2nd computer can share the internet connection.

I wouldn't advise using this as a primary sync strategy, very convenient and I use it to transfer files quite often but the speeds are quite poor.