how does one connect a peer to peer using a cross over cable and share files i need the configuration part

personally I don't know how its done ,but I did find a site that will tell you how to set it up .good luck,click here

So the link that caperjack provided refers to an article that is a bit dated. However, the process is relatively the same.

In Windows 2000 and later systems, the three required components that need to be bound to your network interface card are there by default (Client for Microsoft Networks, TCP/IP Protocol, and File and Printer Sharing Services).

When you connect the two computers together via a cross-over cable, you do not have to configure the computers with static IP addresses, since these computers will automatically configure themselves with APIPA (169.254.x.x) addresses..

However, to better control the IP addressing, you could assign each one of them with a static IP address. You can use any IP, preferrably in a private IP range. Just use the following configuration...

ComputerA
192.168.1.1 (IP)
255.255.255.0 (Subnet Mask)

ComputerB
192.168.2.1
255.255.255.0

No default gateway or DNS settings are required since you have neither on this peer network.

You will also need to ensure that any local firewall app running on each of these computers is either turned off, or has the necessary exemptions in place to allow file sharing services to pass the local firewalls.

Go ahead and share out the resources on each computer. Right click a folder, and follow the process sharing the folder.

you can then access each computer by UNC path.

\computerA\shareName

or

\192.168.1.1\shareName

thank for the reply you guys have been most helpful

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