Use laptop as a monitor and keyboard for desktop

jgirardi · #1 03-18-2005, 12:21 PM

I have a desktop running Windows 98 SE. I also have an old laptop running Windows 95. Can I connect the laptop to the desktop so that I access the Desktop machine through the laptop? I don’t need any access to the laptop, I just want to use is as a monitor and keyboard for the desktop. In other words, can I use a laptop to serve as a monitor and a keyboard for a desktop machine. If so, how?

snowmonkey · #2 03-18-2005, 01:03 PM

Short answer is NO... you can't. If your scenario was the other way around then it would work... you could use an external monitor for the laptop but not use laptop screen for external computer.

Cheers

jgirardi · #3 03-18-2005, 01:07 PM

After some more research, I realize that is the case. So this leads to another potential solution. The laptop I was refering to is very old running win 95. Can I hook this up to a wireless network? All I want to use it for it access to the internet. Assuming I have the proper set up and hardware on the other end, can this laptop be used to connect to a home network?

Kidwithsolder · #4 07-23-2005, 05:54 PM

Aight guys, I don't know how old u are or how long u've been playin' with 'puters, And i don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence, That's why ur here....to learn. But here ya go. It's Poosible to use your laptop as the monitor AND keyboard but only because you wanna leave it intact, most people wanna "dumb-terminal" the job and remove the LCD panel (not easy) but it is easy if u wanna leave ur laptop running and buy some commercial software.(sry, i hate buying software too) You get your desktop hooked up to ur laptop via cheap old ethernet or wireless or some kinda network then...duh...PcAnywhere that thing. Ya know what? read up, I don't know the specs on ur laptop, but it looks like this should work. really guys come on....this's been around for awhile:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...99120913191112

agr1487 · #5 07-26-2005, 10:47 AM

Kidwithsolder, have you ever used PcAnywhere? For one, it's too slow to actually 'run' (use and run applications like you were at the pc) and it's functionality is limited (you can't do everything that the host pc can do when you are remoted into it - ie. some programs can't be installed). So, yeah the desktop can use the laptop's screen and keyboard, but the laptop cannot replace the desktop's peripherals and 'serve' as the desktop's screen and keyboard and expected to perform like a modern fast pc.

Jgirardi, as far as your second question about hooking up your laptop... the answer is, maybe. To hook up a wireless network, you have to have a wireless router and a wireless NIC for your laptop. Now, that's easy to acquire as all you need to do is buy the hardware and hook it up. The question of working will lie within your laptop. I bought a wireless card that required Win98se or higher. It's possible that any wireless card you can get won't support Win95. You'll just have to do a little research and find that out. If you can find a card that does support Win95, then yes you can hook your laptop up for wireless.

Disk_Contented · #6 07-26-2005, 09:12 PM

I agree with kidwithsolder.
Though PCanywhere isn't my choice, and speed is allways going to be a problem shunting all that data over a network.

The choice is down to the lappy spec. What is the spec jgirardi?

bmolitch · #7 12-12-2006, 07:09 AM

I have a similar problem except both my laptop and pc are running win 98 se I just don't have the space to set up another monitor and keyboard.

iJoseph · #8 07-20-2009, 08:50 AM

Your all wrong! You can do this but it would require both computers to be connected to the internet with diffrend IP's and the desktop computer to be on 24/7! On the laptop you go into Start > programs > acsessories > remote desktop connection. Once your in the remote desktop connection type in the IP and then log into your computer And your there! You all just got outsmarted by a -----------Twelve year old!--------------... But your laptop would need to be higher than Home.

sillydrunk247 · #9 08-15-2009, 10:34 PM

iJoseph,

Wow, that's impressive for a 12 year old. And had you not made such a big deal about out smarting everyone I would not be saying this .. Pay attention kid! What exactly is the version above of windows 95 or 98 that is an upgrade from the "Home" version? Oh, wait .. that's right, you're twelve and probably have never seen either. There is no home, premium, or ultimate versions. Back then you had windows or windows NT for server operations.

As for the question, I don't have a lot of laptop knowledge, but being that your lap top has 95 on it I'm assuming it's an older one. Did any of those come with serial ports? I know some server software allows you to bypass using a keyboard, monitor, or mouse by connecting to another computer that has them via serial port. If you can find some opensource software for 95 and 98 that has that ability and you have a serial port on there, maybe that would be an option?

Kevin_gibson · #10 08-16-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iJoseph

Your all wrong! You can do this but it would require both computers to be connected to the internet with diffrend IP's and the desktop computer to be on 24/7! On the laptop you go into Start > programs > acsessories > remote desktop connection. Once your in the remote desktop connection type in the IP and then log into your computer And your there! You all just got outsmarted by a -----------Twelve year old!--------------... But your laptop would need to be higher than Home.

Remote desktop, if I'm not mistaken, can't be used on a Win 95 PC / Laptop

wizkidweb · #11 09-07-2009, 01:50 PM

@iJoseph: You just got outsmarted by a -------Kevin_gibson-------!

But really, if you want to find any way to transfer your desktop screen over a network, Win95's file transfer speeds aren't all that fast, so you might have a problem there. Plus, if you have an old laptop, you probably have an IDE hard drive.

The only way to connect your laptop's screen directly to the desktop is to take out the screen, and a little soldering might be required. However, you most likely will not be able to use the laptop with that screen again.