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In Microsoft Windows, Direct Cable Connection (DCC) is a feature which allows computers to be connected with the help of infrared or with the serial or parallel ports of computers. In other words, Direct Cable Connection is a link between the input/output ports of two computers, established with the help of an interfacing device. For computers where an Ethernet adapter is absent, this is an advantageous way to transfer files and access resources.
With the advent of features like Ethernet, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in the current generation of computers, the support for Direct Cable Connection has mostly ceased with newer versions of Microsoft Windows.
Techopedia Explains Direct Cable Connection
Direct Cable Connection is a much-used feature in Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows ME and Windows XP. In order to use Direct Cable Connection, the feature must be installed on both computers, must make use of a bi-directional parallel or serial port cable or even a null modem cable, and both computers need to have a Windows operating system, but there is no restriction on the version of the Microsoft Windows on the computers. In order to create a Direct Cable Connection that acts as a host, one must be logged in as the administrator, although guest connections are possible having no administrator-level rights. Direct Cable Connection is capable of bypassing authentication requirements. Multiple Direct Cable Connections were also possible to set up. In most cases, installation of dial-up networking support was required to share resources such as folders and printers with others in the Direct Cable Connection.
There are certain advantages with using Direct Cable Connection. It is a cost-efficient network connection. The characteristic could also help in acting as a gateway to the rest of the local area network. There is no requirement of configuring any inputs/outputs for the adapter or interrupt requests. Moreover, Direct Cable Connection can be used as and when needed, and unlike other features, need not be constantly running on the computers. However, Direct Cable Connection is a slow network connection.
