How do I connect two computers using USB 3.0?

Question

I know this question exists, but it's about USB in General. Mine is about USB 3.0 and newer specifically.

USB 3.0 specification introduces the feature known as direct host-to-host connection with normal USB 3.0 A/A (male/male) cables (or some bridge cables? Anyway I can't find any to buy). [1] [2]

But it's now 2018, I have a pretty new laptop. The sources date from 2012 or older.

My question is:

How can I connect two computers (preferably using Windows 8.1, I don't mind using a OS with a linux-kernel) with USB 3.0 ports together to transfer files or maybe play LAN games? (I know how to do it with normal networking cables :P)

Answer 1

This cable connects two USB3.0 hosts together. They provide chinish app for that but in Linux, you can use my patch to use it as virtual ethernet card. I managed to achieve speeds between 1-2Gbps. But you can write own driver to transfer any data: you simply write to USB EP0 and read from USB EP0 on the other side.

Answer 2

Host-to-Host Connections

USB 3.0 Type-A Connector Detail

Unlike USB 2.0, the new standard will allow for two host devices to be connected directly with a USB 3.0 crossover cable. This new cable features the typical Type-A connectors on each end but with a new internal wiring. This cable omits the Vbus, D+ and D- wires (USB2.0 data and voltage) and cross-routes the SuperSpeed transmit and receive connections. This crossover cable is designed for debugging and host-to-host applications and will not cause damage if plugged into a USB 2.0 port.

What software, if any, is needed; I do not know. A USB 3.0 crossover cable may be purchased online or at a few major Computer retailers.

Answer 3

There's Transfer Express from ASUS, but it is not on the market, and probably never will be. And it works only if both your boards are ASUS. Also it's over 3.0, which is already outdated since the intro of 3.1, which the link is testing using 2 SSDs in RAID 0 to get higher than 500 MB/s. There are videos on YouTube for the Transfer Express device. Just get yourself a fast thumb drive like the SanDisk Extreme or Lexar LP20 or 2 10 Gb NICs.

ASUS Goes All In With USB 3.1 Capable Motherboards has some information.  Here are some quotes from Using Asus Transfer Express: A Multi-Platform Control Hub (Part 4):

I like the PC-to-PC and PC-to-Android keyboard and mouse sharing. The overall usage experience was hassle-free; the shared keyboard and mouse was great for controlling multiple PCs simultaneously, and I was even able to play real PC games through my Nvidia Shield tablet. An improvement here would be the option for a more seamless PC-to-Android keyboard/mouse switch than a hotkey.

The biggest adjustment that I would like to see on the Asus Transfer Express is functionality with other vendors’ hardware when the device bundle hits retailers in the coming months. If an Asus motherboard is deemed a requirement for the primary PC, that is understandable, but forcing both PCs to be Asus hardware seems unnecessary and very restrictive.

Answer 4

One way would be to use a USB-Ethernet adapter, plug the USB-Ethernet in both computers and connect like that. This is especially useful if your computer dosen't have an ethernet port. You can buy one here: http://www.staples.com/Belkin-B2B048-USB-30-to-Gigabit-Ethernet-Card/product_IM1QU4388

Answer 5

This cable implements the new host to host feature of USB 3.0 that you mention:

http://www.datapro.net/products/usb-3-0-super-speed-a-a-debugging-cable.html

As your own reference and as this product page mentions, Linux, windows, and OS X do not have the software support to run full networking over this kind of cable. One use for this cable is remote debugging a windows kernel.

If you want to do networking over a single USB cable, you will have to use the kind of host-to-host cable which predates USB 3.0. This kind of cable looks like a host-to-device connection to the computer at each end and the regular USB networking software stacks of each machine will talk to their own ends happily. What makes this work is a bulge in the center of the cable containing active electronics which implements the two device ends of the USB connections and bridges data over between the two cables.

Answer 6

I know this is an old post, but I stumbled upon the USB 3.0 Wormhole Switch Cable, Super Speed Transfer Cable JUC500 from Amazon.com.

I went through the reviews of the product and discovered that a user has successfully transferred data files in excess of 1.1Gbps to 1.4Gbps between two PCs containing SSDs. The review (update) on the product is recent with a date of 7/2/2015.

The USB cable also functions as a sort of virtual KVM connection as well although it can be quite buggy at times. Link to the cable: http://www.amazon.com/Wormhole-Switch-Cable-Transfer-JUC500/dp/B00W43L3KW/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Answer 7

Well, your question is:

How can I connect two computers (preferably using Windows 8.1, I don't mind using a OS
with a linux-kernel) with USB 3.0 ports together to transfer files or maybe play LAN
games? (I know how to do it with normal networking cables :P)

The answer to that is: By using a USB3.0 male-to-male cable. The computers once connected will show up in "My Computer" just like any USB attached device normally would.

You also stated above your question:

USB 3.0 specification introduces the feature known as direct host-to-host connection
with normal USB 3.0 A/A (male/male) cables (or some bridge cables? Anyway I can't find
any to buy).

To buy them try: CableLeader.com

Answer 8

i know this is an old thread, but maybe someone will find this information useful.

There is a product called Inateck hb4009. Quite a versatile product and it should suffice many users who needs easy data transfer over usb.