"Wired switcher thinger" = router? If so, here's how to do this step by step:
1. Before shutting down computers, make sure their network configurations are set to obtain an IP address via DHCP. Shut down the computers, unplug the router, unplug the cable modem - everything is off.
2. Plug cable motem into router's WAN port using ethernet cable. Plug each computer into one of the numbered ports on the router.
3. Turn on cable modem/plug back in. Let it initialize.
4. Plug in router.
5. Turn on both computers. Check the IP addresses of the computers from a DOS prompt (ipconfig /all).
6. If the IPs are 192.168.1.100 and 192.168.1.101 (or whatever your router set them to, but those should be the defaults), that means your router successfully assigned the IPs. If not, you must go into your router configuration via IE or another browser and enable DHCP for 2 computers.
7. If you had to enable the router, you might have to reboot the computers.
8. You may now FTP files from the laptop to the desktop.
a. set up FTP server on desktop
b. set up FTP client on laptop
c. point client to server IP (192.168.x.x)
d. upload
If you have any further questions, ask me. This is very similar to a setup that I have used in the past. I went back to using a crossover cable to transfer because it's faster.
If someone wants to stick this in the archive, go ahead.
-Matt