Dear forum users, I would very grateful for tips and guidance to help me solve the following problem:
(I´ve been using Linux/Ubuntu for many years, much to my satisfaction, but not never have gotten past novice level in setting up computer stuff/solving problems, although have in several instances solved issues by browsing forums like this one and using terminal)
The problem: I want to use my laptop (netbook-like Asus, 2018) as ´main´ computer, for writing, e-mailing, web-searches etc., but would like to connect to my PC (2010 or 2011), using wired connection, so as to be able to access large amount of data (archive of articles, newspaper clippings, images etc), present on pc, fairly fast and (possibly) run applications on pc which are too heavy for laptop. Ideally I would work always on laptop but have simple access to archive on pc, be able to uncouple laptop easily for travel and work at other locations. Both laptop and pc have Wifi connection (but pc can be taken off that of course). Both laptop and pc have Ubuntu 16.04
So: after looking at some forums/answers, I connected the laptop to pc with (I think non-crossover) ethernet cable (attached to laptop with USB-c adaptor), proceeded to install SSH on both systems as this seemed necessary, assigned static ip adresses 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2 to laptop and pc respectively (that 192. ... 1.1, 1.2 appropriate suggested by several posts I found) in the network settings accessed though the cog symbol, and then (also as found on some posts) went on to ´connect to network´ in the File Manager (Nautilus or similar), with
sftp://user@192.168.1.1.x/home/user
Where ´user´ username of laptop and pc (checked those if correct) and x 1 or 2 for laptop and pc.
What I keep getting is that there seems to be a fine connection between laptop and pc (1000 Mb/s), when I type in the appropriate sftp://.. (e..g. on laptop, to access pc, but also other way around), is that the password for pc is asked for (when trying to connect from laptop, but also vice versa), and when I enter password (correct, also upper/lower case etc., Num/caplock off) nothing happens for a few moments, after which password is again asked for. After several fruitless attempts something like ´you have no permission´ is displayed.
Hours of searching www and posts on similar topics brought no solutions, and maybe made things worse as I installed (and deinstalled, when I found them not to solve the problem) several ssh-like network sharing programs. SSH itself I got no furher with as I had to enter a password which I did not know.
As far as I can see connecting laptop & pc like I want should be easy als pie.. so why O why doesn´t it work?. I´ve thought of firewalls, etc. looked into that a bit, but found no evidence for this as cause, nor that there could be a clash between wireless and wired connection (and I prefer wired for connection as this seems neatest and simplest). Most probably I overlooked/have changed settings which I sholuldn´t have,
Perplexed,
Marcus