Send very large files through Ethernet between two Mac computers
Yes, you can use an ethernet cable to quickly transfer files from one computer to the other.

It's really quite simple.


Plug in the cable
Go to System Preferences, and make sure that Ethernet is enabled. (it should be in the "Network" list.)
Unlock the "Network" preference pane, and click on "Ethernet"
Click on Advanced, and select "Manually" from the "Configure IP v4" dropdown.
Type in an IP address that's not commonly used, so you don't have conflicts: i.e. 10.2.0.1
Subnet Mask should be: 255.255.255.0
Router should be: 10.2.0.1
Repeat these steps on your friend's computer, but in step 5, enter: 10.2.0.2 (the difference is the last digit)





Make sure "File Sharing" is enabled in the "Sharing" preference pane on the computer you are connecting to, so your friend's computer, in this case.




Now, in Finder on your machine, click on the "Go" menu at the top of the screen, and select "Connect to server."



Type in 10.2.0.2, and click connect.  You may have to authenticate (this will be her login name and password) and then you should be able to drag the file from her computer to yours.

To reverse these steps, just put both "Ethernet" connections back to DHCP.