**Regular Ethernet cable + RPI 2 Raspbian Jessie 2016-05-27 + Ubuntu 16.04 host**

Link the Ethernet cable from your laptop directly to the Pi.

<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8C0mJ.jpg" width="400" />

On Ubuntu open Dash, and go:

1. Network Connections
1. Add
1. Ethernet
1. Create
1. IPv4 Settings
1. Method: Shared to other computers
1. Set a good name for it
1. Save

Find the IP of the Pi on Ubuntu:

    cat /var/lib/misc/dnsmasq.leases

Then as usual:

    ssh pi@IP

Now you can also:

- access the Internet from the PI through your Ubuntu's Wifi connection
- open a VNC to get rid of the display as well: http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/14611/how-to-set-up-raspberry-pi-without-a-monitor/54393#54393

This is a more concise version of: http://www.interlockroc.org/2012/12/06/raspberry-pi-macgyver/ which was mentioned by: http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/a/4294/33424