Please Help -- My link wont work

[BigJake151]

I can't get my Red and Blue versions to link.
I put my Red in my GBA and attach the purple connector, then I put my Blue in my SP and attach the gray connector. I turn them both on at the same time and when I try to enter the cable club using the Red/GBA it says "this area is reserved for friends who are linked by cable" and then the window closes. When I try to enter the Blue/SP it says "Please apply here." Then it says "Before opening the link, we have to save the game." I select Yes to save and it says "please wait" for a few seconds and then says " the link has been closed because of inactivity." Then the window closes and it returns to the game where I left off.
If I switch the purple/gray connectors it still doesn't work but now the GBA gives me the "please apply here" messages and the SP says I am in an area reserved for 2. I have also tried switching the game paks and I have tried three different sets of cables and get the same results each time.
If the problem were in the ext port(s) why would the messages change when I swapped the connectors?
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks

[[N]eto]

You require two GBCs. You can't trade between a GBA and a GBA SP.

[DayleJ]

Originally posted by [N]eto
You require two GBCs. You can't trade between a GBA and a GBA SP.

hes a smart old dog...lol :)

thats your answer

welcome to C/D by the way, hope you stick around...especially if u get any more problems :)

[Forsaken]

tha's forked! is the the same for most games?

[BigJake151]

The link cable instructions say that the cable will work between advance and sp. Are you saying that the game paks wont support trading unless I use the old game boy color? They dont sell those anymore, do they?
thanks

[~Felly~]

they do sell them at some places but you have to trade on two of the same game system like gbc and gbc or gba and gba and the last one gba sp and gba sp thats how