How do I share internet connection on WiFi network?

2098 Views 25 Replies 6 Participants Last post by tookers, Jul 24, 2005

Nameless

Discussion Starter · Jul 9, 2005

Well, the subject says it all. I've done this a couple of times on with a wired connection but can't get it to work here. Both systems are running XP abd can see each other and connect. It's an ad hoc setup so I set the connection on one pc to be shared but I keep getting a "page cannot be found" error in IE.

Would someone please post or link to a step-by-step guide? Thanks in advance

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

masque

· #2 · Jul 9, 2005

based on my experience with "wired" internet sharing, XP sets itself up as an internet gateway. If you want to share the internet, you need to make sure that the internet is being shared via the right connection (so the "wired" connection i'm assuming) and is set up as a gateway properly, and the other computers are configured to access the internet via the gateway.

Or go buy a router, they're cheap nowadays, $60 or less or even better on sale.

Foxfyre

· #3 · Jul 9, 2005

If you are simply using an ethernet cable, and not a router, you can make 2 pc's talk to each other, but you need a special kind of ethernet cable called "crossover" cable. Go to radioshack, they have it there.

Proto

· #4 · Jul 9, 2005

As he said, it was a wireless ad-hoc setup, so, while a crossover "could" solve the problem, it's not really the point

First, are you setting the ip's correctly? Can you make a ping from the second computer to the first and viceversa? Are you setting the main pc as the gateway for the second?

Ramsus K

· #5 · Jul 9, 2005

As Proto pointed out, you'll want to make sure your ad-hoc network actually works before trying to use it to share a connection. Wireless routers are pretty cheap these days though, so ask yourself if your time is worth less than $50.

Then check out this article at Microsoft's website:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02april08.mspx

Nameless

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 9, 2005 (Edited)

Thanks for the feedback guys! Proto, how can I ping the pc? And I've set the gateway through the network setup wizard just as I would for a wired connection, is that right?

and sadly, my dsl modem doesn't have a ethernet cable which is why I'm forced to use the ad hoc setup

EDIT: I've read the article Ramsus. It's on the last step that I have a conflict. I've went to the connection to be shared and enabled sharing under the advanced tab but I don't see the connection on this computer (the host) as "shared and enabled", just "connected, shared, firewalled" (ICF firewawll BTW). On the client pc, the article says I should see the connection set as "internet gateway".....which connection is that?? the wireless one or the one I use directly from the host to connect to the net? neither show this anyway

Foxfyre

· #7 · Jul 9, 2005

On the computer that is being networked through the host, you will see the "internet gateway" Your host computer IS the internet gateway. On my host computer I cannot see the network gateway. On my laptop however, which my computer is the host computer for, if I go to my network connections screen on the laptop, it shows my desktop as the internet gateway.

Proto said:
As he said, it was a wireless ad-hoc setup, so, while a crossover "could" solve the problem, it's not really the point

Doesn't really matter what kind of setup it is. The point is is that he's trying to get a WiFi connection to another computer over a WIRED networked, from what I understand. To do this he needs 1 of two things. A wired router (can be acquired for less than $20 bucks nowadays) or a Cat5 crossover ethernet cable. If you use a regular Cat5 (non-crossover) cable between two computers, they will NEVER talk to each other right. Trust me, I found this out the hard way the first time I ever tried to created a wired network. I opted to get a crossover cable because back then wired router cost as much as wireless routers do now....

Ramsus K

· #8 · Jul 9, 2005

Nameless said:
Thanks for the feedback guys! Proto, how can I ping the pc? And I've set the gateway through the network setup wizard just as I would for a wired connection, is that right?

and sadly, my dsl modem doesn't have a ethernet cable which is why I'm forced to use the ad hoc setup

EDIT: I've read the article Ramsus. It's on the last step that I have a conflict. I've went to the connection to be shared and enabled sharing under the advanced tab but I don't see the connection on this computer (the host) as "shared and enabled", just "connected, shared, firewalled" (ICF firewawll BTW). On the client pc, the article says I should see the connection set as "internet gateway".....which connection is that?? the wireless one or the one I use directly from the host to connect to the net? neither show this anyway

Sounds like Microsoft just slightly changed the naming scheme. Now the connection that says "connected, shared, firewalled" should be the connection to the Internet. The connection that is supposed to say "internet gateway" is the connection on the computer with no Internet.

It seems somewhat backwards, but by "Internet gateway" Windows means the connection is to a Windows PC acting as a gateway to the Internet, not that the PC is an Internet gateway. I don't have any Windows computers to verify this with though.

To make sure your computers can communicate, write down the wireless IP address of the computer with the Internet connection, then with the computer with Internet go to Start->Run and type "cmd" and hit enter. Then in the prompt you get type "ping -c 10 x.x.x.x" where x.x.x.x is the wireless IP address of the computer with the Internet.

Let that run until it's finished. If the ad hoc network isn't working at all, it should say 100% packet loss.

They should also see each other on the ad-hoc network. There should be something in one of the configuration dialogs that shows available networks and computers.

Jldnr77 said:
Doesn't really matter what kind of setup it is. The point is is that he's trying to get a WiFi connection to another computer over a WIRED networked, from what I understand. To do this he needs 1 of two things. A wired router (can be acquired for less than $20 bucks nowadays) or a Cat5 crossover ethernet cable. If you use a regular Cat5 (non-crossover) cable between two computers, they will NEVER talk to each other right. Trust me, I found this out the hard way the first time I ever tried to created a wired network. I opted to get a crossover cable because back then wired router cost as much as wireless routers do now....

He's trying to share a broadband connection without using a router or a wireless base station, and he has an ethernet card for broadband (or a USB modem acting like an ethernet device) and two wireless cards, one in each computer. See why cross-over cable might not be the best solution yet?

Not only can we not assume that he even has enough ethernet devices, but we can't assume that the computers are even near enough to each other that ethernet would be viable.

And yes, cross-over vs straight is ethernet 101. You really don't have to elaborate on it. My first networking experience was with coaxial ethernet cable and those damned T-connectors, but I don't go around telling everyone how important it is to use the T connectors and to put terminators on the unused ends.

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Foxfyre

· #9 · Jul 9, 2005

Well, then if this is the case, and I understand you correctly, he had a broadband modem, which is going to use his ethernet port, and 2 wireless adapters. Then yes, the answer is that he is going to need a wireless router.

Although, you have to admit, it is easy to become confused, he didn't provide alot of info about his setup.

So here's the answer from both perspectives, since he didn't really clarify.

If it's a wired network, you will need either crossover, or a wired router
If it's a wireless network, there is no way around it, you will have to have a wireless router.

Proto

· #10 · Jul 10, 2005

If it's a wireless network, there is no way around it, you will have to have a wireless router.

Well he said he was using an ad-hoc setup, you don't really need the router -.-

Ramsus K

· #11 · Jul 10, 2005

Jldnr77 said:
Well, then if this is the case, and I understand you correctly, he had a broadband modem, which is going to use his ethernet port, and 2 wireless adapters. Then yes, the answer is that he is going to need a wireless router.

Although, you have to admit, it is easy to become confused, he didn't provide alot of info about his setup.

So here's the answer from both perspectives, since he didn't really clarify.

If it's a wired network, you will need either crossover, or a wired router
If it's a wireless network, there is no way around it, you will have to have a wireless router.

Actually, most wireless cards support an "ad hoc" networking mode that simply creates a network with any peers it finds within its range. Performance is worse (for obvious reasons), but you don't need a wireless router/basestation. That way, he can essentially use one of his computers as a wireless router.

That's what he's been trying to set up.

Nameless

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 11, 2005

True enough, I tried the ping thingy and 100% pack loss resulted. That's strange since on the taskbar, both of the pcs are shown as connected. Would someone be kind enough to write down the steps and I'll start over.

Also, What is this "wireless base"?

Ramsus K

· #13 · Jul 11, 2005

Nameless said:
True enough, I tried the ping thingy and 100% pack loss resulted. That's strange since on the taskbar, both of the pcs are shown as connected. Would someone be kind enough to write down the steps and I'll start over.

Also, What is this "wireless base"?

Wireless base station is just the proper name for a wireless router.

Anyway, make sure you don't have anything unnecessary configured, like a network bridge, and make sure you're setting it up without a firewall enabled on the ad hoc network.

You can also manually assigned IP addresses. Just go to the network properties dialog for your wireless cards and double click "Internet Protocol," then give the main computer 192.168.0.1, the other computer 192.168.0.2, and each a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0.

If you still can't ping (192.168.0.1 from 192.168.0.2, or 192.168.0.2 from 192.168.0.1), then I would suggest buying a wireless base station, since Windows XP and some wireless cards out there aren't well suited for creating ad hoc networks. You might also want to search for specific information for your wireless cards and any issues they might have.

Nameless

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 11, 2005

I already have the IPs set manually to those numbers. Is there a way I could get these to work with a router? Or do I have to change my modem?

Ramsus K

· #15 · Jul 11, 2005

Here's the big question: Does your modem use ethernet to connect to a PC? If so, you can just buy a wireless base station, hook the modem into it, hook a computer into it via ethernet, configure, then connect to it via wireless.

Just write down the WEP key you end up using.

From there on, it should all be gravy.

Either that, or I'm too used to using wireless in recent versions of Mac OS X with quality hardware.

masque

· #16 · Jul 11, 2005

I've done wireless installs with various hardware. Macs are probably easier, but WinXP SP2 makes wireless setup painless if you are good with PC's, and mildly uncomfortable if you aren't. I've talked people through it on the phone before.

Ramsus K said:
Just write down the WEP key you end up using.

Repeated for emphasis.

Nameless

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 12, 2005

sadly it doesn't

. Like I said before, from the task bar, the computers are connected. It's just that they can't communicate for some reason. And I'm sure SP2 makes it really easy as it includes a wizard like that one for a wired network....with one jarring exception. You can't use it to create ad_hoc configurations and it always assumes you have an access point. I've done the simple usb procedure in which the settings are stored on a flash key and just transported from pc to pc but they don't even connect that way. Why is that? Is it because it's assuming the presence of an access point?

masque

· #18 · Jul 12, 2005

well, SP2 was designed to make everything "easier," and ad-hoc wireless isn't common. If you set up the ad-hoc connection on one PC windows should detect it (at least it did last time I tried). IF you're not sure how to do this I can upload a picture.

XP SP2 allows for wireless ad-hoc, but you have to configure it manually. Our advice (several times) is to plunk down for a router. If you're just trying to share an internet connection you can get away with wireless "b" and save $30.

Nameless

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 12, 2005

I would get a router but like I said my modem doesn't have an ethernet port. Please upload the image if you can.

Foxfyre

· #20 · Jul 13, 2005

If you buy a router, your modem plugs into the router, and then your router plugs into the host pc, so the one ethernet port you have is all you need. Also, I found a netgear wireless router at Best Buy for $30 flat and it was 802.11g. You just have to find a good deal. And it also has a 4 port wired router built in, as well as the wireless ability. But don't worry about having any extra ethernet ports. The cat5 cable from your broadband modem runs into the router, and you run a cat5 cable back out from the router to your host pc, so you should be fine...oh wait...just reread your post. Your broadband modem doesn't have an ethernet port??? Are you freakin kidding me? Let me guess....it uses USB 2.0, right??? Maybe it's time to hit your provider up for a new modem.

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