Internet sharing over wireless in home

hamster

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on this query.

Background Info:
In my home I have 2 PCs, one with XP home and the other with XP Pro (both on ServicePack2). I have a dialup ISDN connection (broadband isn't available in my area) on my XP Pro box. The PCs are in different rooms, 50m apart with plaster frame walls.

What I want to do:
I would like share my internet connection from XP Pro box to the other PC. Is this possible via wireless? I have done this fine by direct crossover cable. I visited PC World to see what was available and was told flatly while I could share files etc... I would need broadband to share internet via wireless. This doesn't sound right since if I can share the net using normal cable... why not wireless?

What equipment would I need:
I had a look - would
* 2 pci based wireless cards (one for each PC) be enough?
* OR 1 pci wireless card for 1 pc and a wireless router plugged into the other PC)?
* Or would I need 2 wireless cards and 1 router?

My aim is just for the 2 PCs....

Anyone recommend anything from Komplett? I had a look at PC World and was quoted 200 euro for a router and 2 wireless cards... :rolleyes:

Thanks.

SkepticOne

You can share dial-up internet over wireless. Wireless routers however won't have the ability to do share dial-up as they don't have a built-in analogue modem and they don't have a serial port to connect to an external analogue modem. This is probably what they meant in the shop.

However all you need to do is get the network working wirelessly and then have one PC dial up in the normal manner and set internet connection sharing on the dial-up interface. Two wireless cards operating in ad-hoc mode should be sufficient.

hamster

SkepticOne wrote:

However all you need to do is get the network working wirelessly and then have one PC dial up in the normal manner and set internet connection sharing on the dial-up interface. Two wireless cards operating in ad-hoc mode should be sufficient.

Thanks SkepticOne! Is there any particular make of pair of reliable wireless cards to go for?

Maybe something like these from Komplett

hamster

I have an update! I got 2 Wireless-g PCI Adapter cards (both the same) for the 2 PCs... installed the software and installed the cards. Both detected fine.

One instruction I had was to go to computer Management -> Services and Apps -> Services -> and picked Wireless Zero Configuration.
In there I was instructed to set the startup type to "Disabled" from Automatic.

I was able to set up a profile using a "Ad-hoc" network and no encryption (just want to get it to work first). See the pic below for the link status, I'm getting 77% for link quality, 55% for signal and noise is 23%. It uses the 802.11 g standard.
I have a ssid setup up. At this stage I tried to setup networking sharing like I would do with a cat cable. After both PCs have the wizards run to share each other. I see nothing under the network name "freedom". When I ping the other PC. I get a message telling me to check the name. When I try the actual ip address it times out.
Hmm, Could this be firewall related. I use the standard SP2 XP firewall on both machines. Or is my signal just too weak? - Or could I try some other tests?

Thanks.

SkepticOne

hamster wrote:

I have a ssid setup up. At this stage I tried to setup networking sharing like I would do with a cat cable. After both PCs have the wizards run to share each other. I see nothing under the network name "freedom". When I ping the other PC. I get a message telling me to check the name. When I try the actual ip address it times out.
Hmm, Could this be firewall related. I use the standard SP2 XP firewall on both machines. Or is my signal just too weak? - Or could I try some other tests?

Set firewalls off for the moment. Before you try internet sharing, are you getting the normal network fuctionality? Can you set manually the IP address and netmask and ping one computer from the other?

hamster

SkepticOne wrote:

Set firewalls off for the moment. Before you try internet sharing, are you getting the normal network fuctionality? Can you set manually the IP address and netmask and ping one computer from the other?

SkepticOne,

I brought up the 2nd PC and did tried wireless in the same room. This worked fine (signal strength 99-100%) and the net also worked fine right over wire (that is ISDN 8k/s...). Next I took it into the adjoining bedroom (1 plaster partition wall). The strength was at 95% and was still perfect. Brought it downstairs to the living room... 25-32% signal. No go... Looks like I need cable for that. The reason is the brick wall. It kills most of the signal.

zAbbo

do a proper signal survey