Yes, you can do what you want to do and the only hardware you need is a wireless network adapter in the desktopPC. You will need to enable Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) in the desktop (the PC that will be connecting to the internet). The wireless adapters in each PC should be configured for ad hoc mode so they communicate between themselves without the need for an access point. Read this post and wherever the DirecWay DW4000 system is mentioned substitute your dial-up modem.
I forgot to state that I only have a wireless card in my laptop and not in the desktop, this may be why I need a ethernet switch to run between desktop and wireless access point. Also wondering if it will cut my dial up connection in half?
Well, you have two choices. You could get a wireless access point (not a wireless access point/router) and connect the WAP to the desktop using an ethernet cable. The laptop would communicate to the WAP wirelessly. In this configuration the WAP acts as a switch connecting the two PCs. A hub is absolutely not required.
The other option is as explained earlier. Install a wireless network adapter in the desktop and let the two PCs communicate directly with each other. No need for the access point. I have not looked at prices of a wireless access point vs. a wireless ethernet adapter for the desktop, but my gut feeling is the wireless network adapter for the desktop would be less expensive.
Reagrding your dial-up question, no, it will not be cut in half. But dial-up is obviously limited bandwidth, so response time when both PCs are accesing the internet may be impacted. In normal web surfing you won't notice this much, but if one PC is downloading, the other PC will be impacted.
I am sorry that i sound so ignorant, but are you saying that all I need is a wireless pci card for my desktop and i should be good to go. And that my to wi-fi cards(1 in laptop already and 1 i need to buy for desktop) should get me metworked in my house?
Yes, all you need is a wireless network adapter in each computer. Nothing else. Perhaps this Microsoft article will help you decide. You can also go to this site for additional information about home networking.
Alright, well the netwrok adapter for my pc is the same price as a WAP for 11b. I would rather go ahead and get the access point for future upgrades and plus i wont have to open up my new pc. i f i upgrade to broadband when it is available, can i still just use the 2 wireless adapters if i go that way?
If you eventually get broadband access there are two ways to connect. The first is to get a wireless access point/router such as the Linksys WRT54G. The router portion of the deice will connect to the broadband modem. The access point portion will connect the wireless PCs to the router and the the device also has a 4 port switch built in to connect 4 wired PCs. A plain access point cannot connect directly to a broadband modem.
The second way to connect your network is to use a wired network adapter in the ICS host, connect it to the broadband modem and continue to use ICS. In effect it will simply replace the dial-up modem as the preferred internet connection adapter.
I go to the store to get what u say i need and they go nuts saying that isnt going to work. u always need a hub to split it then a wap. i dont k nwo what to do, i don thave money to waste so i am kinda stuck, i guess i really dont need it, i was just wantign to play around with it.
Well I got the access point and trying to set it up. Ran ethernet cable from my computer to the access point. It wont enable the LAN because it says the cable is unplugged. Everything is plugged in though. I ran through the setting up a home network but it cant connect becasue of the above stated error.
Another problem I ran into was when the setting up network made a floopy to run on my laptop, I cant get the laptop to recognize the external floppy drive I borrowed off of a buddy. Can i get some help with that.
When i fire up my laptop it see the WAP, but of course i cant connect. The desktop already has ICS enabled. It has to be this ethernet cable issue.
_Paladin
795 Posts
0
December 11th, 2003 02:00
jboz29,
Yes, you can do what you want to do and the only hardware you need is a wireless network adapter in the desktopPC. You will need to enable Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) in the desktop (the PC that will be connecting to the internet). The wireless adapters in each PC should be configured for ad hoc mode so they communicate between themselves without the need for an access point. Read this post and wherever the DirecWay DW4000 system is mentioned substitute your dial-up modem.
jboz29
8 Posts
0
December 11th, 2003 11:00
I forgot to state that I only have a wireless card in my laptop and not in the desktop, this may be why I need a ethernet switch to run between desktop and wireless access point. Also wondering if it will cut my dial up connection in half?
Thanks
_Paladin
795 Posts
0
December 11th, 2003 12:00
jboz29,
Well, you have two choices. You could get a wireless access point (not a wireless access point/router) and connect the WAP to the desktop using an ethernet cable. The laptop would communicate to the WAP wirelessly. In this configuration the WAP acts as a switch connecting the two PCs. A hub is absolutely not required.
The other option is as explained earlier. Install a wireless network adapter in the desktop and let the two PCs communicate directly with each other. No need for the access point. I have not looked at prices of a wireless access point vs. a wireless ethernet adapter for the desktop, but my gut feeling is the wireless network adapter for the desktop would be less expensive.
Reagrding your dial-up question, no, it will not be cut in half. But dial-up is obviously limited bandwidth, so response time when both PCs are accesing the internet may be impacted. In normal web surfing you won't notice this much, but if one PC is downloading, the other PC will be impacted.
jboz29
8 Posts
0
December 11th, 2003 19:00
I am sorry that i sound so ignorant, but are you saying that all I need is a wireless pci card for my desktop and i should be good to go. And that my to wi-fi cards(1 in laptop already and 1 i need to buy for desktop) should get me metworked in my house?
_Paladin
795 Posts
0
December 12th, 2003 01:00
jboz29,
Yes, all you need is a wireless network adapter in each computer. Nothing else. Perhaps this Microsoft article will help you decide. You can also go to this site for additional information about home networking.
jboz29
8 Posts
0
December 12th, 2003 01:00
_Paladin
795 Posts
0
December 12th, 2003 01:00
jboz29,
If you eventually get broadband access there are two ways to connect. The first is to get a wireless access point/router such as the Linksys WRT54G. The router portion of the deice will connect to the broadband modem. The access point portion will connect the wireless PCs to the router and the the device also has a 4 port switch built in to connect 4 wired PCs. A plain access point cannot connect directly to a broadband modem.
The second way to connect your network is to use a wired network adapter in the ICS host, connect it to the broadband modem and continue to use ICS. In effect it will simply replace the dial-up modem as the preferred internet connection adapter.
jboz29
8 Posts
0
December 12th, 2003 01:00
jboz29
8 Posts
0
December 13th, 2003 13:00
Well I got the access point and trying to set it up. Ran ethernet cable from my computer to the access point. It wont enable the LAN because it says the cable is unplugged. Everything is plugged in though. I ran through the setting up a home network but it cant connect becasue of the above stated error.
Another problem I ran into was when the setting up network made a floopy to run on my laptop, I cant get the laptop to recognize the external floppy drive I borrowed off of a buddy. Can i get some help with that.
When i fire up my laptop it see the WAP, but of course i cant connect. The desktop already has ICS enabled. It has to be this ethernet cable issue.
_Paladin
795 Posts
0
December 13th, 2003 23:00
jboz29,
Connect the WAP to the PC with a crossover cable.
Don't use the network wizard. You can configure what you need manually. See the tutorial sites mentioned earlier.