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Home networking help


Wicked_Sludge

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ive got a laptop with wireless card. ive got a desktop. ive got a hub and cables. im trying to allow the desktop to access the internet through the laptops wireless connection.

with the hub hooked up, ive got lights on the hub and on the back of both computers showing the connections are solid....but i get no response when i ping either computer.

im sure the problem is on the laptops end as i cant get it to run the home network setup wizard (it finishes and tells me an error occurred, but doesnt say what error).

in my network connections, only the wireless network shows up...theres no LAN network showing....and i cant for the life of me figure out how to get it to come up.

laptop is a dell inspiron with windows XP home. desktop is a dell dimension with vista basic (i know, i know...we'll jump that hurtle when we get to it :tease:)
 


Spencer Elder

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ok.. make sure the cables are straight through and not cross over cables when looking at them with the pins toward you they should go like
white/orange orange white/green blue white/blue green white/brown brown
make sure you internet contention sharing on your laptop is on.. go to network connection and go to your wifi connection to the internet and right click.. go to properties and go to the advanced tap and click the top box under internet connection sharing and un-check the bottom box there if that doesn't work try to bridge the connections if that doesn't work you will have to set up a network
and i can walk you trough that also...
hope this helps
Spencer
BTW people only dislike vista because it's a really nice change they don't like change
 

MAKG

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You want your laptop to function as a router?

I would strongly suggest otherwise. Most wireless hubs can function as routers (and firewalls! very important), and that's really the right way to do it. Even if yours can't, you can buy basic ones off the shelf for $20. It's not that hard to switch between wireless networks.

Note that if you do allow your laptop to become a router, several things happen:

1. It has to be on ALL THE TIME for connectivity. PITA.
2. You have to manage what you pass on -- that is, your laptop also becomes a firewall. You can become a conduit for breakin attempts elsewhere. Do you really want this to happen at work?
3. If you pay for a network connection, say at an airport, others can steal your bandwidth.

It is FAR more difficult to manage a mobile router than a stationary one. And you're clearly not a trained network admin.
 

Wicked_Sludge

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spencer, thanks for the reply. i had all but given up on trying to get this to work again.

i should mention, i used this setup successfully before, only the other computer was another dell laptop at the time. this computer, my hub and cables are all the same. all im trying to do is get the new desktop to work in place of the old laptop.

the only options i have under the advanced tab for my wireless connection is for windows firewall. there is no tick box for internet sharing or anything else.

i cant bridge the connections because my LAN connection wont show up under network connections for some reason...i think this is the main trouble im having.

ive run the network setup wizard, but at the end it says: "an error aoccured during the configuration of the network on this computer. you can configure the network manually, or you can run the wizard again with different settings.".

mike, all im trying to do is share a single (wireless) connection with 2 computers. i realize its not the ideal solution, but i cant afford to buy a wireless card for the desktop. i also dont have access to the wireless router, as i'm "borrowing" the connection from an RV park down the street (i actually did ask if it was ok, believe it or not :cool:). this laptop stays here on the desk and is usually on all day, so mobility and connectivity arent a concern.
 

rboyer

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If you REALLY wanted to set up a bridge, i'd suggest finding an older used Linksys WRT54G router on ebay (anything below v8), throw the DD-WRT firmware on it, then set up the router as a bridge. You would have more than sufficient wireless range to roam around your house with your laptop on their connection and you could just jack your computer into it like you do now.
 

Wicked_Sludge

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i have everything i need for this to work now (as i said, it was working before), im not buying any more hardware for this set up. i appriciate anyone that can help me get the software end of this working, but if not then it will just have to stay like it is (desktop offline).
 

swynx

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yeah my mom had this same problem with her laptop but i dont remember what was wrong i remember fixing it though, it had to due with getting all our cables set up correctly and buying a netgear system, that enabled wireless
 

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