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How do I create a wireless network?

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6 replies

by anansiman

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I want to creat a wireless network between a desktop pc running win xp and two laptops. one laptop is running win xp and the other is running win 7. I tried to use the steps in windows but I must be doing something wrong.

6 replies

by tobif

The typical way to set up a wireless network assumes that you have a router or at least an access point.

If you don't have an access point, then it might still be possible to create an "ad hoc" network, where the communication is made directly between two computers. But an "ad hoc" network is less trivial to set up and usually is unprotected.

by anansiman

The desktop is wired to a router, and I was trying to use the wireless ability of the laptops to create the network. I have gone through the steps on the desktop and it says a wireless network has been created. but I can't seem to get the laptops connected to the network so that they could share the internet connection.

by oh smeg

Not the Wireless Setup Wizard and then go into the Routers Setup and make sure that the Wired and Wireless LAN's are bridged.

Use the Wireless Setup Wizards in the other systems but if after you setup the Desktop to a Wired Network you can not connect to the NB's you need to look at the router. It has the Wired and Wireless LAN's isolated hence the need to bridge them.

The directions to do this will be in the Routers Manual. ;)

Col

by tobif

Most desktops don't even have wireless.

With ad-hoc networks, you might connect the two laptops with each other, but that won't help you to reach internet.

Theoretically, you could hook up one of the laptops by cable to your router and then use wireless network for internet sharing.

However, this is tricky and risky. Much more straightforward is to obtain an access point or a wireless router. You may either replace the existing router with the wireless one, use the wireless router "as is" (thus creating a nested structure, where you need to make sure that your two private networks use separate address spaces) or put the router into "bridged mode" where it basically acts as an access point.

by curacao_dejavu

If I understand correctly the pc has 2 nics.
1 wired and 1 wireless.
If so you need to enable internet connection sharing on the pc.
obviuosly the pc needs to stay connected for them to be able to connect to the internet.

However I would simply recommend to buy a wireless router, connect the pc via the wired port, and the other 2 via wireless.

Leopold

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