September 17th 2009 09:21 pm
how to share internet connection from PC using wireless network (wifi) for Windows XP and Windows Vista and 7
If you have more than one computers at home; usually one desktop PC and one notebook PC, it’s best to have a shared internet connection using router or switch. A switch is cheap, 4ports switch can be easily be bought at less than RM80 (USD22). However, you can’t run away from the trouble of tangling the network cable all around your house. One solution is to use wireless fidelity technology, or wi-fi in short. If it happens that you want to save some cash from buying a good wireless router (which cost RM200-300) and you have a wireless adapter available on your desktop PC, this guide is just for you. How to share your internet connection through wireless adapter? Read on.
What you need:
- PC with internet connection.
- wireless adapter installed.
A USB or PCI wireless adapter is a real bargain these days. PCI variant is cheaper, but I prefer USB type as it gives me more flexibility. Flexibility in the sense for better wireless coverage.
The idea of this is real simple, you get the internet connection from the modem to your desktop PC through LAN port and you broadcast and share it using wi-fi or wireless network connection.
The steps are simple:
- Make sure you’ve got ICS enabled. ICS stands for Internet Connection Sharing in Windows XP and the same goes to Windows 7 and Vista.
- Go to Control Panel > Network Connections, right click on the Local Area Connection (or wifi if you are sharing wifi to LAN) and click on the Advanced tab. Tick the option “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”. Select the correct Home networking connection. If your internet connection comes from LAN and you want to share it via wifi, choose Wireless Network Connection. Likewise, if your internet connection comes from wifi, and you want to share to your LAN, choose Local Area Connection.
- Note the bolded words up there, this was the main reason people did wrong in the network sharing.
-
how to share internet connection - advanced tab
- Click OK after that. And this leads you back to the Network Connection.
- In the Network Connection, right click your Wireless Network Connection (**NOT LOCAL AREA CONNECTION), and click on the Wireless Networks tab after that. Click on the Add button under the Preferred networks. You will see something like the picture below. ( Skip this part of you are sharing wireless to LAN as LAN doesn’t need SSID ).
Setting up wifi ad hoc connection
Key in your preferred SSID. SSID is the name that will be seen by others wifi enabled computers. Tick the option “This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network; wireless access points are not used”. Key in a network key (WEP in this case) if you want to have a secure wifi connection and to prevent others from intruding your wifi network. You will need to key in a 5 or 13 characters key or 10 and 26 characters in hexadecimal format. Click OK when you are done. Example; 123ab(5 character keys) OR 1234512345(10 characters in hexadecimal format). (skip this part also if you are sharing wifi to LAN).
- Click OK to exit the Wireless connection properties. If you ticked the option “Connect even if this network is not broadcasting”, your wireless adapter will connect itself to start an ad hoc network even when your wireless adapter is not connected to any computer or devices.
- For Windows XP, double click your wireless icon, go to General > Properties. Set the IP address for your wireless adapter (or whichever internet connection you want to share) under Internet Proctocol (TCP/IP) to 192.168.0.1 and DNS 255.255.255.0, the rest just leave it blank. You must set this IP and DNS to share your network.
- However, if you are using Vista or Windows 7, the IP address will be 192.168.137.1, DNS 255.255.255.0 and the rest of the settings is still same as this guide.
- To connect this network from other device or computer, the device or computer must obtain the IP address automatically. And you need to have the same WEP security key as the main computer as well.
- When all is done, you can see the your wifi icon below the taskbar as online mode when other devices are connected to your network.
The maximum number of connecting device could be unlimited. I haven’t tried connecting more than 4 devices and computers yet in either Windows XP or 7. But it did save you from buying expensive router.
No Comments yet »