Ad Hoc networking with sp2

[benjamat]

I am trying to set up an ad hoc network at home but having spent many hours am having little success so in desperation I expose my ignorance here on anandtech and ask for help.

I have installed USB net adapters (dongles ) on both machines and XP tells me they are working although with less than excellent signals.

I then set about trying to configure XP so that the computers would talk to each other and here the problems start.

One computer has the internet connection and all that shows in the network window is this and the wireless network (no lan ). Is there no lan because there is no lan hardware other than the wireless in this system ?

The other computer has gigabit networking on the mobo and the connections window on this computer shows a lan with no connection as there is no cable and the wireless network.

I have I think configured everything for ad hoc but when I open the windows network folder in explorer only the local computer info shows, no connection to remote. I then thought about bridging the connections but this is not possible because the computer with the internet connection has no lan and you cannot bridge the wireless and the broadband connection.

I am now at a loss, do I have to install a network card in the host computer to be able to bridge and so enable the wireless network. Surely I should be able to disable the lan connection on the secondary computer and use only the wireless network connections on both computers as the link.

I know this is one of those problems that tends to generate more questions than answers but I would have thought it would be simple to enable wireless networking with sp2.

I would be very gratefull for any thoughts. many thanks.

 

[benjamat]

Further to the post.

I have set all the normal wired networking parameters, sharing etc.

I have run the set up for home networking on both computers. both XP. XP lets me do this on the computer with no normal lan card but at the end of this there is no lan in the connections window, I assume because no card.

 

[Blaizer2]

benjamat,
Are you using a wireless router?

 

[Blaizer2]

benjamat,
Unless I missed something, in order for you to share a wireless connection to the internet, you need to be using a wireless router as the gateway. Ad-hoc implies RF only; if you took your wireless to say a Starbucks somewhere and used their RF connection to get on the highway. Sounds like you have cable or DSL on your main computer. I have a Netgear MR814 that has been great for the past 2 years and have seen them for under $40.00. Hope this helps...

V/r, Blaiz

 

[benjamat]

As usual there was more than one problem with this set up

Firstly I had purchased two cheap usb access points (dongles) and inserted them straight into the rear usb ports of the two computers. The signal was strong enough for the initial set up but not strong enough to get the system working properly. Solved by buying two usb extensions and positioning the dongles more in the open with less obstructions between the two computers. The lesson for me was the cheap dongles were a false economy and I would have been better off getting access points with extension leads and better transmitters/receivers.

Secondly there is no need for routers especially with only two systems. You simply have to complete the set up with both units assigned as ad hoc. This link proved good for the se up-

http://www.tomsnetworking.com/...ns-article53-page1.php