using usb wireless adapter as an accesspoint

Hi.

Today I was trying to help someone using a USB wireless network adapter to create a wireless accesspoint. This person has an existing internet connection and wants to use it with a mobile device(a smartphone) via a wifi connection.

I've tried to follow the steps outlined in this video on youtube:

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So first, bridge the wireless network adapter and the existing LAN connection and subsequently creating an ad-hoc wireless network which should be visible to the mobile device as a wireless accesspoint.

Everything seemed to go ok, except that after creating the ad-hoc wireless network, it was not visible from the mobile device.

Does anyone know what might have gone wrong causing the ad-hoc network not to show up when scanning for available wifi networks on the smartphone?

The USB adapter I was using was a Sitecom N300:

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I've tried connecting the adapter to various usb ports at the back of the computer as well as at the front of the computer and I've also made sure I only installed the driver for the adapter and not the additional Sitecom network configuration utility.

greetings and thanks in advance for any feedback, Niek

Reply to
sobriquet
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what makes you think that the smartphone will see/detect an Ad-Hoc WiFi network mode, vs the regular Acess Point mode of WiFi ?

Reply to
ps56k

Did you view the video? In the video it seemed the smarthpone had no problems detecting the ad-hoc wireless network.

Is there an alternative or more obvious way to configure a usb wifi adapter for use as a wireless accesspoint?

Reply to
sobriquet

For security reasons, some phones will not connect to an adhoc wireless accesspoint. Phones can certainly see ad hoc, but seem to know the difference between ad hoc and a wap, and avoid the ad hoc. Beats me how a wap is more secure than an ad hoc, since port isolation on a wap is not a given.

I really don't want to watch youtube. If you run linux, there are command line procedures to force the usb device to be an access point or even a repeater. You'll have to google it, but step one is to see the capabilities of your device. Then if it is capable, there is another program to make it a host.

Any other os, you are are your own.

Reply to
miso

It's on a windows 7 computer.

The 4 page manual of the usb wifi adapter isn't very useful either.

Is this somehow not a sensible idea to use a usb wireless adapter to make an existing lan internet connection on a computer available to mobile devices via wifi?

Maybe the more common approach is to get a wireless router/hub/switch instead of a usb wireless adapter?

Will multiple mobile devices be able to share the internet connection provided by a usb wifi adapter (used as a wifi accesspoint)?

Reply to
sobriquet

It is far far far better to just buy a wifi router. For one thing, the router has a firewall. The PC and wireless clients will get the benefit of that firewall. Get one that comes with or support DDWRT, Openwrt, or Tomato.

There are programs to make some wifi adapters into access points. Connectify for instance, which is a paid program. Here is a free program:

I found it buggy, but that was a few years ago.

The only reason most people do ad hoc is they are in some hotel that just has an ethernet port. So they hook up their computer to the eithernet, then ad hoc from the wifi client (phone) to the computer. Some people actually pack an old router just to get around this hassle. I've stayed at places where the ethernet port is free and the stinkin' wifi is $12 a day, presumably to recover the cost of the wifi mesh, not to mention the password issues.

There are other times when turning the PC into an access point comes in handy, but they are very atypical. For instance, you are doing work in the field where their is no internet access. Multiple user might want to share one PC as a server.

Another scenario is the wap is kind of weak, and you have some shitty iphone (terrible wifi) that can't reach the wap, but your notebook can. But that requires making the notebook into a repeater. Doable in linux. I'm not sure in windows.

It is tough to make windows do something it doesn't want to do.

Reply to
miso

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the computer as well as at the front of the computer and I've also made sure

Click "Start", "Run", type "control netconnections" into the "Open" box and click "OK". Right-click the connection that provide your internet services, select "Properties", "Advanced", and make sure "Allow other network users to connect..." is checked. If it isn't, check it and click "OK". You may have to restart the computer for the change to take effect.

Ben

Reply to
Ben Myers

When I type "control netconnections" in the entryfield at the bottom of the start menu, nothing happens (well, an explorer window is opened where it says it can't find anything). Perhaps it's because I'm on a dutch version of windows 7.

Anyway, it seems you're referring to this setting (the one that is checked):

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But when I check that for the existing lan connection, it won't let me create a bridge between the lan connection and the wireless connection provided by the usb wireless adapter.

Reply to
sobriquet

The only reason I thought an usb wireless adapter might be preferred is that I reckoned it would be cheaper than a wireless router (and less hassle with ethernet cables).

Reply to
sobriquet

just another random example for the setup of the AD HOC network - along with your iPhone

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Reply to
ps56k

BTW - which model / version of smartphone ?

it always helps to post ALL the details, as the firmware, hardware and software drivers vary each year.

Reply to
ps56k

Are you using the same NETGEAR USB adapter ? Are you using the same iPhone 5 ?

if not - then YOUR situation is totally different than in the video -

Reply to
ps56k

Multiple smartphones, a samsung (android) and a nokia (windows mobile). Dunno the exact models, but they were fairly recent.

I can't experiment with it now, as it was at someone else's place and I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to try again.

I thought there would be a somewhat general approach to sharing the internet connection of a computer via a usb wifi adapter, regardless of specifics like the brand/model of the usb wifi adapter or the windows version involved.

Just like the procedure is more or less the same when connecting to a wifi router, regardless of the brand of the router or using iphone/android/windows mobile device.

Reply to
sobriquet

It seems the procedure to use a wifi connection is rather similar, regardless of brand/model/OS version of the mobile device. But I have more experience with wifi routers.

In the past I remember I was able to use the wifi that's built-in on my laptop without much difficulties to share the lan internet connection with a mobile device (via an ad-hoc connection and a bridge between the wifi and lan connection on the laptop), so I assumed this should also work with a usb wifi adapter.

Reply to
sobriquet

box and click "OK".

select "Properties", "Advanced",

If it isn't, check it and

See if the mobile device connects without the bridge. If not, try using access point mode, if availble.

Ben

Reply to
Ben Myers

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