getting a wireless LAN on laptop to connect to LAN on desktop?(home network)

hi,

ok i don't know much about this stuff so i'm sorry if i say something silly.

Scenario: I have one DESKTOP and one LAPTOP.

The *Desktop* has Two (NON-wireless regular) LAN cards, one of them gets me my broadband internet connection .

Now, the laptop(i just got today) has an Integrated Wireless LAN

802.11 b/g, i'm not sure how this compares to Wi-Fi or if it is wifi, it also has a **56K Modem**(if i can use that for the network?)

Requirement: I need to make a network between the wireless Lan on my laptop and the Lan on my desktop. I Know how to setup a network on XP , but I've never gone wireless before, so my question really is .. __What do I need on my Desktop__ so that ITS LAN (on the PCI slot) can connect to my laptops wireless LAN? Will some bluetooth dongle do? What are my options??

Thank You Gideon

Reply to
giddy
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You need a wireless router to broadcast a signal to your laptop. Any router you buy will have setup diagrams and instructions. I recommend a Linksys G or SpeedBoost G model.such as WRT54G or WRT54GS.

Reply to
Rick Blaine

what is your Broadband service ? Cable ? DSL ? What "box" is connected, and how is it connected to your Desktop ?

What makes you think your desktop has TWO LAN cards ? Are you sure one is not a LAN and the other is a modem (smaller telephone jack)

Are you trying to get the new Laptop connected to the Desktop to share files or printer ? OR just get the laptop connected to the Internet via wireless ? OR both ?

Reply to
P.Schuman

hi,

I'm sorry i wasn't clear enough, I'm not that much of a newbie to this kind of stuff.

I do have two LAN cards on my PC, one is inbuilt into the motherboard and is how I receive my Broadband, the second card is one I INSTALLED on a PCI slot.

I have a STP(i think) cable that i used earlier to connect a laptop I borrowed to my Home computer, I managed to have it share my internet and files. So, yes, i know how to create a network.

My question is now, I have a WIRELESS network card on MY NEW LAPTOP, so can I/do I have to install on my desktop so that my laptop can talk to it?? I figured i need a wireless LAN card or wireless router, ARE there any other CHEAPER options??

Thanks Gideon

Reply to
roselyglad

hey,

sorry that was me,i posted with my mums address signed in.

ok, forget that I said I know how to create a network, I tried connect with my Desktop and Laptop with a UTP(yep i had a utp) cable.

On my desktop the LAN that connects to the internet is set to share its connection, i also enabled DHCP(67),DHCP(68) on it? the _other_ LAN (on my desktp) is set with IP 192.168.0.1, subnet

2552552550.

The LAN on my laptop is set to obtain IP automatically, it has DHCP enabled and somehow obtains a very odd IP, its nothing like the on the LAN that connects to the internet?

I've set both computers to the same workgroup name? I also tried the running the wizards on both computers,

The Problem: The second LAN on my DESKTOP (that doesn't connect to the internet) shows unplugged after I've plugged it all, also, the laptop complains with limited connectivity?

Could someone please help me(And this time i WILL note it down somewhere =S)

Thanks so much Gideon

Reply to
giddy

The missing piece of your puzzle is what is your internet coming in on? What is the device? Number?

Although you can do internet connection sharing as you did before, it won't be wireless - unless your cable or DSL modem is all-in-one, you need a wireless router to do this right.

I suppose that if you insisted, there are ways to do this with your spare ethernet card and a wireless access point, but it would not be easier or better or cheaper than setting up your network the correct way.

Get a wireless router. Even a cheap one can do the job. In the US they are availible for $30 and up. If, as I suspect, you are in outside of the US, (they are banned here), then I recommend a Buffalo WHR-G54 or -G125 for cheap, reliable device that can do some extra tricks later if you ever need to.

formatting link
Cheapo router online for US
formatting link
Steve

Reply to
seaweedsl

It would have worked had you used a "crossover" cable or a small hub The Ethernet cable has a transmit pair & a receive pair... for going to a hub. Without the hub, the transmit is connecting to the transmit on the jack vs the receive.

that's Internet Connection Sharing - a Windows feature

A LAN is a physical set of wires/wireless - you are describing your TCP/IP config Did you get an IP address of 169.xx.xx. ? That is the address Microsoft Windows creates when it can't get a DHCP address.

it was your incorrect use of a "normal" Ethernet cable vs a "crossover" cable

I think others have suggested what you need - A wireless capable router - to support both your wired desktop, and your wireless laptop.

As I mentioned previously, it would help to describe how you are currently connected to the Internet and what "box" is between your desktop & your Internet connection.

Also - what laptop do you have, and how do you know the wireless card is installed & working ?

Reply to
P.Schuman

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