set-up wireless connection for laptop from a vpn-connected desktop.

The way you described your scenario is very strange.

Are you inside the University network or outside? If you are inside, you don't need a VPN to connect to the University network. If you are outside, your ISP would provide internet access for you (and you don't need a VPN for you to reach the inetnet indirectly).

So, when you said you "connect to the internet via a vpn connection to the university," it sounded very strange.

How does your desktop establish a VPN connection to the University network?

Harry, hi !

Thanks for your response. The way i have setup my connection to the university is by creating a new connection (now when you mentioned that vpn sounds strange), it seems that it a kind of a "dialer" to the university WAN.

I setup a connection in "internet connection wizard", provided it with an ip of a university computer and i provide username and password. The whole thing is through network, (as opposed to modem) therefore the term dialing is a bit weird to use in this case.

Anyhow, once i am connected to the uni (no isp involved here) via this "dialer", the world is mine - i just open up a browser and go wherever.

I hope i managed to get it a bit clearer. Could you provide some insight on how can i plug a wireless router into the picture to enable surfing from my wifi laptop ?

First thing to check would be uni policy on this. I'm doubtful they allow this.

Think about it, they're already securing the connection to the uni network via VPN. Why would they then allow users at the remote end to open up unsecured wifi connections into it?

Your best bet is to ask their support folks how to get your gear connected in an approved manner. Can't hurt to ask, no doubt they've been asked it before.

-Bill Kearney

If you open a cmd prompt on your desktop, and type ipconfig /all, you will get the connection info.

What are these info BEFORE and AFTER your desktop is connected to your University network ?

You may try setting your router with the later set of connection info. I never try that myself. It's up to you to explore if it will make your router work (wirelessly) this way.

Also, if you are doing something againist your University network usage policy, you may probably get yourself into troubles. So, do-able or not is one thing. Doing thing that will get yourself into trouble is another.