Can I use a Gigafast USB 802.11b as a gateway.

[JDesousa]

Hi, I was wondering if someone could give me some adivce.

I've got a wireless setup at home using an Dlink Gateway that works reasonably well. I use it with my PDA and it works. However I bought a gigafast USB 802.11b adapter on sale at microcenter and I was hopeing to use that as a system gateway instead.

Unfortunately I can't seem to do that. The USB adaptor works just fine and it picks up a signal from the current gateway. Installed itself automatically and works just as you'd expect but if shut down the gateway and then try to use it for peer to peer with my HP5455, it's a no go. It finds go signal, no network. I can't find anything in the Gigafast configuration to let me turn it into a gateway, and I can't find anything in my PDA running PPC2003 to make it work peer to peer.

Maybe I need to change something on the PDA, maybe there's a configuration tool that help reconfigure the wireless hook up. Maybe I'm just missing something obvious. Is there anyone who has insite into this. I would really appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

If you want to connect two USB devices point-to-point without a central gateway or router, you have to configure them in Adhoc mode, not Infrastructure mode.

 

[JDesousa]

That's the problem. I can set the USB device to adhoc but there's nothing I can not do it on the PDA to change wireless configurations.

I appreciate the help. You've confirmed that the adhoc setting should work so now I need to focus my efforts on finding a utility or upgrade to the wireless configuration on my PDA.

Thanks.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Good luck, I don't know much about PDA's.

 

[JDesousa]

We'll I figured I'd post back my findings incase anyone ran into this hassle.

I took 3 software updates from HP's site and one of them allows me to configure the device for adhoc communications. I now can see available networks and connect to them. I've even managed to synch and connect wirelessly to my PC. Of course it's buggy as hell and I can't get it to do it anymore. It worked once after a PDA system reset and hasn't worked again since. Obvioulsy it's PDA issue and there's little I can do until HP releases better drivers.

In order for it to work, I had to disable the gigafast drivers and use the built in Windows XP drivers for the wireless connection. There's some kind of battle for control that makes it not work if you don't use the XP controls.

Do have a problem with internet sharing though. I've got a internet connection sharing enabled for my other PCs which connect thru a 4 port hub which means I've already got 2 network connections on this PC, (modem and HUB). When I add the USB wireless connection, it adds a 3rd network connection. Unfortunately the internet connection sharing tab only allows me to choose one network connection to share with. So I either share with the hub, or share with the wireless connection. I've got to be missing something, it can't work that way can it?

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

I believe it does work that way. Most folks would use an Access Point to extend their network, which would just plug into the hub and be on the same network you're already sharing.