How do I connect wired computer to wireless network?

[stuckinasquare3]

Here's my setup. I have a laptop (xp) with a wireless card and an ethernet card. It gets a nice strong wireless signal that I'd like to share with my desktop (vista). I have a LAN cable going from laptop to desktop, and if I run the network setup wizard on my laptop I can get internet on both my laptop and my desktop. The problem is, when I go into standby or restart either computer, I have to rerun the network setup wizard to get it to work. Sometimes the network setup wizard makes a bridge, sometimes it doesn't. I'd just like to know exactly what settings I need on my laptop and my desktop to make this work.

 

[JackMDS]

Plug the Desktop to your Wireless Router.

 

[stuckinasquare3]

Ok, I suppose I forgot to mention that I live in an apartment so I don't have access to the router

 

[Pantlegz]

plug your pc into a wireless AP? or use internet connection sharing on the laptop.

 

[kevnich2]

get a wireless bridge, configure it for the wireless and you can plug that either directly into the desktop or get a router and plug WAN port into the bridge.

 

[stuckinasquare3]

Ok well I'm trying to stick with the internet connection sharing option which is what I've been using but whenever I restart a computer, I have to set everything up from scratch because the desktop can't get an IP address. Any advice?

 

[JackMDS]

Do you have a Wireless source that is yours, or you are Leeching on someone that forgot to secure his Wireless conncetion?

 

[stuckinasquare3]

It's my apartment. I live here. It's wireless for the whole building. I understand trying to make sure you're not helping people who are doing things that are wrong but I can assure you I'm just trying to get internet on my desktop. I've verified that it's not a Vista issue as my desktop also has XP installed and I have the same problem. This means the problem is either in the hardware on the desktop, on the laptops end, or maybe the cable isn't good?

My thought was that, perhaps I wasn't using the right kind of cable. I know you need a crossover cable and I'm not sure what mine is so maybe that's why? Although, wouldn't it just not work at all then?

 

[JackMDS]

Only new Giga NICs do not care about striagh or crossover. The 100Mb/sec. NICs need crossover.

You need to configure Windows ICS.

Maybe this can Help, http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/

 

[stuckinasquare3]

My desktop is a EX58-UD3R board but my laptop is a Dell. I'm buying a crossover cable to test it out. I'll check that link out.

 

[stuckinasquare3]

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8999/settingss.jpg Here's some screenshot captures I took of my settings to make sure I set everything up right on my laptop. My desktop doesn't really have any "setup" everything is just set to automatically find whatever I guess...

 

[stuckinasquare3]

Ok, how about this for weird.

When I restart everything, the internet doesn't work on my desktop as I said. However, if I set the IP address to a static one and manually set the gateway to be the laptop's ethernet card, I'm connected to the laptop but not to the internet. If I then change the settings BACK to obtain an ip automatically, it automatically connects to my laptop and to the internet. At least it takes me shorter amount of time to get online now but still, I shouldn't have to DO anything. What about DHCP? Should I have DHCP enabled places?

 

[JackMDS]

Your DHCP setting enable but the secondary N etwork do not have DHCP server, that is the role of ICS to act as DHCP server and a NAT.

 

[kevnich2]

Just get a wireless bridge or wireless usb card and use that. If you get a wireless usb card, set it up just like the laptop and your done. Why go through all this fuss with ICS. The technology is there, use it.

 

[stuckinasquare3]

Because I don't have a wireless bridge or usb card so I'd like to just work with what I have. Should I have DHCP enabled on my wireless card on my laptop? Yes I think that's right. Do I disable DHCP on my laptop's ethernet card? On my desktop?

 

[TheKub]

Yes it can be done with what you have but its kinda a hack. Spend the $20 on a pci\usb wifi card for your desktop and do it the right way, that way you can even enjoy the internet on your desktop when you laptop is off.

I mean your going to wind up spending $5 on a crossover cable anyway.