Connecting Desktop to Wireless Broadband

Factual Questions
1

Hope someone can reach through here and slap me. I should know this but anyway here goes…

I have 2 laptops with broadband wireless pcmcia cards (sprint and cingular) that I want to be able to share with my desktop.

Both laptops use XP Pro SP2, the desktop has W2K (but I can easily put XP Pro on it).

One laptop has a Cingular wireless broadband card the other a Sprint card, both pcmcia cards).

Is there a way to connect from my desktop computer to the broadband wireless cards without having to buy additional equipment, such as a router? I should mention I have a USB wireless adapter plugged in to the desktop (MS adapter if that matters. I also have a linksys usb card to use instead of the MS).

I’m thinking the answer is no. If that is the case then am I right to assume I simply need to plug a wireless router into the laptop and configure it to allow the desktop to connect to it? I don’t need to also buy an access point will I? the router should be all I need since both will be used in close enough proximity to get a strong signal from the router and the router itself will be the access point?

I realize also that I need to make it secure with WEP/WAP.

Any help be would be appreciated.

2

Put the Linksys USB adapter into one of the laptops, configure the laptop and the desktop for a wireless peer-to-peer connection between the 2 USB wireless adapters, then use internet connection sharing on the laptop, you’ll have to set up one laptop as the preferred connection, and switch to the other(with the USB adapter) if the first isn’t available.

Configure it without WEP/WPA until you get it working, then definitely go for WPA, WEP is pointless now days.

Then get a good software firewall/anti-virus-anti-spyware solution

That will get you basic internet access, are you looking to share data/a single connection between all three computers? If so it will get a bit more complicated.

3

In wireless terminology, peer-to-peer networking is known as “ad-hoc” (vs. “infrastructure”) Peer-to-peer is an accurate discription, but knowing the exact words to be looking for might smooth things for the OP.

4

That would probably be a good idea.

Win 2K & XP do work fairly good together (not like Win Me!), but having them all the same OS does reduce the possibility of minor conflicts.

And XP really is better than 2K, so you will be upgrading your desktop. Now if you were suggesting going to VISTA, that’s a whole different thing.

5

Although wireless is a PITA under 2k in many instances needing specific software since 2k lacks the wireless configuration wizards.

6

Thanks to all. Looks like the problem is reolved via another nearby wireless connection. Thye desptop is connected via the usb adapter to a connection upstairs. I was never thrilled with the possibility of sharing my Sprint connection anyway.

7

Oops. Can this be closed?

8

I couldn’t get internet sharing to work with a wireless card. I’d be interested to know if you can.

9

Hmmm… didn’t actually try until now. Plugged one of the wirelss adapters in my laptop and I can see how to go in to Wireless Network Setup Wizard in my control panel but it doesn’t give me an option to not have a network key (which frankly I don’t understand why it was suggested I not use one. I certainly don’t want anyone living around here stealing my signal. Although to all my neighbors who contibuted to my connecting to the internet via their service, I thank you!), then it asks me to plug in a flash drive and tells me: Your network settings are saved to the flash drive. Now follow these steps:

  1. Plug flash drive into wireless access point (there is no access point??? Isn’t my laptop with the Sprint card the access point??)
  2. Plug the flash drive into each computer or device you want to add to the network.
    3.Plug the flash drive back into this computer and click next.

So far this what I’ve done. Except I haven’t plugged the flash drive into the desktop yet. My roommate is sleeping so when he gets up I’ll plug it in and see if I can see this computer and let you know if it works.