I seem to be having a bit of a problem with my network. I am on an odd setup here in that I'm using a wireless router (designed for broadband) with my dialup (which is the only thing available to me). The router is connected to my desktop, and I wish to network my laptop with the desktop, but things seem to go one of two ways. Either I get the internet wireless or I get "networked" (shared files, printers, etc). This all depends on which router port my desktop is plugged into. When it's plugged into the "internet" port (designed for DSL modems and such) and I have ICS configured on my desktop, the laptop can surf the internet. Whenever I plug it into one of the ports for computers (labeled 1-4), I don't get internet even with ICS configured. I can, however, see the desktop's shared documents, printers, and the like.

I'm not entirely sure how to fix this. I know that it would work better if I wasn't using this router but I'm really hoping that theres a workaround since I don't want to buy more equipment. The router is a Linksys WRT54G if it matters. In my attempts to fix this so far, I've discovered that my laptop can see the desktop (pings fine, shows up on net view, etc) but the desktop has no idea the laptop even exists (won't respond to pings).

Have you got a DSL/ADSL dial up connection or an ISDN dial up connection?

Somewhere in your router's configuration, there should be an option to disable the routing part. You need to disable that, or replace your router with a $40 wireless hub/bridge.

Need more information on your dial-up configuration (internal/external modem) and possible layout of how you hook up the router to the internet connection.

I have a router just like yours so any extra info would be helpful!

Life is love of computing :)

You need a 'USB WiFi Adaptor or PCI Wireless Card' for your PC. Ditch the Router

Internet Conection Sharing will work with this co.nfiguration, you will be effectively creating an "ad-hoc" wireless connection.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/...

For this:

whenever I plug it into one of the ports for computers (labeled 1-4), I don't get internet even with ICS configured. I can, however, see the desktop's shared documents, printers, and the like.

My comment:

Ensure there is no firewall (windows firewall, antivirus firewall, etc) enabled on the labtop. Also type ipconfig in command prompt on labtop, ensure it displays correct IP, netmask, gateway and DNS. The gateway IP should be the desktop's LAN IP.

Bakers said:

You need a 'USB WiFi Adaptor or PCI Wireless Card' for your PC.
Internet Conection Sharing will work with this configuration, you will be effectively creating an "ad-hoc" wireless connection.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/...

However, the point I was trying to make, is that if one of the computers does not have a wired connection it will not work.

On the link you gave, it said this, which is what I was refering to:

Ad hoc networking might seem like a much smarter alternative to using a wireless router, but it does have a couple of disadvantages:

• If the computer connected to the Internet is shut down, all computers that are part of the ad hoc network lose their Internet access.

• To connect to the Internet, one computer ALWAYS NEEDS A WIRED network connection.

• To connect to the Internet, one computer ALWAYS NEEDS A WIRED network connection.

Still do not get your point, the main PC has a dialup internet connection via a dialup modem. Adding a Wireless Adaptor allows ICS/Ad-Hoc WiFi to other PC's. So why do you insist you need a Physical Wired Connection ??? you do not as explained by the article!!

I hate to beat a dead horse here, but my point is, and forgive me if I have not been clear, he appears to be trying to connect his desktop through a wireless router. He has a phone cable... a dial-up connection. This cannot connect to the router as I understand it (I have the manual before me)

It says: "To use the Router, you need a cable/DSL modem and high-speed Internet connection."

That lead me to believe he's not connected to the phone line but picking up another wireless connection somehow when he's connecting to the router... just a guess because it seems so weird that he's connecting his PC to the internet port (which is supposed to be where a cable goes from a DSL or Cable modem) but since he doesn't have a DSL modem, the router is not connected to the phone line at all? That's what I'm guessing.

He should get rid of the router, and use ICS and the ad-hoc network as you said. That connection -- the desktop, will be connected by a cable to the telephone socket in the wall. I may have mispoke earlier and said the computers needed to be wired together, but I didn't meant to say that, I meant the desktop must have a cable connection to the wall. The laptop and the desktop will be connected wirelessly. Then you could set up a workgroup or set up the desired folder sharing.

OK yes in this instance and the other two posts, one above and the other in the XP forum a ROUTER IS NOT REQUIRED..........