Setting up ICS with Win7

[c22d]

Hey there,

I'm trying to set up a home network so I can share a wireless Internet connection from my PC to other desktops/laptops in the house.

I'll try and explain the situation in detail so hopefully you get a good idea of what I'm trying to do.

I have a wireless router which is in an upstairs room in the house, not ideal but that's where the Internet connection is so rather than run cables all over the house it is easiest to have it there.

This of course means the range of the router isn't fantastic and much of the downstairs isn't covered, or at least with a poor connection.

I just built a desktop PC for the downstairs, and put a wireless card in with the intention of sharing the connection.

I then got a couple of HomePlugs, one of which is connected to the router upstairs, the other is connected via Ethernet to my new desktop.

So I have a wired connection on my new PC, and a wireless card which isn't being used.

Is it possible to set up my new PC to act as a wireless router using the wireless card since the incoming connection is using Ethernet?

I've tried it with a MacBook Pro which seems to be easy to set up and works fine, but I can't work out how to do it in Windows 7.

So that's my intention (probably explained badly, apologies)

Thanks in advance

[conway]

You'd have to use adhoc mode for your adapters, but it should work fine other than that.

[c22d]

Apologies for being amateur here but what do you mean?

Also, how would I go about setting it up? My OP didn't make it very clear, I was asking how to do it rather than just whether it would work.

I'm pretty clueless when it comes to networking.

[conway]

Apologies for being amateur here but what do you mean?

Also, how would I go about setting it up? My OP didn't make it very clear, I was asking how to do it rather than just whether it would work.

I'm pretty clueless when it comes to networking.

If you go into Network and Sharing Center, you'll see manage wireless networks on the right side. If you go into that, click on add, then create adhoc network. That should take you through it. :burn:

[c22d]

Thanks Conway,

I've ran the setup assistant thing for AdHoc and got a network set up, but it doesn't seem to be working properly.

Other computers can see the AdHoc network, and appear to connect ok, but they don't actually connect, like if I open a Firefox window I get the not connected message.

Any ideas?

[Omsion]

You need to tell Windows to share the wired connection. Right-click the wired connection and check the box under the "Sharing" tab.

This is in addition to what you've already done.

[c22d]

Thanks for the reply Omsion.

There doesn't seem to be a sharing tab on the wired connection.

There is one in the newly created AdHoc network, but enabling sharing there doesn't seem to fix the situation.

[conway]

Thanks for the reply Omsion.

There doesn't seem to be a sharing tab on the wired connection.

There is one in the newly created AdHoc network, but enabling sharing there doesn't seem to fix the situation.

That's weird, there should be a sharing tab on whichever adapter has the active internet connection.

[c22d]

Ah yeah there is, I was looking at the wrong properties. Clicking on the network adapters properties does have a sharing tab.

I still can't get it working though, the network appears fine on other devices and they show a connected signal (tried 2 laptops and a phone) but no internet access.

[kayson]

Are all the systems on Win7? I had tons of problems trying to share the connection on Win7 then connect with a WinXP laptop (through wireless adhoc). I ended up sharing it on the XP laptop instead and connecting with Win7 laptop. That was the only way I could get it to work...

[c22d]

Thanks for the reply Kayson.

Nah not all the machines are running 7.

My main desktop with the WiFi card is running 7 Pro 64, and then there will be a laptop and desktop running XP, and two MacBook Pro's, one running OS X 10.6, one running 10.5

The other XP desktop is next to the router so putting the WiFi card in that would be pointless, and obviously the laptops wont be in any single location for long periods of time so I can't really use one of those to host the AdHoc network.

[kayson]

Theres an option to allow users to control the internet connection (on the Win7 machine). Do you have that enabled? That might let you check on the sharing from one of the xp machines

[Jigga]

You can try Connectify. Windows 7 actually has the built-in ability to be a wifi hotspot/access point, Connectify is just a GUI for this function. Most wifi cards also comes with a utility to allow the adapters to become an access point.

http://www.connectify.me/index.html

[kayson]

Try upgrading your drivers. I read somewhere that old drivers (or newer ones for that matter) cause problems with adhoc networks. Try switching drivers. I managed to get Win7 ICS to work through to my iPhone via an adhoc network so its possible!