Reverse Wireless?

Did some searching, not sure if I am just missing the correct term or if what I want to do is crazy, but here goes:

I currently use a public wireless access point (with permission) as my primary method of accessing the net for both surfing and gaming. As I am building a new comp though, am wondering if it would be possible to set up one of my older computers as a "router/firewall" to share the connection with other computers.

Basicly what I would like to do, for both saving money and security, is set 1 computer up with a wireless card (or cards if 2 would be better? not a clue here) and have it serve as firewall, router, and print server if at all possible.

So, is this possible, or could anyone help with aguide or even links to a thread I missed where this has been discussed? Perhaps there is already a hardware solution out there,kind of a reverse wireless router?


Thanks for reading my rambling, and a special thanks for any help anyone is able to provide.
Cheers,

<edit to add> I guess I could set something like this up with Windows, but I'm not a fan of windows internet connection sharing, and would like to get away from windows for extra computers whenever possible.

Smoothwall with the right drivers for the wireless card might do it. I don't see any reason it woudn't....

I don't know how hard a smoothwall would be to set up but lke you said ICS is an option. Probably the easiest thing to do is to get yoru self a wirless bridge. What it will do is pick up the signal from your neighbor and convert it to ethernet. You can then put a switch or router after the bridge and your connect your computers to the switch.

Neighbors----->Bridge====>Switch=====>computers

----> is the wireless connection
====>are the wired connections

Intresting project - shouldn't one dummy pc with windows xp/2000 with ICS enabled do the trick ?

yea, but windows xp/2000 requires pretty high-end hardware. bridge -> router solution would be your best bet since we can never be sure if there are drivers for the particular cards you use for linux

Thanks for the responses all.

Athlonight, xp requires fairly decent hardware, and frankly I've never been able to get ICS working properly where it did not cause random disconnects. When gaming those are bad to me I know it's my newbie status and if I could learn how to use it, it might work.

Bridge I have never even heard of, I will be looking into that tonight. Thanks a ton for the term.