dial-up and wireless networking

[Guest]

I have two computers, a desktop and a new laptop. Both are running Windows
XP. We are not able to get a high speed internet connection in my rural area,
so I only have dial-up service. I'd like to network these two computers and
be able to share an internet connection. The laptop has a wireless card. The
desktop is relatively new, less than five years old. I keep getting different
answers to my question. I've been told it isn't possible and then I'm told it
is with a router.
Please tell me the basics. Where do I start? What hardward to I need?
Please, please in simple terms - I'm technology challenged.

 

[Richard G. Harper]

You can easily share dial-up networking, if you use a router you'll want to
turn off DHCP and put it into its "simple switch" mode.

http://www.wown.com/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/

Two sites that have how-to's on networking.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Guest]

I don't know anything about routers. What kind do I need to buy and where is
the best place to buy on? I really have no idea where to start, but I think
this is something I should be able to do without paying someone $65 an hour,
which is what my local computer store said was the only way they would help
me.
--
nb

You can easily share dial-up networking, if you use a router you'll want to
turn off DHCP and put it into its "simple switch" mode.

http://www.wown.com/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/

Two sites that have how-to's on networking.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I have two computers, a desktop and a new laptop. Both are running Windows
XP. We are not able to get a high speed internet connection in my rural
area,
so I only have dial-up service. I'd like to network these two computers
and
be able to share an internet connection. The laptop has a wireless card.
The
desktop is relatively new, less than five years old. I keep getting
different
answers to my question. I've been told it isn't possible and then I'm told
it
is with a router.
Please tell me the basics. Where do I start? What hardward to I need?
Please, please in simple terms - I'm technology challenged.

 

[Chuck]

I don't know anything about routers. What kind do I need to buy and where is
the best place to buy on? I really have no idea where to start, but I think
this is something I should be able to do without paying someone $65 an hour,
which is what my local computer store said was the only way they would help
me.

If you want to share dial-up service, there are several NAT routers made for
that. You can buy these products online or in CompUSA or maybe Walmart.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.html

 

[Guest]

I just spoke to someone at Best Buy, supposedly the "Geek Squad" who told me
that there were no routers that will work with a regular dial-up connection
and allow me to connect wirelessly to my laptop. He said routers would only
work with a wireless card in a laptop if I had a high speed broadband, DSL or
satellite connection. He said as far as he knew no router existed that would
allow me to have a desktop computer connected through a dial-up connection
and have my laptop share that connection with its wireless card. This is
about the fifth time I've been told that what I want to do is impossible.
Lord help us not everyone in this great land of ours has access to high speed
internet.
--
nb

You can easily share dial-up networking, if you use a router you'll want to
turn off DHCP and put it into its "simple switch" mode.

http://www.wown.com/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/

Two sites that have how-to's on networking.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I have two computers, a desktop and a new laptop. Both are running Windows
XP. We are not able to get a high speed internet connection in my rural
area,
so I only have dial-up service. I'd like to network these two computers
and
be able to share an internet connection. The laptop has a wireless card.
The
desktop is relatively new, less than five years old. I keep getting
different
answers to my question. I've been told it isn't possible and then I'm told
it
is with a router.
Please tell me the basics. Where do I start? What hardward to I need?
Please, please in simple terms - I'm technology challenged.

 

[Chuck]

I just spoke to someone at Best Buy, supposedly the "Geek Squad" who told me
that there were no routers that will work with a regular dial-up connection
and allow me to connect wirelessly to my laptop. He said routers would only
work with a wireless card in a laptop if I had a high speed broadband, DSL or
satellite connection. He said as far as he knew no router existed that would
allow me to have a desktop computer connected through a dial-up connection
and have my laptop share that connection with its wireless card. This is
about the fifth time I've been told that what I want to do is impossible.
Lord help us not everyone in this great land of ours has access to high speed
internet.

I think the Geek Squad guys suffer from lack of training. If you have
PPP-compatible dial-up (use Dialup Networking to connect), you can get any of
several routers, and they may (or may not) be available at BB.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.html

 

[Kyuzo]

Info. taken from Microsoft's article on "Managing your Network's Internet
Connection"
Dial-up
With a dial-up connection, you use a modem that connects through a phone
line and is not a digital subscriber line (DSL). If you have a dial-up
connection and install a home network, there's no reason you can't share the
Internet connection. It'll be slower than the other types of Internet
connections, but if you're using dial-up already and prefer its price point,
this is probably an acceptable trade-off.

ICS manages dial-up connections as well as broadband connections. Since ICS
is currently available in Windows XP, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows
2000, and Windows 98 Second Edition at no extra charge, this is a natural
choice for sharing a dial-up connection. Very few combinations of routers
and external modems will allow you to use a hardware solution for sharing a
dial-up connection.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/getstarted/connectnetwork.mspx

Trying researching on Internet Connection Sharing and see if it suits your
needs. It will be probably difficult setting up the wireless solution you
wanted with dial-up.

 

[Chuck]

Info. taken from Microsoft's article on "Managing your Network's Internet
Connection"
Dial-up
With a dial-up connection, you use a modem that connects through a phone
line and is not a digital subscriber line (DSL). If you have a dial-up
connection and install a home network, there's no reason you can't share the
Internet connection. It'll be slower than the other types of Internet
connections, but if you're using dial-up already and prefer its price point,
this is probably an acceptable trade-off.

ICS manages dial-up connections as well as broadband connections. Since ICS
is currently available in Windows XP, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows
2000, and Windows 98 Second Edition at no extra charge, this is a natural
choice for sharing a dial-up connection. Very few combinations of routers
and external modems will allow you to use a hardware solution for sharing a
dial-up connection.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/getstarted/connectnetwork.mspx

Trying researching on Internet Connection Sharing and see if it suits your
needs. It will be probably difficult setting up the wireless solution you
wanted with dial-up.

It is quite easy to set up a wireless solution with dial-up. You need a dial-up
router with WiFi, or a dial-up router plus a wireless access point. I know of 6
dial-up routers, 3 wired and 3 wireless.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.html

If you don't like the WiFi options presented by any of the routers in the above
article, you can get one of the wired routers, and a WiFi router or Access Point
of your choice. If you get a WiFi router (which are not all that expensive),
you can use it with a dial-up router, by converting the WiFi router into an
access point.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-on-lan-with-two-routers.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-on-lan-with-two-routers.html

But whatever you do, start by learning the limitations of ICS.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html

 

[Guest]

Now, I'm just completely confused. My son emailed me and said what I need is
a wireless access point. With that I can enable ICS on my desktop and my
laptop, and my laptop can use my desktop's internet connection.
I was looking at something call WiFlyer and another product called Nebo.
What about these? I am lost here. Some of use are in the beginner stage.

 

[Chuck]

Now, I'm just completely confused. My son emailed me and said what I need is
a wireless access point. With that I can enable ICS on my desktop and my
laptop, and my laptop can use my desktop's internet connection.
I was looking at something call WiFlyer and another product called Nebo.
What about these? I am lost here. Some of use are in the beginner stage.

You can use ICS, if you wish. But you're a lot better off using a NAT router.
ICS was a good solution a few years ago, but with the development of NAT routers
that will manage a dial-up modem, a NAT router is way better. Know the
disadvantages of ICS. And know how uninformed the Geek Squad is.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html

I'm not familiar with either Nebo or WiFlyer - got URL?

 

[Kyuzo]

It is quite easy to set up a wireless solution with dial-up. You need a dial-up
router with WiFi, or a dial-up router plus a wireless access point. I know of 6
dial-up routers, 3 wired and 3 wireless.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.
html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.html

If you don't like the WiFi options presented by any of the routers in the above
article, you can get one of the wired routers, and a WiFi router or Access Point
of your choice. If you get a WiFi router (which are not all that expensive),
you can use it with a dial-up router, by converting the WiFi router into an
access point.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-on-lan-with-two-routers.
html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-on-lan-with-two-routers.html

But whatever you do, start by learning the limitations of ICS.

http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html

I'm probabably going to feel sorry for the OP cuz it will probably be slow
as heck when he tries to go on with both of his computers LOL. But I guess
there are no other options since he/she can't get broadband. Would hooking
it up with ICS actually be faster than with going with an wireless setup? I
mean its still 56k and all but would physically connecting them be better?

 

[Chuck]

I'm probabably going to feel sorry for the OP cuz it will probably be slow
as heck when he tries to go on with both of his computers LOL. But I guess
there are no other options since he/she can't get broadband. Would hooking
it up with ICS actually be faster than with going with an wireless setup? I
mean its still 56k and all but would physically connecting them be better?

Well, dial-up sucks - there's no question about that. But dial-up behind a NAT
router sucks less than dial-up with ICS.

I have no idea what you're getting at comparing ICS as an alternative to
wireless. You need to compare dial-up ICS with wireless, to a dial-up NAT
router with wireless.

If you're going with dial-up service, it's going to suck. But dial-up speed
isn't the only thing that sucks when you use dial-up ICS.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html

 

[Kyuzo]

better?

Well, dial-up sucks - there's no question about that. But dial-up behind a NAT
router sucks less than dial-up with ICS.

I have no idea what you're getting at comparing ICS as an alternative to
wireless. You need to compare dial-up ICS with wireless, to a dial-up NAT
router with wireless.

If you're going with dial-up service, it's going to suck. But dial-up speed
isn't the only thing that sucks when you use dial-up ICS.

http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html

Interesting indeed....Well I hope the OP is reading this so he has a clue on
his options on sharing his dial-up connection. Hmm I just thought about the
OP getting satalite internet. It heard that it is one possible solution for
people in areas that are stuck with only dialup. Then again, maybe he/she
doesn't mind the slow speed of dialup.

 

[Richard G. Harper]

The person from the "Geek Squad" is parroting a line that he or she has
memorized. I tell you of my own personal knowledge that it is indeed
possible, since I did it for two years before either Cable or DSL was
available in my tiny little hamlet in the wilds.

Did you visit either of the Web sites I referred you to, or any of the ones
that others have mentioned in their replies? This ain't rocket science. A
little careful study and research will make it really very simple.

In a nutshell, you need to set up ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on only
the PC that dials the Internet. That PC then needs to connect, wired or
wirelessly, to a router or switch. I recommend a router, and if you use one
you will need to turn off the DHCP server since the ICS server you have
created will handle giving out network information to the other computers on
your network. Finally, connect other computers to your router either wired
or wirelessly.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Chuck]

The person from the "Geek Squad" is parroting a line that he or she has
memorized. I tell you of my own personal knowledge that it is indeed
possible, since I did it for two years before either Cable or DSL was
available in my tiny little hamlet in the wilds.

Did you visit either of the Web sites I referred you to, or any of the ones
that others have mentioned in their replies? This ain't rocket science. A
little careful study and research will make it really very simple.

In a nutshell, you need to set up ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on only
the PC that dials the Internet. That PC then needs to connect, wired or
wirelessly, to a router or switch. I recommend a router, and if you use one
you will need to turn off the DHCP server since the ICS server you have
created will handle giving out network information to the other computers on
your network. Finally, connect other computers to your router either wired
or wirelessly.

Richard,

My point is that you don't need ICS at all, and you're better off NOT using it.
ICS was developed as a workaround. A router, that can do the job of ICS, is a
far better solution:
# Manage a dial-up modem.
# Provide NAT functionality.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html

We don't recommend using ICS to share Ethernet based Internet service (ie
broadband thru an Ethernet capable modem). Why recommend ICS to share dial-up
(unless it's some crappy service that requires a proprietary dialer installed on
the computer)?

I'm convinced that the Geek Squad has a cute name and that's it.

 

[Guest]

The OP here. I agree that dial-up sucks. We have tried getting a broadband
connection. We can't get a signal because we live in kind of a low place with
water on two sides, a wooded hill on the other and lots of TALL old oak
trees. The phone company can give me no hope of having DSL in the near
future. As for a satellite, right now I don't have the $300 to $400 cost of
the equipment and setup. We have a statellite for our television service,
only way we can get more than 3 channels. We are just lucky that we can get a
decent satellite signal. In the rural area where lots of folks are in the
same situation we are in.
I'm not thrilled with the slow dial-up speed. I just don't have any other
real options. My goal with networking is to be able to share files between my
desktop and laptop and to be able to be on the internet on the laptop
wirelessly. As I said, I'm not that literate when it comes to all that is
involved with setting something like this up. I sure don't want to spend
money on something that isn't going to work. I also don't particulary want to
pay someone $65 an hour to come set up a network. I'm just stubborn enough to
think I should be able to figure this out myself. And, by the way, I'm a she.
I'm also a writer and I think this experience is going to make a wonderful
column.

 

[Chuck]

The OP here. I agree that dial-up sucks. We have tried getting a broadband
connection. We can't get a signal because we live in kind of a low place with
water on two sides, a wooded hill on the other and lots of TALL old oak
trees. The phone company can give me no hope of having DSL in the near
future. As for a satellite, right now I don't have the $300 to $400 cost of
the equipment and setup. We have a statellite for our television service,
only way we can get more than 3 channels. We are just lucky that we can get a
decent satellite signal. In the rural area where lots of folks are in the
same situation we are in.
I'm not thrilled with the slow dial-up speed. I just don't have any other
real options. My goal with networking is to be able to share files between my
desktop and laptop and to be able to be on the internet on the laptop
wirelessly. As I said, I'm not that literate when it comes to all that is
involved with setting something like this up. I sure don't want to spend
money on something that isn't going to work. I also don't particulary want to
pay someone $65 an hour to come set up a network. I'm just stubborn enough to
think I should be able to figure this out myself. And, by the way, I'm a she.
I'm also a writer and I think this experience is going to make a wonderful
column.

OK, well, all that I'm asking you to do is to read my articles. You have
several alternatives, which don't involve ICS. If you read my articles, and ask
me questions, I think I can help you develop a solution. As Richard says, It's
not rocket science. As I say, It will require patience and persistence.

You do see the links to my articles? Help me out here.

 

[Guest]

I do see the links to your articles and I've read some of them. Since a lot
of the terminology sounds like a foreign language to me, I have to read
things a couple of times. Sorry, it takes me a while to get my mind around
this and to understand exactly what people who are much more knowledgeable
are trying to explain. Every discipline as its own language. When I was an
editor and spoke in "newspaper" I know the terms were lost on lots of folks.
I'll reread the articles and see what particular questions I have. Sorry to
be so dense. I just need a step-by-step explanation to get it straight in my
head. I'm afraid for me to "get" it, it's going to have to be kept pretty
simple.

 

[Guest]

Chuck,
I reread one of your articles. Won't both of my computers have the Ethernet
cards you are talking about already installed? How do I know? See, I'm dumb
here.
I'm going to Wal Mart shortly and just look at what they have available. I'm
not exactly sure what I'm looking for.
I'm getting a headache trying to figure this out. Oh, and I'm not impressed
at all by the Geek Squad. I think they need to talk to each other so they are
all telling people the same stories. You get a difference answer depending on
which Geeker you talk with.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,
I reread one of your articles. Won't both of my computers have the Ethernet
cards you are talking about already installed? How do I know? See, I'm dumb
here.
I'm going to Wal Mart shortly and just look at what they have available. I'm
not exactly sure what I'm looking for.
I'm getting a headache trying to figure this out. Oh, and I'm not impressed
at all by the Geek Squad. I think they need to talk to each other so they are
all telling people the same stories. You get a difference answer depending on
which Geeker you talk with.

Most computers sold within the past few years do indeed already have Ethernet.
There are rare ones that don't, usually relics with Windows 98 or something. If
you have Ethernet, don't worry about that issue.

Run ipconfig on each computer, and see if you get results. If ipconfig returns
anything normal, you have Ethernet or WiFi. See my ipconfig article:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/reading-ipconfig-and-diagnosing.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/reading-ipconfig-and-diagnosing.html

Just take it one step at a time, and ask questions.