Question: internet connection sharing via wireless

[BD]

Hi all.

Here's my task:

I have a laptop with a wireless internet card in it. It gets its feed
from a nearby node. The laptop also has a built-in 10/100 port which is
enabled but is not currently being used.

I have a desktop machine in the same room. I want to configure the
desktop to use the laptop as a gateway/router so I can get Internet
connectivity on both.

Laptop has XP SP1, desktop has XP SP2.

Here's what I expect I will have to do:

-Connect a crossover cable (or a hub) between the 10/100 adapters on
both machines.
-On the laptop, configure its 10/100 nic's IP as a non-routable, Class
C mask, with the default gateway set to the IP of the wireless NIC.
-On the desktop, configure its nic's IP to the same Class C segment,
and use the laptop's 10/100 port as the default gatway.

Does that make sense? Am I way off? I'm sure I could work it all out
on-site, but I'd much rather get all my conceptual ducks in a row
before I walk in, and just get it right.

All comments appreciated.

Cheers,

BD.

 

[Chuck]

Hi all.

Here's my task:

I have a laptop with a wireless internet card in it. It gets its feed
from a nearby node. The laptop also has a built-in 10/100 port which is
enabled but is not currently being used.

I have a desktop machine in the same room. I want to configure the
desktop to use the laptop as a gateway/router so I can get Internet
connectivity on both.

Laptop has XP SP1, desktop has XP SP2.

Here's what I expect I will have to do:

-Connect a crossover cable (or a hub) between the 10/100 adapters on
both machines.
-On the laptop, configure its 10/100 nic's IP as a non-routable, Class
C mask, with the default gateway set to the IP of the wireless NIC.
-On the desktop, configure its nic's IP to the same Class C segment,
and use the laptop's 10/100 port as the default gatway.

Does that make sense? Am I way off? I'm sure I could work it all out
on-site, but I'd much rather get all my conceptual ducks in a row
before I walk in, and just get it right.

All comments appreciated.

Cheers,

BD.

Bobby,

You have the right idea. There may be some details that you're missing.

What you're going to do is make the laptop into an ICS (Internet Connection
Sharing) server. You need to run the Network Setup Wizard on both computers.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/using-network-setup-wizard-in-windows.html>
# On the laptop, select "This computer connects directly to the Internet. The
other computers on my network connect to the Internet through this computer.".
# On the desktop, select "This computer connects to the Internet through another
computer on my network or through a residential gateway.".

There are limitations to using ICS though.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html>
# Is the laptop wireless LAN using 192.168.0/24? That's what ICS will use.
You'll have to make the laptop into a bridge then.
# Will the laptop be on whenever you wish to use the desktop?

If the above issues are not relevant, then set the desktop up as a DHCP client,
and it will get its settings from the DHCP server in ICS, and it will have
Internet access.

 

[BD]

Mm.

I recognize that the laptop will have to be on if the connection
sharing is to work; this is fine.

I'm almost sure that the wireless segment will be in the range of its
DHCP address, rather than a non-routable. I just expected that I'd be
configuring the 'shared' interface of the laptop as a non-routable.
There is always a chance that the wireless adapter was configured
manually.

If I can configure the laptop with ICS and allow DHCP requests to be
forwarded through it from the other node, then that should be fine. I
do have a default paranoia about running any wizards on someone else's
machine, however; I have learned from the school of hard knocks, and
prefer to retain as much control over processes as possible. Manually
editing hosts files and routing files would be the ideal; changing IP
config is okay; wizards (tragically) just make me nervous, when I'm
dealing with someone else's PC. By your tagline, I'd gather you would
agree with me on that point.

Is there a registry key I can export which contains all networking
configuration, so I can recover if the worst should happen (again, when
dealing with someone else's machine, I always try to prepare for the
worst)?. Sadly, I have seen too many situations where running wizards
results in unanticipated side effects which I could not subsequently
back out of. I'm sure I'd feel better about it if I'd used ICS before;
I just don't like experimenting on someone else's gear when they are
not technically inclined enough to be self-reliant. ;-)

I'll review the links you supplied, and likely read up on ICS in
general, before I proceed. Thanks!!