wi-fi to wired problem

[Interrogative]

I *WAS* of the opinion, before attempting this, that you could have a wired
network then add to that an external wi-fi NIC and to another computer the
same sort of wi-fi NIC and the lot happily get on using XP Home. Just bridge
the two networks. The problem I think I have finally worked out that is
causing it is that my wired network has a workgroup name and of course the
wireless network has it's OWN SSID which equates to (as far as I am aware) a
workgroup name.

If I change the wireless SSID to the workgroup name of the wired one, the
whole network stops working at the computer that holds the other wi-fi NIC
and is also connected to the wired network. If I change that same computer
to the workgroup name of the wireless SSID, I get two computers talking and
the rest of the computers not working on the network, naturally.

So can someone tell me - have you gotten this sort of thing working in the
above manner with XP Home or am I right in assuming I need XP Pro and a
domain name rather than a workgroup name? If so, will the SSID work on the
domain? I assume I would need XP Pro on every XP machine, then, that has a
wi-fi NIC attached which are currently numbered at 2.

Thanks if anyone has an answer for this.

 

[Malke]

I *WAS* of the opinion, before attempting this, that you could have a
wired network then add to that an external wi-fi NIC and to another
computer the same sort of wi-fi NIC and the lot happily get on using
XP Home. Just bridge the two networks. The problem I think I have
finally worked out that is causing it is that my wired network has a
workgroup name and of course the wireless network has it's OWN SSID
which equates to (as far as I am aware) a workgroup name.

If I change the wireless SSID to the workgroup name of the wired one,
the whole network stops working at the computer that holds the other
wi-fi NIC and is also connected to the wired network. If I change that
same computer to the workgroup name of the wireless SSID, I get two
computers talking and the rest of the computers not working on the
network, naturally.

So can someone tell me - have you gotten this sort of thing working in
the above manner with XP Home or am I right in assuming I need XP Pro
and a domain name rather than a workgroup name? If so, will the SSID
work on the domain? I assume I would need XP Pro on every XP machine,
then, that has a wi-fi NIC attached which are currently numbered at 2.

Thanks if anyone has an answer for this.

You are making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be. I think
you are trying to make an ad hoc network, but that's not really want
you want; you don't want to bridge any networks. You don't need a
domain (unless you are running a business and have a need for one) and
the operating systems involved don't matter.

You haven't mentioned how many computers, so I'm going to assume this is
a home network with under 10 machines. If that isn't correct, then post
back with a description of your network. Here's my own simple setup:

1 - wired 8-port router
1 - wireless access point (WAP)
6 - wired computers going to the router, various operating systems
1 - laptop connecting to the network wirelessly.

You could do this with a wireless router (skipping the WAP) if it came
with enough ports for your needs, too.

The SSID has nothing to do with the Workgroup name. This is only for the
wireless portion of the network. So, to continue my example (names
changed to protect the innocent):

All Windows computers are in the same Workgroup, although it isn't
necessary - it's just neater.
Workgroup name: Workgroup
SSID: mywireless
WEP key set (or WPA if you have hardware that supports it) and entered
into the laptop's wireless settings.

End of story. Every machine connects perfectly to the Internet. Shares
are created as desired.

HTH,

Malke

 

[Interrogative]

You are making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be. I think
you are trying to make an ad hoc network, but that's not really want
you want; you don't want to bridge any networks. You don't need a
domain (unless you are running a business and have a need for one) and
the operating systems involved don't matter.

You haven't mentioned how many computers, so I'm going to assume this is
a home network with under 10 machines. If that isn't correct, then post
back with a description of your network. Here's my own simple setup:

1 - wired 8-port router
1 - wireless access point (WAP)
6 - wired computers going to the router, various operating systems
1 - laptop connecting to the network wirelessly.

You could do this with a wireless router (skipping the WAP) if it came
with enough ports for your needs, too.

The SSID has nothing to do with the Workgroup name. This is only for the
wireless portion of the network. So, to continue my example (names
changed to protect the innocent):

All Windows computers are in the same Workgroup, although it isn't
necessary - it's just neater.
Workgroup name: Workgroup
SSID: mywireless
WEP key set (or WPA if you have hardware that supports it) and entered
into the laptop's wireless settings.

End of story. Every machine connects perfectly to the Internet. Shares
are created as desired.

Thanks for that info. I have 4 on the wired and want to add 1 wi-fi ad-hoc
to the machine that does ICS for the wired network. So, in the end on XP
home I will have 5 in total, 4 wired and of that 4, the one connected to
internet doing ICS for the wired also doing wi-fi to the one other machine
NOT part of the wired network and that ICS machine connected to both wi-fi
and the wired network doing all the sharing of internet and joining of the
two LANS.

I have, on the wired network, all IPs manually assigned and on the machines
not connected to the ADSL modem I have the machine WITH the modem noted as
the gateway to internet and on every machine on the wired network, I have
the DNS server IPs of the ISP noted.

What I am assuming YOU are doing (and of course I may be dead wrong) is that
you are auto assigning IPs. Is this correct?

Thanks once more.

 

[Malke]

Thanks for that info. I have 4 on the wired and want to add 1 wi-fi
ad-hoc to the machine that does ICS for the wired network. So, in the
end on XP home I will have 5 in total, 4 wired and of that 4, the one
connected to internet doing ICS for the wired also doing wi-fi to the
one other machine NOT part of the wired network and that ICS machine
connected to both wi-fi and the wired network doing all the sharing of
internet and joining of the two LANS.

I have, on the wired network, all IPs manually assigned and on the
machines not connected to the ADSL modem I have the machine WITH the
modem noted as the gateway to internet and on every machine on the
wired network, I have the DNS server IPs of the ISP noted.

What I am assuming YOU are doing (and of course I may be dead wrong)
is that you are auto assigning IPs. Is this correct?

Thanks once more.

Whew! Why are you doing ICS? Why aren't you just doing a router? The
router provides IP addresses via DHCP. Yes, of course I have a router
that does DHCP. The router is connected to the cable modem. If one or
more of your machines needs a static IP for some reason, there's no
reason you can't do that, too. I have a network printer that has a
static IP.

Malke

 

[Interrogative]

Whew! Why are you doing ICS? Why aren't you just doing a router? The

Cant afford one. Actually I really dont need one the way it is. I cant
afford a wi-fi NIC for every machine so I just got 2 wi-fi external USB NICs
and wanted it that way.

As it later turned out, I DID get it going. I have this machine I am typing
off doing ICS and networking to 3 other wired machines on that network and
then also doing wi-fi to the 5th machine. All are getting internet through
ICS off this machine now. The only problem left is that the 5th machine
which is wi-fi now wont talk to the wired network excepting this machine
with the other wi-fi NIC on it and the other wired machines wont talk to the
wired one. The reason for that is that they are totally separate networks.
The wired is under the normal 192.168.0.x numbers in 255.255.255.0 mask and
the wi-fi one is under 169.254.140.x and of course the 255.255.0.0 mask. The
problem is getting those two networks to talk to each other and for the
remote computer with a wi-fi NIC to continue getting ICS. That just wont
happen right now even though I bridged the networks! So, if you have any
tips on fixing that, please let me know as I really would appreciate it!

router provides IP addresses via DHCP. Yes, of course I have a router
that does DHCP. The router is connected to the cable modem. If one or
more of your machines needs a static IP for some reason, there's no
reason you can't do that, too. I have a network printer that has a
static IP.

Well, to be honest, that would be ideal but I just don't have the money to
go that far.

 

[Malke]

Cant afford one. Actually I really dont need one the way it is. I cant
afford a wi-fi NIC for every machine so I just got 2 wi-fi external
USB NICs and wanted it that way.

As it later turned out, I DID get it going. I have this machine I am
typing off doing ICS and networking to 3 other wired machines on that
network and then also doing wi-fi to the 5th machine. All are getting
internet through ICS off this machine now. The only problem left is
that the 5th machine which is wi-fi now wont talk to the wired network
excepting this machine with the other wi-fi NIC on it and the other
wired machines wont talk to the wired one. The reason for that is that
they are totally separate networks. The wired is under the normal
192.168.0.x numbers in 255.255.255.0 mask and the wi-fi one is under
169.254.140.x and of course the 255.255.0.0 mask. The problem is
getting those two networks to talk to each other and for the remote
computer with a wi-fi NIC to continue getting ICS. That just wont
happen right now even though I bridged the networks! So, if you have
any tips on fixing that, please let me know as I really would
appreciate it!


Well, to be honest, that would be ideal but I just don't have the
money to go that far.

I really haven't done anything with ICS since back in the Win98 days, so
I'm not the right person for ICS questions. However, MVP Steve Winograd
is an expert on it and has written quite a few articles. Here are some
links which may help:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics - ICS
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/networkbridge.htm

Malke

 

[Interrogative]

I really haven't done anything with ICS since back in the Win98 days, so
I'm not the right person for ICS questions. However, MVP Steve Winograd
is an expert on it and has written quite a few articles. Here are some
links which may help:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics - ICS
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/networkbridge.htm

Thanks for that reply but the truth is he doesn't explain the network
bridge. I have previously attempted to set one up using a network bridge and
all he has done there is to explain what it actually is and how it should
work which is what I thought was the case. He doesn't explain HOW to set it
up so that both networks can use ICS and talk to each other though which is
what I really need.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Guest]

Why not making things easier and get a router that supports wire and
wireless. Linksys has one, which supports both and work well. Enable DHCP and
have every computer on the same workgroup if you want it looking neat. If you
don't want to buy another router just connect your wireless (wi-fi) router to
the wire router and put your DSL/cable to the wired router. With this setup
you shouldn't have to use the ICS because the router will do everything for
you. Just plug and go.

c = computer
wc = wireless computer

cable/dsl
|
|-----|----- wire router-----|-----|
| | | | |
c1 c2 wi-fi router c3 c4
|
wc1


Kristopher

 

[Interrogative]

Why not making things easier and get a router that supports wire and
wireless.

I would if I had money to burn but I don't.