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Internet Sharing

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:25 am
by schtumbler
I'm having problems setting up internet sharing. I have a small office setup in my pole barn. For internet, I connect to my wireless router in my home via a dell truemobile 1150 card (flashed to orinoco firmware) and an external antenna. I have a second laptop attached with a crossover cable.

[Laptop2]-->crossover cable-->[Laptop1]-->antenna-->[wireless router]

Both machines run on XP SP2. I'd like to have internet access on Laptop2.

So far, Laptop1 get's a decent signal and can access the internet just fine. Laptop1 and Laptop2 communicate perfectly for file sharing (crossover cable works fine).

I think that my internet can be shared pretty easily without having to spend any more money for another wireless nic and antenna. I've heard that ICS is a little funky and I would prefer not to use it. There are other options. No problem right? WRONG!

My first attempt was to use XP's bridging (on Laptop1) to bridge my wireless connection with my local area connection (crossover to Laptop2). This killed my wireless on Laptop1. It wouldn't connect, or even try to connect.

My next attempt was trying NAT32 on my host computer (Laptop1) to use network address translation to pass the packets over to Laptop2. The same problem occured. I could no longer access the internet on Laptop1. The icon says it's connected, but it doesn't work. If I pull my nic card out and reinsert it, it doesn' work at all (big ugly "X" over the wireless icon). I also tried 602Lan Suite, but encountered the same problem.

I'm not the geek that I wish I was, and don't know enough about what's happening to diagnose the problem. Does it have to do with promiscuous mode? I tried netsh to force compatibility mode, but it didn't help.

Any thoughts?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:52 am
by wrzwaldo
schtumbler wrote:I think that my internet can be shared pretty easily without having to spend any more money for another wireless nic and antenna. I've heard that ICS is a little funky and I would prefer not to use it. There are other options. No problem right? WRONG!


I don't recall ever having a problem with it.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:57 am
by shamrock365
How far are you trying to share the connection? Is it building to building sort of thing?

Shamrock365

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:03 am
by streaker69
You would be wiser to just get an AP that can function as a Repeater to your other AP, then your machines in your polebarn connect to it instead of mucking about with ICS.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:07 am
by schtumbler
The connection is only being shared over 5 feet. The original connection comes through my wireless into Laptop1. The wireless works fine. I'm having trouble sharing my access from Laptop1 with Laptop2 (via 5 ft of ethernet cable).

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:14 am
by shamrock365
Are both Laptop's wireless equipped?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:20 am
by schtumbler
shamrock

They are both equipped. Laptop1 has the dell truemobile with an external antenna. Laptop2 has a cheasy card (Gigafast, I think) with no antenna jack, that won't get a signal from my AP. That's why I'm trying to get Laptop2 online using a crossover cable to Laptop1.

I know it's wierd and there are more simple solutions but I look at it as a personal challenge to make these machines talk without spending money.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:43 am
by Dutch
schtumbler wrote:shamrock

They are both equipped. Laptop1 has the dell truemobile with an external antenna. Laptop2 has a cheasy card (Gigafast, I think) with no antenna jack, that won't get a signal from my AP. That's why I'm trying to get Laptop2 online using a crossover cable to Laptop1.

I know it's wierd and there are more simple solutions but I look at it as a personal challenge to make these machines talk without spending money.

No Money = Use the included Internet Connection Sharing in XP. Follow the guide, specify your WiFi card as the source and the wired NIC as the destination on laptop 1.
Then follow the guide on laptop 2, to set it up to use its wired NIC as an ICS client.

It's a No-Brainer - really...!

Personally though, I'd spend a bit and either get a dedicated repeater, or if your AP supports WDS, get a compatible AP for the second location and use that. By using ICS and a crossover cable you are taking away the advantage of having laptops - Both of them are tethered due to the cable, as well as having to use more electricity, and introducing a bottleneck into the network.

Dutch

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:00 am
by schtumbler
As I understand it, the Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing feature has some pretty serious security issues. I could be wrong.

I agree that ICS may be one solution, but I would rather find another one.

Specifically, I'm curious about why my nic card cuts out when I:
a) use XP to bridge networks
b) use NAT32 or 602LAN Suite

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:13 am
by Dutch
schtumbler wrote:As I understand it, the Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing feature has some pretty serious security issues. I could be wrong.

I agree that ICS may be one solution, but I would rather find another one.

Specifically, I'm curious about why my nic card cuts out when I:
a) use XP to bridge networks
b) use NAT32 or 602LAN Suite


a) Contact Microsoft for support on XP bridging.
b) Contact whatever supportchannel there exists for the NAT32 or 602LAN suite applications.

Why ? See the Welcome Desk section. You did read all the posts there, before you posted a message, right ?

Dutch

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:18 am
by Barry
schtumbler wrote:As I understand it, the Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing feature has some pretty serious security issues. I could be wrong.

I agree that ICS may be one solution, but I would rather find another one.

Specifically, I'm curious about why my nic card cuts out when I:
a) use XP to bridge networks
b) use NAT32 or 602LAN Suite



Well it is Windows.



[color="White"]Hey look I even spelled it right.... [/color] :rolleyes:

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:21 am
by Thorn
schtumbler wrote:As I understand it, the Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing feature has some pretty serious security issues. I could be wrong.

I agree that ICS may be one solution, but I would rather find another one.

Specifically, I'm curious about why my nic card cuts out when I:
a) use XP to bridge networks
b) use NAT32 or 602LAN Suite
Both could be any number of things from firewall issues to protocol issues. The MSKB would be a good place to start your research.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 1:35 pm
by Scruge
schtumbler wrote:As I understand it, the Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing feature has some pretty serious security issues. I could be wrong.

I agree that ICS may be one solution, but I would rather find another one.

Specifically, I'm curious about why my nic card cuts out when I:
a) use XP to bridge networks
b) use NAT32 or 602LAN Suite

My guess is that your ICS is interfering with your router. You've probably have got two dhcp servers running which is a no no.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 1:46 pm
by brwrdrvr
ICS is the easiest thing to set up. How much trouble can you be having? Stop looking for a hand out about something a 5 year old learns in kindergarten. Learn how NICs talk to each other across the network and get on with your pole dancing in the barn.


GEEZ

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 1:58 pm
by streaker69
brwrdrvr wrote:ICS is the easiest thing to set up. How much trouble can you be having? Stop looking for a hand out about something a 5 year old learns in kindergarten. Learn how NICs talk to each other across the network and get on with your pole dancing in the barn.


GEEZ


Wow, even the Cajun thinks it's easy. Things aren't looking good for the OP.