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Sharing a wireless internet connection

thejazzmanthejazzman Registered User regular
Here's the setup.

I have a laptop connected wirelessly to a router. I have two desktops that need internets. These desktops are not wireless and I cannot connect them via ethernet directly to the router.

I want to use the laptop as a gateway connection, feeding the two desktops via ethernet cables.

I thought I could so this by connecting the laptop to a hub, then the hub to the two desktops.

Is this possible? Is there a better way? Would really really appreciate some help

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
thejazzman on

Posts

  • .kbf?.kbf? Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    What you described would work fine.

    Alternatively, if you have another router would be to put said router into "routing" mode(as opposed to Gateway). The router can then receive the signal from the other router.

    .kbf? on
  • thejazzmanthejazzman Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Hmm, I DO have another router. So you're saying I can just tell the second router to pick up a wireless signal from the 1st, and then plug in the two ethernet cables like normal?

    Any specific information on how I make it a gateway or is it rly rly self-explanatory and easy to do.

    Ty for the advice

    thejazzman on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • exoplasmexoplasm Gainfully Employed Near Blizzard HQRegistered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Most consumer wireless routers do not come with this functionality out of the box.

    What you need is a wireless bridge - which your laptop can do fine. If you have a router supported by tomato or dd-wrt or whatever, you can load up the custom firmware to use it as a wireless bridge.

    If you use your laptop, just bridge the wired and wireless networks (select both, right-click, choose Bridge networks) and then plug the 2 desktops + laptop into the same switch (or a router that is not routing).

    exoplasm on
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  • PeregrineFalconPeregrineFalcon Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Or you could buy some PCI wireless cards for the desktops.

    PeregrineFalcon on
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  • smokmnkysmokmnky Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Or you could buy some PCI wireless cards for the desktops.

    Was going to say this, You could also just get a couple of the USB ones too.

    smokmnky on
  • SakeidoSakeido Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Or you could buy some PCI wireless cards for the desktops.

    FTW
    PCI wireless cards are cheap, will allow the desktops to operate without your laptop, and generally get a better signal with fewer drops than laptop antennas in my experience.

    edit: I had a USB wireless antenna. It was convenient, but unreliable. Dropped frequently and caused stuttering problems even after driver updates (stuttering being a common problem with early drivers for wireless N linksys devices, apparently). I'd recommend a built-in one over a USB one.

    Sakeido on
  • smokmnkysmokmnky Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Sakeido wrote: »
    Or you could buy some PCI wireless cards for the desktops.

    FTW
    PCI wireless cards are cheap, will allow the desktops to operate without your laptop, and generally get a better signal with fewer drops than laptop antennas in my experience.

    edit: I had a USB wireless antenna. It was convenient, but unreliable. Dropped frequently and caused stuttering problems even after driver updates (stuttering being a common problem with early drivers for wireless N linksys devices, apparently). I'd recommend a built-in one over a USB one.

    I've used USB ones quite a bit and knew someone that would come to post this but I've never had issues with a USB connector.

    smokmnky on
  • PeregrineFalconPeregrineFalcon Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    smokmnky wrote: »
    Sakeido wrote: »
    Or you could buy some PCI wireless cards for the desktops.

    FTW
    PCI wireless cards are cheap, will allow the desktops to operate without your laptop, and generally get a better signal with fewer drops than laptop antennas in my experience.

    edit: I had a USB wireless antenna. It was convenient, but unreliable. Dropped frequently and caused stuttering problems even after driver updates (stuttering being a common problem with early drivers for wireless N linksys devices, apparently). I'd recommend a built-in one over a USB one.

    I've used USB ones quite a bit and knew someone that would come to post this but I've never had issues with a USB connector.

    My issue with the USB ones, at least in the past, was that I couldn't find one with a chipset that didn't totally suck.

    No WPA2/AES, no fucking care.

    PeregrineFalcon on
    Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
    Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
  • exoplasmexoplasm Gainfully Employed Near Blizzard HQRegistered User regular
    edited June 2008
    smokmnky wrote: »
    Sakeido wrote: »
    Or you could buy some PCI wireless cards for the desktops.

    FTW
    PCI wireless cards are cheap, will allow the desktops to operate without your laptop, and generally get a better signal with fewer drops than laptop antennas in my experience.

    edit: I had a USB wireless antenna. It was convenient, but unreliable. Dropped frequently and caused stuttering problems even after driver updates (stuttering being a common problem with early drivers for wireless N linksys devices, apparently). I'd recommend a built-in one over a USB one.

    I've used USB ones quite a bit and knew someone that would come to post this but I've never had issues with a USB connector.

    My issue with the USB ones, at least in the past, was that I couldn't find one with a chipset that didn't totally suck.

    No WPA2/AES, no fucking care.

    Well assuming you spend more than $10 on it, I'm sure there are good ones. One advantage to USB over PCI is that you can use a $2 USB extension cable to extend your signal vs. spending $25 on an antenna for a PCI card.

    Or just get a router that has wireless bridge or supports custom firmware or an actual wireless bridge (router less than $50, bridge most likely $90+) so you only have 1 device blasting wifi signals in that spot.

    exoplasm on
    1029386-1.png
    SC2 NA: exoplasm.519 | PA SC2 Mumble Server | My Website | My Stream
  • ZonkytonkmanZonkytonkman Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    exoplasm wrote: »
    Most consumer wireless routers do not come with this functionality out of the box.

    What you need is a wireless bridge - which your laptop can do fine. If you have a router supported by tomato or dd-wrt or whatever, you can load up the custom firmware to use it as a wireless bridge.

    If you use your laptop, just bridge the wired and wireless networks (select both, right-click, choose Bridge networks) and then plug the 2 desktops + laptop into the same switch (or a router that is not routing).

    i've been having a fucking terrible time finding a router that supports either. Can you recommend some routers that are still in production and easy to find? Linksys seems to have flooded the market with routers that LOOK just like the old 4meg ram ones.

    Zonkytonkman on
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