Sharing Internet Connection Via Computers?

akasixcon · 04-12-2008, 11:25 PM

My setup: 2 computers, 1 wireless router, 1 cross-over cable and 1 wireless card.

Computer A has a wireless card connected to it and is able to browse the internet.

How do I make Computer B share the internet from Computer A? Computer B cannot connect through the router because of the cross-over cable.

peterhuang913 · 04-12-2008, 11:26 PM

Buy a new ethernet cable?

Mak213 · 04-12-2008, 11:38 PM

Get a wireless card?

There is no way to have B access A and use the net. Not even when going thru the network. I have never seen a way to do this in all my years.

CalcProgrammer1 · 04-12-2008, 11:54 PM

Well, for one, most routers nowdays have auto-sensing ports. That means you can use either a straight cable or a crossover cable, they'll both work. My Netgear Router and Switch both have sensing ports, so do many computer cards.

However, should you absolutely need to go from A to B (share A's connection with B) you can bridge or use Internet Connection Sharing. This means computer A needs to be running Windows XP or Vista. First, connect A to the wireless Internet, and then use the crossover to connect A to B. Then, go into A's Control Panel and click Network Connections. Select the Wireless connection, right click, Properties, Advanced, and check Internet Connection Sharing, then apply. Now A will share it's Internet connection with anything connected to its Ethernet port. IF that doesn't work, try selecting both the Wireless and Wired connections, right click, and select Bridge. It will "bridge" the connections, so everything across the WiFi and Ethernet are shared.

I use this to play Xbox 360 online when I'm in the living room where there's no Ethernet port (use the laptop's WiFi to connect the 360).

S0ULphIRE · 04-13-2008, 12:24 AM

I used the bridge ability to connect one of my pc's to another, then that to my main switch because the cable wasn't long enough to reach from the first pc to the switch. The only downside is if the pc that's bridging goes down, the pc connected to it will lose the network too.

CalcProgrammer1 · 04-13-2008, 12:31 AM

Yeah, the bridging/sharing PC must remain on for the "slave" PC to get connectivity. That's why I don't recommend using bridging/sharing except for "temporary" settings (like my Xbox in the living room thing). However, if you want to use it, it would work.

mikesgroovin · 04-13-2008, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CalcProgrammer1

That means you can use either a straight cable or a crossover cable, they'll both work.

I've been fairly reserved when seeing posts that say either "get an Ethernet cable" or a "cross-over cable"

I am finally happy to see that there is some sense here. An Ethernet cable is JUST that.... it's an ETHERNET cable. ethernet is a technology... not a pin out.

When talking about straight and cross-over cables... they are BOTH ETHERNET cables... just that one is pinned straight and one is pinned crossed (and not all the time yellow)

Thanks for actually posting the correct verbiage.

*edit*
Just in a related example:

When talking about RS-232:

A straight serial RS-232 is a STRAIGHT RS-232....

A Cross-over RS-232 is a NULL MODEM RS-232 Cable...

but it is STILL SERIAL RS232! LOL

Serial is serial... and Ethernet is serial until the point of Layer 2 (inside the PC) .. at which it becomes Parallel (through buses)

CalcProgrammer1 · 04-16-2008, 07:27 PM

Well, on older (non-auto-sensing) devices, it actually does make a difference (the crossover cable crosses pins so that the transmit [tx] wires of device A connect to the recieve [rx] wires of device B and the same for B to A). However, most modern devices can detect what type of cable is used, whether it's a crossover or straight cable, and automatically switch its transmit and recieve lines to match the cable. But yes, straight and crossover are both types of cat-5e or cat-6 cable, which is "Ethernet cable" (main usage is for Ethernet protocol/hardware networks).

mikesgroovin · 04-16-2008, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CalcProgrammer1

Well, on older (non-auto-sensing) devices, it actually does make a difference (the crossover cable crosses pins so that the transmit [tx] wires of device A connect to the recieve [rx] wires of device B and the same for B to A). However, most modern devices can detect what type of cable is used, whether it's a crossover or straight cable, and automatically switch its transmit and recieve lines to match the cable. But yes, straight and crossover are both types of cat-5e or cat-6 cable, which is "Ethernet cable" (main usage is for Ethernet protocol/hardware networks).

My point wasn't the difference between a cross and straight cable, it was simply an observation that when they are described as:
1) a cross-over cable
2) and an ethernet cable

In said case, the "ethernet" cable was being referred to as the "straight" cable, when in fact, they are BOTH ethernet cables.

carnageX · 04-16-2008, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Makaveli213

Get a wireless card?

There is no way to have B access A and use the net. Not even when going thru the network. I have never seen a way to do this in all my years.

http://www.tech-forums.net/computer/topic/show/114149

Post made on the old TF. I've used it before; it's slow, but still works. Have also used that guide to do the same way to my PS2 to play online.

So there is a way...just not very practical xD.

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