Super quick and easy wireless question

MojoInKansas · 12-21-2003, 06:43 PM

If I've got 2 PC's to network and share a DSL connection with wirelessly, do I NEED a router? Or can I simply run a proxy server on one of the machines (the one the DSL modem is connected to)? I'm looking for the CHEEP way out. :-) In other words, does a wireless LAN work the same way a wired one does as far as routing, etc?

ekÆsine · 12-21-2003, 07:42 PM

you mean ICS internet connection sharing where 1 machine acts as internet sharing server/ gateway? all you woud need is 2 network cards. 1 card plugs into DSL modem, other plugs to your other machine that will share connection with you. windows will guide you through the process of setting up ICS through a wizard. use the windows help & support, search ICS. what OS are you using?

MojoInKansas · 12-21-2003, 07:52 PM

it's WIN2K on both... NOT running Microsoft's ICS. It's basically like this now. DSL modem to NIC 1 on machine 1. NIC 2 on machine 1 is currently connected to a single NIC on machine 2 via a crossover cable... file/printer sharing works great, but couldn't share DSL via ICS... so I just run a little proxy server on machine 1 that machine 2 looks for. I basically just want to replace the crossover cable with a couple of wireless NIC's. It SEEMS like it should work without a router, since it does so just fine now. The only real difference is gonna be wireless instaed of a long crossover. I hope this all makes sense. LOL

mikesgroovin · 12-21-2003, 08:46 PM

I see what you are saying. The two wireless network cards need an access point to connect to. With physical cabling, you have a choice to have the cables to either go to a central device such as a switch or hub, or the cable can just go from one PC to the other. But with wireless cards, they cannot interact with each other unless they have an access point to connect to. If you are going to purchse two wireless network adapters already, why not purchase a wireless router?

-Mike

MojoInKansas · 12-21-2003, 08:52 PM

so basically run the DSL modem to the router, and then point both wireless nics to the router address? that's all i'd need? (i assume the router acts as an access point in that case)

mikesgroovin · 12-21-2003, 10:24 PM

Yes, run the network cable from the DSL modem to the internet or WAN port on the wireless router. Yes, also correct....All wireless routers have a built in access point for your wireless cards to connect to.

-Mike

MojoInKansas · 12-21-2003, 10:26 PM

I appreciate the help. Thanks, man.

mikesgroovin · 12-21-2003, 10:49 PM

Not a problem. You should be able to purchase two wireless cards and a wireless router for about $150 or so. Hope that's within your limit you were hoping for.

-Mike

MojoInKansas · 12-21-2003, 11:06 PM

it's funny. i was trying to do it cheap for my wife's sake... then she realized she didn't want me running cables all over the place... so SHE told me to spend the bucks... lol
thanks again

ekÆsine · 12-22-2003, 02:47 AM

oops, sorry i didn't see that you had wireless hardware. i saw cheap and wireless and i guess my brain could not compute the 2 things together. wireless is never cheap

12-21-2003, 06:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
MojoInKansas Junior Techie Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 51	Super quick and easy wireless question If I've got 2 PC's to network and share a DSL connection with wirelessly, do I NEED a router? Or can I simply run a proxy server on one of the machines (the one the DSL modem is connected to)? I'm looking for the CHEEP way out. :-) In other words, does a wireless LAN work the same way a wired one does as far as routing, etc?

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12-21-2003, 07:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
ekÆsine Wizard Techie Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,940	you mean ICS internet connection sharing where 1 machine acts as internet sharing server/ gateway? all you woud need is 2 network cards. 1 card plugs into DSL modem, other plugs to your other machine that will share connection with you. windows will guide you through the process of setting up ICS through a wizard. use the windows help & support, search ICS. what OS are you using?

12-21-2003, 07:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
MojoInKansas Junior Techie Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 51	it's WIN2K on both... NOT running Microsoft's ICS. It's basically like this now. DSL modem to NIC 1 on machine 1. NIC 2 on machine 1 is currently connected to a single NIC on machine 2 via a crossover cable... file/printer sharing works great, but couldn't share DSL via ICS... so I just run a little proxy server on machine 1 that machine 2 looks for. I basically just want to replace the crossover cable with a couple of wireless NIC's. It SEEMS like it should work without a router, since it does so just fine now. The only real difference is gonna be wireless instaed of a long crossover. I hope this all makes sense. LOL

12-21-2003, 08:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
mikesgroovin honk if you route packets Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 3,742	I see what you are saying. The two wireless network cards need an access point to connect to. With physical cabling, you have a choice to have the cables to either go to a central device such as a switch or hub, or the cable can just go from one PC to the other. But with wireless cards, they cannot interact with each other unless they have an access point to connect to. If you are going to purchse two wireless network adapters already, why not purchase a wireless router? -Mike

12-21-2003, 08:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
MojoInKansas Junior Techie Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 51	so basically run the DSL modem to the router, and then point both wireless nics to the router address? that's all i'd need? (i assume the router acts as an access point in that case)

12-21-2003, 10:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
mikesgroovin honk if you route packets Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 3,742	Yes, run the network cable from the DSL modem to the internet or WAN port on the wireless router. Yes, also correct....All wireless routers have a built in access point for your wireless cards to connect to. -Mike

12-21-2003, 10:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
MojoInKansas Junior Techie Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 51	I appreciate the help. Thanks, man.

12-21-2003, 10:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
mikesgroovin honk if you route packets Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 3,742	Not a problem. You should be able to purchase two wireless cards and a wireless router for about $150 or so. Hope that's within your limit you were hoping for. -Mike

12-21-2003, 11:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
MojoInKansas Junior Techie Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 51	it's funny. i was trying to do it cheap for my wife's sake... then she realized she didn't want me running cables all over the place... so SHE told me to spend the bucks... lol thanks again

12-22-2003, 02:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
ekÆsine Wizard Techie Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,940	oops, sorry i didn't see that you had wireless hardware. i saw cheap and wireless and i guess my brain could not compute the 2 things together. wireless is never cheap