Help! Connecting laptop wirelessly to my desktop.

[captain_oats]

Hi, any help on this would be most appreciated.

I recently got BTyahoo broadband, and have had problems getting my laptop to connect to the internet using the hub running through my desktop.

I entered all the hub serial numbers etc. on the wireless card options, and the installation CD has tested the connection between hub and card and says that it is successful. However, the laptop won't display web pages, and in the taskbar by the system clock the RaLink wireless card icon says "disconnected."

So as I see it, the hub and the card are 'talking to each other' but the card isn't 'talking' to the laptop. Any ideas? Thanks.

[deddard]

Hi
We'll need some more information on the equipment you have before we can give a definitive answer.
We need to know:
Is the wireless adaptor in your laptop built in, or pcmcia.
Is the adaptor working at 802.11b or 802.11g

does your desktop pc connect to the internet directly via a wired connection into your adsl modem? if not, how is it connected to the internet?

Are you using a wireless access point? if so, how is this connected to the desktop pc?

You mention a 'hub' but I'm not sure if you are using the correct terminology - networking has loads of terminology, and a hub is a specific type of device.

The pics below are : I = ethernet cable ---=ethernet cable Z = wireless link
The normal way for things like this to work is:


Desktop PC
I
I
Switch/Router-----------ADSL modem-----Internet
I
I
Wireless Access Point
Z
Z
Z
Laptop with Wireless Network Card


Sometimes several bits of equipment are combined. A Router and switch are often part of the same bit of kit - one side connects to the adsl modem, and there are usually 4 ports which your PCs can connect to - these are part of a switch.
PCs, network printers, or wireless access points can be connected to this switch.

Another possibility is if the router/switch also has the wireless access point built into it, which when set up looks something like:

Desktop PC
I
I
Switch/Wireless Access Point----ADSL Modem
Z
Z
Z
Laptop PC with Wireless network card

Whatever happens, when using a wireless adaptor, several things need to be in place:
1:The Internal IP (Network) addresses all need to be in the same subnet.
in simple terms, this usually means that every PC, LAN interface on the Router, Wireless Access Point should be configured with an address similar to 192.168.1.x, where x is a unique number. (note that the 192.168.x.x. is the normal range used for home networks, but they can differ)
2: The wireless network adaptors and access point must use the same protocols and versions - 802.11b or 802.11g is the norm.
3: If encryption is used, then each wireless pc trying to access the WAP (wireless access point) needs to be configured with the correct 'key'
4: The wireless access point, if separate from the router, may need to have a default gateway configured - this is the LAN address of the router.
5:The PCs should be configured with the same Workgroup name

there are other factors to consider, but these are the absolute basics. let us know some more details and we'll be able to point you in the right direction.

[captain_oats]

Thanks for the help, I figured out the problem - my wireless card was not enabled, and in My Network Places I had to disable the LAN port and enable the wireless connection. Pretty simple really! Sorry to waste time. Might help others though.