Simple home solution

[j0be269]

Ok let me start by laying out what I have.

Desktop running Windows XP Home
Laptop running Windows XP Pro
Internet is VIA Sprint Mobile Broadband as no other service is available to me other than dial up. (USB Aircard)

I can use my sprint card in either machine to access the internet. My laptop has a built in wireless network card. I would like a simple, cheap setup so that if I'm connected to Sprint on my desktop working and my wife is on the laptop she can share the connection. I don't mind the desktop having to be on to be able to share with the laptop, but I'm almost sure a router wouldn't work anyway as I have to open a small program and tell the sprint card to connect to the net anyway. When the desktop is not is use I can simply move the card to the laptop. I would also like to Sync a folder or two (such as my mp3's and Ebay files) so that I won't have to worry about changing everything on both machines when I edit, delete, or add something (like the way windows media player syncs with a mp3 player or something maybe). The Sync is the greater of the two as far as importance to me. Is there a simple solution to this?

Thanks in advance,
Nathan

[Rick]

Add a wifi card to the desktop

Then tell windows to share the aircard connection with the laptop by way of the wifi ( Enable connection sharing )

The Sync is not as easy but can be done.
Briefcase was used in the past to sync two systems
Not sure what they call it in XP

If the mp3's are copy protected it may not allow it

[classicsoftware]

A router should work fine. You just need to record the user name and password in the router firmware. Place check with sprint for a compatible model.

[j0be269]

ok, got a wifi card for the desktop and after some tinkering I got the laptop and desktop to talk to each other. I can share my printers, files and internet connection just like I wanted to. Thanks for the suggestions.

I do have on minor annoyance, when using either machine some programs, including firefox wants to occasionally try to connect itself to the internet using a connection that doesn't exist (ie dialup etc) This happens while I'm connected to the net and if the lil window gets hidden before I see it then I lose my internet function until I hit cancel on the little popup. Any suggestions on how to make a global setting to tell all my programs to never try to connect themselves to the net that way.