sharing an internet connection through your PC

[gravitas]

Here's the situation.....if you're accessing the public internet via a wireless connection (i.e. in a hotel meeting room) can you use the ethernet port on your PC to "feed" a router/switch so others can connect to the internet through your internet connection?

 

[dr_pepper]

yes

In Win XP very simple. Right click the network adapter that's connected to the internet and do properties, then advanced. There you'll find a section for Internet Connection sharing. Or you could go buy a 50$ router and do the same thing.

 

[gravitas]

THX Dr. P,

Just to articulate what I'm wanting to do here's a pic

<img src='http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-4/688404/sharedinternet.jpg' width=673 height=484 >



will that work?

 

[sdw]

If there is a second NIC in the computer, ie some laptops have both a wired NIC and a Wireless NIC, you can do what you want using the method dr pepper outlined. You could also share your connection with another computer with an USB or Firewire cable if both computers have available ports. Works with all versions of Windows since 98.

 

[gravitas]

If there is a second NIC in the computer

Yellow network connection on the diagram goes from the notebook's RJ45 (wired) LAN NIC to the switch. The red network connection on the diagram is from the notebook's 802.11 (wireless) NIC and is pulling internet signal from the hotel's wireless LAN.

You could also share your connection with another computer with an USB or Firewire cable if both computers have available ports. Works with all versions of Windows since 98.

As per my original post, I want to connect my PC to a switch so a number of other users (more than one) can share my internet connection.

So, from the information provided thus far I should be able to do this. To clarify, will I need anything different like a crossover cable, etc?

 

[dr_pepper]

Your diagram is correct except what you've labelled as router should be a switch or hub. If a largish network then definitely a switch. Not that it really matters though. If the switch or hub is anything 2 years old or newer, then it will likely be auto sensing and you will not require a x-over cable. Also some of the small 5 port hubs/switches are really only 4. The 4th and 5th port are the same port but one of the plugs has been crossed over internally on the switch so you don't need the cross over cable. Any reason you just don't want to use a 90$ linksys wireless router router? The Buffalo wireless routers are even cheaper.

 

[dr_pepper]

took another look at your diagram again and noticed the "hotel" part. Have you ever thought about a wireless bridge? Again linksys makes one. You configure the bridge to connect to a wireless network and it has a rj45 plug in it that you would plug into one pc or into a switch or hub to share amongst several.

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1134692497433&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

London Drugs will have these or can get them in if they don't.

 

[Randy Whorewald]

Or you may wish to consider

A software based solution like Wingate etc. There is some good info on it here:

http://www.homenethelp.com/sharing/software.asp