Problem accessing internet on wireless network

[scorrie]

Hi, I decided to try to avoid the cost of a router by setting up an ad hoc (computer to computer) wireless network. I purchased two Belkin G USB network adapters and managed to get the two computers connected wirelessly and have signal strength that is either excellent or very good. I have set up my Broadband connection so that it can be shared by other computers on the network and have followed the advice on the Microsoft site concerning settings. However, when trying to access the internet from the client computer it states that the server cannot be found. I have seen some internet sites that advise removing the Belkin software and letting the New Hardware Wizard search for the minimum software required for installation. When doing this it seems as if the two adapters will not communicate with each other.

Any ideas gratefully received before I take these adapters back to Argos with an "Inserte dans votre crevasse" note attached.

[Niall Fernie]

Have you run through the internet connection sharing wizard on both machines?

If I remember correctly the wizard is in your "network connections", go to file menu and select "network setup wizard". it should set up all the correct settings for you.

Other things to check are that you have the correct gateway set on the remote PC (it should point to the network IP of the comp with the connection) and also check that you have DNS server IPs listed on the remote PCs connection. It may be that you are connected to the internet but just have no DNS lookup available to the remote PC.

[scorrie]

Have you run through the internet connection sharing wizard on both machines?

If I remember correctly the wizard is in your "network connections", go to file menu and select "network setup wizard". it should set up all the correct settings for you.

Other things to check are that you have the correct gateway set on the remote PC (it should point to the network IP of the comp with the connection) and also check that you have DNS server IPs listed on the remote PCs connection. It may be that you are connected to the internet but just have no DNS lookup available to the remote PC.

Hiya, I have run the wizard on both PC's, I also made sure that the client PC was looking at 192.168.0.1 (host IP) and tried with the client PC set to obtain IP address automatically and also set up with a static IP address within the recommended range. No joy either way. I also tried with Wireless Zero Configuration enabled and disabled. When disabled it reports that Windows cannot manage the connection, when enabled the connection is shown as four or five bars out of five for signal strength but I did notice that the connection can be listed as either connected or disconnected by windows software when it is clearly connected in both cases according to the belkin software. In either scenario we still get the message that the server cannot be found when trying to connect to the web on the client PC, when the broadband connection is up un running on the host PC. Thanks for your reply, this is busting the old brain box!!

[Stumurf]

Workgroup names also have to be the same...

i usually find that windows firewall causes more problems than its worth.. if you have other software running, turn it off...

in fact its usually better to turn all AV firewall etc off and get it connected so that you can then one by one eliminate them as causes of intereference..

Other than that you sem to have addressed everything...

if you have IE7 you could try running the connection diagnostic.. that may give you a better indication of what part isn't working properly

[scorrie]

Workgroup names also have to be the same...

i usually find that windows firewall causes more problems than its worth.. if you have other software running, turn it off...

in fact its usually better to turn all AV firewall etc off and get it connected so that you can then one by one eliminate them as causes of intereference..

Other than that you sem to have addressed everything...

if you have IE7 you could try running the connection diagnostic.. that may give you a better indication of what part isn't working properly

Hi, thanks for your reply. I did match the workgroup names and switched the windows firewall off. The host pc has Zonealarm so I will try, yet again, with that disabled and will also try with the AV disabled.

[scorrie]

I finally gave in and bought a wireless router. Got the router installed with no problems and my son is able to connect to our wireless network. He can view the shared folders on my PC but is still unable to connect to the internet, even though my broadband connect is set for sharing. Other than having a slightly better signal quality we are really no further on than when we had an ad-hoc set up using two wireless adapters. Any ideas anyone? Thanks for reading.

[Bobinovich]

Sorry Scorrie you would have been easier paying the extra for a wireless router with ADSL modem built in - that way your sons PC could go online without your own one having to be on.

[scorrie]

Sorry Scorrie you would have been easier paying the extra for a wireless router with ADSL modem built in - that way your sons PC could go online without your own one having to be on.

Aye, however, my Broadband connection is always on so I wanted to keep the cost down, as it was my son who was paying for the hardware.

[Ricco]

Hi, Scorrie

If you have a router then it will have its own firewall and you are advised to turn off Windows firewall as they will clash. Can you tellme your make and model of wireless router?

[scorrie]

Hi, Scorrie

If you have a router then it will have its own firewall and you are advised to turn off Windows firewall as they will clash. Can you tellme your make and model of wireless router?

Hi Ricco, thanks for your reply. I have a Belkin Wireless G Plus router. I bought this because the wireless adapters we had were also Belkin and I figured it might simplify matters. I have heard that the Belkin tech support are based in deepest part of the Orient and pretty much useless so I have avoided them thus far.

My son has just upgraded his PC to Windows Vista this evening so I am not sure if this will affect any new attempt to get him online via my internet connection, which is on an XP PC.

Any help gratefully received. Best wishes.

[Ricco]

Hi Ricco, thanks for your reply. I have a Belkin Wireless G Plus router. I bought this because the wireless adapters we had were also Belkin and I figured it might simplify matters. I have heard that the Belkin tech support are based in deepest part of the Orient and pretty much useless so I have avoided them thus far.

My son has just upgraded his PC to Windows Vista this evening so I am not sure if this will affect any new attempt to get him online via my internet connection, which is on an XP PC.

Any help gratefully received. Best wishes.

No, it shouldn't affect his access. Does he have a wireless card? If so his access will be direct to the router, not through your machine. I'll dig into Belkin and come back to you.

[scorrie]

No, it shouldn't affect his access. Does he have a wireless card? If so his access will be direct to the router, not through your machine. I'll dig into Belkin and come back to you.

Yes, my son has an external wireless card (USB)

Thanks very much for your efforts. Cheers!!