Wireless network sharing question

[cutthegrass]

I use a laptop to connect to a free wireless service. I want to be able to use a wireless router to share that connection with my desktop which is on another floor.

So basically this is how i want to connect:

WIRELESS => Laptop (sharing internet TO a wireless router) => Desktop connects to wireless router to receive shared internet signal


If this makes sense can someone please help me?

(this kind of setup, minus the router, works to share internet from the laptops wireless to my xbox 360 via cat5 to access xbox live).

I tried to turn on ICS and running a cat5 cable to the WAN on the wireless router, then connecting my desktop (with wireless card) to the router.

Am i using the wrong cable from the laptop to the WAN? Should i use crossover for that or is cat5 correct? is there something i didn't set up right? Feel free to dumb it down for me, although i DO understand pc jargon it would be easier to digest if you start at ground zero and work your way up because i don't know if i have this correct, so it would be easier with a checklist so to speak.

thanks for any help anyone can offer

 

[LookinAround]

Are you saying that today you have

WIRELESS
ACCESS :::::::::::::::::::> laptop -----------------------------> XBOX
........................wireless.........................Wired


Don't know who's wireless it is or the extent of its coverage but maybe something like

WIRELESS........wireless.....................Wired
ACCESS :::::::::::::::::::> laptop -----------------------------> XBOX
..........|
..........|
..........| wireless
.........v
DESKTOP

and all you need is another wireless connection

 

[cutthegrass]

here is the closest i can get to it:

this is how i play on xbox live normally:

WIRELESS ACCESS ===> Laptop WiFi ==> [sharing wifi connection with ICS, xbox is plugged into ethernet port of laptop] (this works great)

here's what i would LIKE to do:

WIRELESS ACCESS ===> Laptop WiFi ==> [Share wifi connection with ICS to wireless router (to broadcast signal downstairs so desktop connects with wireless card)

easier to understand? the xbox isn't hooked up at the moment. Its being repaired for RRoD.

I want to be able to connect my desktop to the wireless router to gain access to the laptops shared connection.

 

[cutthegrass]

oh yeah, the desktop doesn't find the connection that the laptop does because the laptop is upstairs and gets better reception than the desktop. otherwise i'd connect to it directly. sorry for my misunderstanding

 

[cutthegrass]

ok so here is what i'd like to accomplish. Please tell me if it is possible and if so how? It doesn't seem like its that far fetched. I connected 2 Windows98 computers together one time using a direct connect cable (connected at the printer ports) to share a dial-up AOL connection. THATS Ghetto networking lol.

Its probably a lot simpler than i'm making it on myself..

 

[DelJo63]

Let's get back to simple networks; Connect Systems only to Routers and don't use ICS (ie serial connections from system--system--system)

If you need WiFi, then use a WiFi Router.

Your Xbox should be wired or WiFi connected to the router.

Life gets far more difficult when you attempt to chain router--router--router
UNLESS you have mastered routing tables and adding manual entries.

So start with your modem---(wan)Router#1. This is the ONLY router that will use the
WAN port. To chain to the next, you connect a Lan port of one to a Lan port of the other.
This effectively neuters the router into a switch (less expessive solution). The only
reason(s) to use a second router is you need WiFi and already have the device anyway.
You can add more to create a large 'backbone' like

[COLOR="Blue"]modem---router#1---router---router[/COLOR]

using typical 4port routers, this leaves only to attachments per router!
So you ad a switch where required to get back more connections at a specific location

[COLOR="Blue"]modem---router#1---router---router[/COLOR]-- (1) connection
             |        |        |
             |        |       switch -- (3x) connections
             |        + (2x) connections
             |_ wifi connections

requirements:

1. router#1 has the only active DHCP service and specifies the backbone ip address range to be supported (including the WiFi connections)
2. the WiFi router can be anywhere in the chain
   

Results
All systems will be in the same ip subnet
All systems *may* participate in Print/File Sharing

The requirements for the Xbox should be addressed LAST, so when
the above is working --- We'll continue on that subject.

 

[cutthegrass]

if i understand you correctly, you want me to plug the wireless router into the main router? If so, thats not possible. i connect to someone's unsecured router in my area with a laptop. I have used ICS to connect with my xbox for online gaming and had no problems.

What i am TRYING to do is use the same theory to share the connection that i get with my laptop to my desktop. The thing is though, my desktop is 2 floors down and doesn't pick up the signal to connect directly. The desktop has a wireless card in it. I have my own wireless router that i'd like to use to be able to (i guess) network the laptop (hardwired to router) and desktop (connected by wifi) and use ICS on the laptop to (as it says in the description of the program) "share network connectivity with other network users."

I hope this makes my goal a little more clear. Even though i didn't 100% understand what you told me it seems a little more involved than what i am picturing in my head. maybe all I am trying to do is set up a simple network and i'm making harder than what it should be.

 

[DelJo63]

Sorry -- I'll not assist you to hijack someone's internet connection.