Help needed: Ad-hoc wireless network with internet access

Hi all and thanks a lot in advance.

I have a laptop connected to the internet through a DSL modem. I have a Netgear Wireless PC Card that allows me to connect to or create an ad-hoc network. My second laptot has built-in wifi. I wanna be able to connect to the internet with the second laptop, setting up a wireless link between both of them.

And it's driving me nuts.

My second laptop detects and connects to the ad-hoc wifi connection created by my first laptop. I've configured both of them through a network bridge. It should work, but it doesn't. The second computer cannot reach the internet. Neither of them can see the other one in the local network created through the network bridge. But, here comes the weird part, for gaming the network works just fine. I've tried a couple of games and i can play in network mode.

So... why cannot i use the second laptop for the internet too? Any info will be more than welcome. I really need some help.

Cheers, all.

P.D. I know a router is the way to go, but let's just say that where i live... well, it is not that simple to buy. I need to make it work with the hardware i have and, theorically, i should be able to do it.

 

I might have not read this right, but cant you just have both of the laptops connect to the router seperatly?

 

My English sometimes sucks, don't worry. I haven't got a router. My primary laptop connects to the internet through a DSL modem (not router). What i need is to create a wifi link between both of my laptops so that the second one can surf the web, too. But there's no way i can connect both of them at the same time to the modem. It's a crappy USB modem which can only be connected to one computer.

Cheers, mate.

 

Have you checked the Allow Network Users to connect through this computer's Internet Connection box in the Advanced tab in the Connection properties?

 

Yep, it's checked. Right now, the ad-hoc network is set up. I've properly configured the firewalls in both computers and i can ping each other. Workgroup name is the same in both laptops. I've manually given an IP adress to each one of them (192.168.0.x). Internet ADSL connection is shared in the host computer and still... no internet for the client laptop.

Host computer is running XP Pro SP1 and client XP Home SP2. Maybe it has something to do with that?

Cheers.

 

Try upgrading the Host computer to SP2. And, when setting up the ad-hoc network, did you make sure that the network on the host computer was set so that it "connects directly to the internet", and that the client computer was set to "connect through another computer" in the Network Setup Wizard?