Ad-hoc wireless network - does this work?

As will shortly be obvious, I just told you everything I know about
wireless. So I apologize if this is dumb.

I currently have a desktop with an integrated regular NIC, running
XP MCE2005, and a Moto SB5120 cablemodem. No router.

I'm thinking about getting an inexpensive laptop which would connect
back to the "data center" wirelessly from, say, the back porch. And
I would want the two computers to share the internet connection as
well as be able to talk to each other. The laptop would be used for
just farting around on the internet, including possibly video chat
(but no really high-volume stuff), while the desktop would still
handle the big stuff, including binary newsgroup downloads, file
sharing networks, and video processing. I would want the wireless
traffic to be encrypted.

I understand that I could buy a wireless router, but would I save
any money, and would it be simpler, and possibly faster, to just add
a PCI-card wireless NIC to the desktop, and have the desktop
function as the router? I'm pretty sure this is as big as this home
network is gonna get.

I see that XP has something called ICS which, if I read it
correctly, is supposed to do this exact thing. But, I also have
this suspicion that there may be a downside to doing it this way. I
understand that the desktop would have to be on for the laptop to
reach the net, but it's gonna be on anyway. But other than that,
are there things I should consider about doing this? Would it slow
down the desktop a lot? Are there security problems I wouldn't have
with a separate router? Anything else? Any kind of service that I
couldn't connect to for some reason?

And if I do go this way, is there anything better (but still free)
than ICS to use as software?

I would appreciate comments, or, if it's easier, links to sites
where this is all explained/discussed.

Thanks very much.

On Thu, 16 Nov 2006 12:07:55 -0600, Peabody
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<0O17h.1150$(E-Mail Removed)>:

>As will shortly be obvious, I just told you everything I know about
>wireless. So I apologize if this is dumb.
>
>I currently have a desktop with an integrated regular NIC, running
>XP MCE2005, and a Moto SB5120 cablemodem. No router.
>
>I'm thinking about getting an inexpensive laptop which would connect
>back to the "data center" wirelessly from, say, the back porch. And
>I would want the two computers to share the internet connection as
>well as be able to talk to each other. The laptop would be used for
>just farting around on the internet, including possibly video chat
>(but no really high-volume stuff), while the desktop would still
>handle the big stuff, including binary newsgroup downloads, file
>sharing networks, and video processing. I would want the wireless
>traffic to be encrypted.
>
>I understand that I could buy a wireless router, but would I save
>any money, and would it be simpler, and possibly faster, to just add
>a PCI-card wireless NIC to the desktop, and have the desktop
>function as the router? I'm pretty sure this is as big as this home
>network is gonna get.
>
>I see that XP has something called ICS which, if I read it
>correctly, is supposed to do this exact thing. But, I also have
>this suspicion that there may be a downside to doing it this way. I
>understand that the desktop would have to be on for the laptop to
>reach the net, but it's gonna be on anyway. But other than that,
>are there things I should consider about doing this? Would it slow
>down the desktop a lot? Are there security problems I wouldn't have
>with a separate router? Anything else? Any kind of service that I
>couldn't connect to for some reason?

Bingo: Security is a big issue in ad hoc mode, since WPA can't be used.
You would need to set up some sort of secure VPN (e.g., with iPig, a
free service), and secure firewalls on both machines.

>And if I do go this way, is there anything better (but still free)
>than ICS to use as software?

ICS is fine. The problem is ad hoc mode.

>I would appreciate comments, or, if it's easier, links to sites
>where this is all explained/discussed.

I strongly recommend a cheap wireless router instead.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

Peabody wrote:
> I understand that I could buy a wireless router, but would I save
> any money, and would it be simpler, and possibly faster, to just add
> a PCI-card wireless NIC to the desktop, and have the desktop
> function as the router?

Non brand name wireless routers can be extremely cheap when on sale.
I've seen them for $10-20. That's about the cost of a PCI NIC card
anyways.

Since your desktop already has a NIC built in I think you'd be as well off
to buy a wireless router instead of a wireless NIC. Most new laptops
incorporate 802.11b/g wireless in them already so you'd only have one item
to buy.

With the wireless router AP, you have a device that offers additional
protection with an internal firewall. Your cable modem will plug into its
WAN port and your desktop can plug into one of its wired switch ports. The
wireless router will support DHCP so both your desktop and laptop will be
able to obtain an address automatically from the router. Also, your
laptop has connectivity even when your desktop is off. Finally, you can
more easily relocate the router to cover a deadspot than your desktop.

Many wireless routers now support WPA encryption which is said to be more
secure than WEP which has been the standard for some time. Even with the
firewall in the router, I strongly recommend a firewall such as Zone Alarm
on each machine. By going with the router, you can increase your security
by an order of magnitude as security works in layers and the more layers
you add, the stronger it is. Even if you weren't planning to buy another
computer, a router of some sort with a firewall is still a good idea as it
keeps your machine from being directly exposed to the Internet.

HTH,

- Nate >>

--

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds,
the pessimist fears this is true."

On 17 Nov 2006 00:28:08 -0800, "Bucky" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<(E-Mail Removed) .com>:

>Peabody wrote:
>> I understand that I could buy a wireless router, but would I save
>> any money, and would it be simpler, and possibly faster, to just add
>> a PCI-card wireless NIC to the desktop, and have the desktop
>> function as the router?
>
>Non brand name wireless routers can be extremely cheap when on sale.
>I've seen them for $10-20. That's about the cost of a PCI NIC card
>anyways.

They're undoubtedly worth every penny you pay for them.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

John Navas says...

>>> I understand that I could buy a wireless router, but
>>> would I save any money, and would it be simpler, and
>>> possibly faster, to just add a PCI-card wireless NIC
>>> to the desktop, and have the desktop function as the
>>> router?

>> Non brand name wireless routers can be extremely cheap
>> when on sale. I've seen them for $10-20. That's about
>> the cost of a PCI NIC card anyways.

> They're undoubtedly worth every penny you pay for them.
>

Thanks to everybody for the responses. I guess the wireless
router is the way to go. As for which one to get, I'll look
over the old posts here, and then maybe ask about that in a
separate thread.

On Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:20:59 -0600, Peabody
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<0cm7h.1241$(E-Mail Removed)>:

>John Navas says...
>
> >>> I understand that I could buy a wireless router, but
> >>> would I save any money, and would it be simpler, and
> >>> possibly faster, to just add a PCI-card wireless NIC
> >>> to the desktop, and have the desktop function as the
> >>> router?
>
> >> Non brand name wireless routers can be extremely cheap
> >> when on sale. I've seen them for $10-20. That's about
> >> the cost of a PCI NIC card anyways.
>
> > They're undoubtedly worth every penny you pay for them.
> >
>
>Thanks to everybody for the responses. I guess the wireless
>router is the way to go. As for which one to get, I'll look
>over the old posts here, and then maybe ask about that in a
>separate thread.

I recommend Buffalo, about $40 on the Internet (e.g., Newegg.com).

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>