issues with ad hoc wireless configuration

I have two PC's at home: a Dell desktop connected via ethernet to a Comcast
cable modem, and a laptop with a wireless card. I have enabled ICS on the
desktop PC and have been running an ad hoc wireless network between the two
PC's. The laptop has been able to access the internet through the host PC
with no problem.
This weekend, however, suddenly the connection stops working. My girlfriend
was trying to join the ad hoc network from the laptop PC and it gave her some
kind of configuration screen. Now, I can see the ad hoc network from the
laptop, but when I click "connect" it says "connected" but gives me an IP
address of 0.0.0.0 for a few minutes, at which point it gives me an APIPA
address of 169.x.x.x. As you can probably guess however, there is no
connection netween the two PC's at this point....I cannot access the internet
through this ad hoc connection, and the folders I had shared between the two
PC's are no longer visible from either machine.

It is worth mentioning, that the laptop PC can still connect to the internet
through any one of a number of unsecured WAP's that are within range of our
apartment, so it is not simply an issue with her wireless configuration
settings. Also, the desktop PC is still connected to the internet, etc. I
had not changed any settings on the desktop PC before this happened, so I am
in the dark about how to proceed or what could have caused the issue in the
first place.

If someone could make a suggestion to help with this issue it would be much
appreciated.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that both PC's are running XP SP2.

"maiaeutic" wrote:

> I have two PC's at home: a Dell desktop connected via ethernet to a Comcast
> cable modem, and a laptop with a wireless card. I have enabled ICS on the
> desktop PC and have been running an ad hoc wireless network between the two
> PC's. The laptop has been able to access the internet through the host PC
> with no problem.
> This weekend, however, suddenly the connection stops working. My girlfriend
> was trying to join the ad hoc network from the laptop PC and it gave her some
> kind of configuration screen. Now, I can see the ad hoc network from the
> laptop, but when I click "connect" it says "connected" but gives me an IP
> address of 0.0.0.0 for a few minutes, at which point it gives me an APIPA
> address of 169.x.x.x. As you can probably guess however, there is no
> connection netween the two PC's at this point....I cannot access the internet
> through this ad hoc connection, and the folders I had shared between the two
> PC's are no longer visible from either machine.
>
> It is worth mentioning, that the laptop PC can still connect to the internet
> through any one of a number of unsecured WAP's that are within range of our
> apartment, so it is not simply an issue with her wireless configuration
> settings. Also, the desktop PC is still connected to the internet, etc. I
> had not changed any settings on the desktop PC before this happened, so I am
> in the dark about how to proceed or what could have caused the issue in the
> first place.
>
> If someone could make a suggestion to help with this issue it would be much
> appreciated.

First, you should not be using someone else's unsecured connection.
YOU can be prosecuted for this. Second, you really should buy a
router for a few reasons:

1. It is far safer because most routers have a hardware firewall and
statefull packet inspection.

2. You don't have to always leave the desktop connected

3. Routers support better wireless security than XP ad hoc
networking (WPA2).

You probably need to disable ICS on the desktop and start from
scratch and setup the ad hoc connection from scratch.

On Mon, 3 Dec 2007 12:36:05 -0800, maiaeutic
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have two PC's at home: a Dell desktop connected via ethernet to a Comcast
>cable modem, and a laptop with a wireless card. I have enabled ICS on the
>desktop PC and have been running an ad hoc wireless network between the two
>PC's. The laptop has been able to access the internet through the host PC
>with no problem.
>This weekend, however, suddenly the connection stops working. My girlfriend
>was trying to join the ad hoc network from the laptop PC and it gave her some
>kind of configuration screen. Now, I can see the ad hoc network from the
>laptop, but when I click "connect" it says "connected" but gives me an IP
>address of 0.0.0.0 for a few minutes, at which point it gives me an APIPA
>address of 169.x.x.x. As you can probably guess however, there is no
>connection netween the two PC's at this point....I cannot access the internet
>through this ad hoc connection, and the folders I had shared between the two
>PC's are no longer visible from either machine.
>
>It is worth mentioning, that the laptop PC can still connect to the internet
>through any one of a number of unsecured WAP's that are within range of our
>apartment, so it is not simply an issue with her wireless configuration
>settings. Also, the desktop PC is still connected to the internet, etc. I
>had not changed any settings on the desktop PC before this happened, so I am
>in the dark about how to proceed or what could have caused the issue in the
>first place.
>
>If someone could make a suggestion to help with this issue it would be much
>appreciated.
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

Hi
We live in good times.
This is a superior solution to Ad-Hoc and it cost less than a fancy Burger
and Soda.
http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...ct_code=344149
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"maiaeutic" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1FCA2E34-9764-4683-9C43-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have two PC's at home: a Dell desktop connected via ethernet to a Comcast
> cable modem, and a laptop with a wireless card. I have enabled ICS on
> the
> desktop PC and have been running an ad hoc wireless network between the
> two
> PC's. The laptop has been able to access the internet through the host
> PC
> with no problem.
> This weekend, however, suddenly the connection stops working. My
> girlfriend
> was trying to join the ad hoc network from the laptop PC and it gave her
> some
> kind of configuration screen. Now, I can see the ad hoc network from the
> laptop, but when I click "connect" it says "connected" but gives me an IP
> address of 0.0.0.0 for a few minutes, at which point it gives me an APIPA
> address of 169.x.x.x. As you can probably guess however, there is no
> connection netween the two PC's at this point....I cannot access the
> internet
> through this ad hoc connection, and the folders I had shared between the
> two
> PC's are no longer visible from either machine.
>
> It is worth mentioning, that the laptop PC can still connect to the
> internet
> through any one of a number of unsecured WAP's that are within range of
> our
> apartment, so it is not simply an issue with her wireless configuration
> settings. Also, the desktop PC is still connected to the internet, etc.
> I
> had not changed any settings on the desktop PC before this happened, so I
> am
> in the dark about how to proceed or what could have caused the issue in
> the
> first place.
>
> If someone could make a suggestion to help with this issue it would be
> much
> appreciated.

Thanks to both of you for the responses. I have been planning to upgrade to
a wireless router only after purchasing a new HDD and DDR RAM so I can
upgrade to Vista on my Dell PC, but for the price indicated I will probably
go for the router first.