For broadband access it doesn't matter what OSs you run on your computer.
For MS file-sharing though, mixing XP Home and XP Pro requires some
consideration of their different security models. There have been some good
recent posts about this.
As Duane said, a wireless router will simplify things. With it you won't
need to have the ICS computer booted up whenever another computer want
Internet access. But Ad Hoc (no access point) networks work too, as long as
all the computers are within range of each other.
Ron Bandes, CCNP, CTT+, etc.
"Duane Arnold" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns9514C09AB98A9notmenotmecoml@204.127.199.17 ...
> "DX" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> news:1smDc.21985$(E-Mail Removed):
>
> > Hi room,
> > I own a desktop attached to the internet via a broadband PCI modem
> > card
> > running XP Pro.
> > I have just bought a laptop which comes with XP Home Edition.
> > I have also ordered a (Trust) PCI wireless 108MBPS card for the
> > desktop machine and a PCMCIA Origo 802.11g+ Wireless LAN PC Card
> > adapter for the laptop.
> >
> > My plan when these items arrive is of course to set up a wireless
> > network at home so I can roam with the laptop and connect to the
> > internet hopefully. I don't particularly need a network connection to
> > my desktop machine to share files as I have external devices that
> > allow this already although it would be useful. My priority would be
> > how to share my broadband connection in the desktop to my laptop using
> > the wireless. Are there any sites that anyone here has come accross
> > that would help me. A colleague I work with has suggested there may be
> > problems with XP home as it doesn't have the same support for
> > networking like it's Pro brother so that's why I'm asking here.
> > Will it be a simple Plug & Play when it arrives or are there some
> > basics I should swat up on before attempting this? Will I need XP Pro
> > on both machines?
> > p.s. I have a static ISP IP address if that helps at all.
> >
>
> My advise here is to get wired/wireless NAT router and let it be the
> gateway for the LAN and WAN.
>
> http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-NAT.asp
>
> You may want to pay close attention as to what's happening with Wireless
> Zero Configuration Service on the XP O/S as it can cause issues. It's
> disabled on all my XP machines. You may also want to look closely at the
> Network Wizard too as it can cause issues I don't use it.
>
> If you're going to do ICS with wireless cards, you'll need to use the
> ADHOC mode on the cards.
>
> Wireless networking and ICS is no different than if it were wired.
>
> The cards should come with a manual with install instructions.
>
> Duane 
>
>
>
>