17 replies to this topic

[endure]

I shall shortly be moving to a place which provides wi-fi in the room but is set up to only allow one log-in at a time. I'll have a netbook running W7 and a tablet with me and would like to use both at the same time. I thought that I'd be able to set the netbook as a hotspot by plugging in a USB wifi stick and setting up an ad-hoc network in W7 but when I do this the netbook disconnects from the 'main' wifi. Am I missing something? Is this set-up possible with the kit I've got or do I have to get one of those dinky TPLink mini routers?

Edited by endure, 2012-09-17 01:30:41.

[rakman]

You have the right idea.. Use the Win 7 machine to connect to the apt, setup your ad-hoc network then use ICS to create the router to make it work.

http://www.ehow.com/...using-wifi.html
should help you out.

[Crossy]

I've failed miserably in the past to set up ICS with two WiFi adapters on one machine.

That said I've not tried particularly hard as it was convenient to use a wired network between the machines and share the WiFi internet over it.

If your machines are near to one another set up a wired network between them.

[Satcommlee]

Maybe buy a cheap wireless access point with ethernet cable instead.

I know what your trying to do, and I think you are asking for trouble.. I'm not sure windows likes 2 WiFi connections.

[bangkokburning]

Ive used freeware that allows you to connect thru w7 latop wifi and then use it as wifi base. I ultimately did not like it because that machinne need always be on. We have identical dituation - we just seem to work it out. Ive seen gadgets that work as repeater, router...worried though if they need log on as gadgets do we have a problem. Also connection now much better but used to drop all the time. Then what?

Intrrested in your solution!

[Dork]

Windows adhoc or ICS will work but as said above is a pain in the a to set up, you'll need to have Netbook on and you may need to reconfigure the Netbook's network settings when you take it somewhere else. I'm not an Apple user but their devices certainly make this much easier than Windows.

A mini travel router may be a solution but if your WiFi connection requires you to login via a web browser then you probably still can only use 1 device at a time.

You need a router that supports "Hotspot" mode, which most don't. I'm not sure about the TP Link that you mention.

I have one of these. I don't like the GUI much but it does work.

http://www.invadeit....330n3g-p006973/

[CP3]

It is not hard to set up and you dont need another adapter to share your wifi.

@ laptop, access to wifi and under network and sharing->set up a new connection or network->set up adhoc

[endure]

I have wifi in the room. It only allows one machine to log in at a time. There is no wired connection available at all. I have a netbook which has wifi and wired lan connections. I have a tablet which has wifi only. I have a USB wifi stick. I'd like them both on the network at the same time.

[endure]

I've tried setting it up using ICS but a s soon as I set up the ad-hoc network it drops the wifi connection to the 'net. The device I was thinking of was this:

http://www.amazon.co..._hu-rd_add_1_dp

Edited by endure, 2012-09-17 23:24:15.

[CP3]

Andriod has problem supporting adhoc network

[endure]

I'm not using Android.

[Dork]

I've tried setting it up using ICS but a s soon as I set up the ad-hoc network it drops the wifi connection to the 'net. The device I was thinking of was this:

http://www.amazon.co..._hu-rd_add_1_dp

If in order to get connected to the internet you first need to enter a user name & password into a webpage then this TP Link unit almost certainly won't work. That's because the server that is verifying your credentials is also allocating an IP address to the MAC address of whatever device is making the connection. Any other device that you subsequently try to connect with will have a different MAC address so will be denied the connection.. It's not the same as sharing a normal internet connection over WiFi. Some hotels that don't have WiFi do have an unrestricted LAN connection and that is where this TP Link unit would be useful.

You need a travel router that supports Hotspot mode. If you google "wifi account sharing" you will get a better explanation than mine.

[endure]

The TP reckons to be able to work in 'bridge' mode - see the bottom of this page.

http://uk.tp-link.co...l=TL-WR702N#app

Thought that might do the job.

[Dork]

The TP reckons to be able to work in 'bridge' mode - see the bottom of this page.

http://uk.tp-link.co...l=TL-WR702N#app

Thought that might do the job.

How do you login to the network? Is it simply a WiFi password to get connected or is it open WiFi with a webpage login to get internet connectivity?

The answer to that question will determine whether the TP Link will work or not.

[endure]

You log in through a webpage. Each room has its own login. The easy answer would be to ask for a room with no neighbours either side

[Dork]

You log in through a webpage. Each room has its own login. The easy answer would be to ask for a room with no neighbours either side

I've tried the same thing in various hotels before without success which is why I'm doubtful that it's going to work unless you can address the issue of 1 MAC address per session. Hopefully I'm wrong - Perhaps an apartments system doesn't need to be as robust as a hotel ripping off their customers for USD20/day and then limiting that to one device.

Anyway no harm in trying but you don't need to buy that particular TP Link to test it out. Almost all WiFi routers have the same functions. The only thing special about that model is it's small size and that it can be powered through USB.

Please let us know how you get on. Good luck.

[JSixpack]

http://www.freewaref...gram_68492.html

[RKASA]

"I have a netbook which has wifi and wired lan connections"

Warning if the wifi is MAC filtering logged on users connecting other devices can fail. That said:

If your connected to the wifi with the netbook then share that connection to the lan port - it becomes a gateway 192.168.0.1 for your local network (lan) this can be done by right clicking the network connection you want to share and following the GUI and then you can then connect a switch or wireless access point or both to it and anything connecting to those things will see the internet as long as the netbook is logged in and working. This can be done from linux or windows operated netbooks.

This is not different then using an USB aircard which has to connect to say dtac on a laptop and then sharing the connection to lan and then connecting a 4 port switch which has other PC's and a wireless port connected to it. As long as the laptop is connected and logged in everyone sees the internet via the gateway 192.168.0.1 and the netbook or laptop still works normally online. The only problem is it must stay on and logged in for the gateway to see the internet.

Your netbook becomes a router in the back ground for the other devices but still works online as it normally would if you did email or downloads etc. If you set this up and the PC's can talk to each other but still cannot see the internet then you may have a filter problem with the provided wifi.

Note that for privacy and convenience you should consider free wifi is maybe not the best deal and if it is not free then it is surely not the best deal.

Just get a 3g aircard or your own broadband to home. Freedom has a price.